Dead to a Reputation

A good description of the Laodicean churches found in most every evangelist's newsletter that he sends out or emails out to his supporters each month, which boasts and brags on where he has traveled and what he has done and what he has accomplished all in the name of religion. He has to make it sound good and get results so that his support won't dry up. The typical preacher's newsletter will often sound as if we are in the midst of the third great awakening.

You hear such fantastic phrases as, the altar was full and tears were flowing. God came and we were in the midst of revival. There were hundreds who were saved.

A Christian editor recently asked me to provide a one-paragraph biography on myself for a book which contained an essay that I had written. I laughed because there was a time in my life where I lived for opportunities to promote myself. Most evangelists would jump at the chance to provide an entire paragraph on themselves and about what they've accomplished, but this is a fault of the church because it puffs up man rather than elevates God.

Can you imagine, friends, someone asking the apostle Peter to write a one-paragraph biography on himself to promote himself? Do you think he'd say, I was one of the first disciples to be personally called by Jesus? In fact, I knew Jesus personally. He was my best friend and colleague in the ministry. I went everywhere with him and spent many hours talking about ministry with him.

He even allowed me to walk on water with him because we were such good friends. I shouldn't tell you this, but he said I was the one who he would use personally to build his church. Now that humbles me.

Do you think he'd say that, friends? Of course not. It's ludicrous because Peter nor any of the other disciples were interested in promoting themselves and their own ministry. All they cared about was Christ and the gospel, souls of man, and they were consumed with eternity.

But not us. We want to promote ourselves the best way we can to make a name for ourselves and climb the ladder of our denomination. But like I said, there was a time in my life where I would have jumped at the opportunity to promote myself, but not anymore.

The thought of putting flesh on display is both painful and distasteful to me because I know how prideful it can be and how empty it really is. Well, this editor was pushing me for an entire paragraph on a bio of me, and I wrote him back the following reply. Why? Nobody knows who I am, and nobody cares anyhow.

Just put my name. That's all you need. Or you can just put no name by it with, written by a sinner, saved by grace.

You see, friends, I have to use my master as an example. It's found in Philippians chapter 2 and verses 7 and 8, which reads, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Being dead to a reputation has been one of the most freeing things I've ever experienced, and there is liberty there, a liberty from the shackles of pride and self-promotion.

I really don't care what you think about me, friend, because most folks don't like me anyhow. All that matters is what Jesus thinks of me as I preach him and him crucified. I'd rather be dead to a reputation because I agree with what J. Sidlow Baxter said.

He wrote, How can a man, full of himself, preach a Christ who emptied himself? Let us pray.