Beautiful Feet or Spiritual Gout?
By David J. Stewart
Romans 10:15-16, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”
The
Bible teaches that every believer is supposed to be a soul-winner. Many
believers have the wrong attitude that preaching the Gospel is only the duty of
the full-time Christian worker or minister. Nothing could be further from the
truth. God expects all of us to share the good news of Jesus Christ crucified,
buried and risen (1st Corinthians 15:1-4) with those around us. Hell is forever.
Few people believe that anymore.
Romans 10:15 tells us that the Christian who goes soul-winning has beautiful feet. This is such an encouraging Scripture. Proverb 11:30 says, “He that winneth souls is wise.” That means a fool doesn't win souls. Psalm 126:6, “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” And again we read in Philippians 2:16, “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” 2nd Corinthians 5:11, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
Over and over again we read in the Scriptures that God wants us to hold forth the Word of life, bear precious seed, bring glad tidings of good things, win souls and persuade men. In short, God wants us to be soul-winners. In 1st Corinthians 3:7-8, God has promised to reward us for our soul-winning labors. Most believers will be very poor in eternity, never having witnessed to anyone and having no converts. There will be bitter tears of regret and sorrow on Judgment Day.
Romans 10:15 calls the feet of the soul-winner, beautiful. Tragically, most believers today have spiritual gout (i.e., a foot disease). Most professed Christians have been choked by the cares, riches and pleasures of this world and never bring forth any fruit (Luke 8:14). They have spiritual gout, ugly feet that God doesn't want to look at.
Also notice that God mentions the “feet” instead of the mouth. You'd think that the Bible would have mentioned the lips or the tongue or the mouth. Why the feet? It is because it is with our feet that we go to where sinners are at and bring them the good news of Jesus Christ. The most eloquent speaker is worthless if he is not willing to “GO.” Notice the command which Jesus gave to His disciples in Matthew 28:19, “GO ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” This passage of Scripture is often referred to as, The Great Commission.
Most believers never get past the “GO” part of The Great Commission. For most believers, this ought to be called, The Great Omission, because they live a fruitless selfish life. The are 2 parts to The Great Commission: 1) soul-winning, 2) mentoring. Basically, Jesus wants us to get lost sinners saved and then teach them to go do the same. That is God's plan.
Oh, how the world needs Jesus Christ. We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Most people seek their own self-righteousness, such as the Lordship Salvation crowd who require men to stop living in sin to be saved. That is self-righteousness. A believer forsakes sin because they ARE saved; not to BECOME saved. There's a big difference between the two and it is the difference between Heaven or Hell. The gift of God is without any works of self-righteousness.
Jesus taught that there's only one work we must do to be saved. John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” This is not a work of self-righteousness; but rather, simply trusting the Lord for one's salvation. Forsaking sinful habits and denying one's self to be saved are works of self-righteousness, and a road to Hell. Jesus paid our sin debt. All we can do to be saved is to simply let Jesus save us. Everything else that pertains to our salvation, God will attend to, rest assured. Our part is to simply acknowledge our sinful condition and believe on Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, to forgive our sins. Acts 10:43, “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”
I don't know about you, but I want to have beautiful feet in the sight of God. The Bible speaks of hands that shed innocent blood (Proverb 6:17), and of the tongue set on fire of hell (James 3:6), and of eyes that are never satisfied (Proverb 27:20), and of the ears of a fool (Proverb 23:9), and of feet that be swift in running to mischief (Proverb 6:18). Oh, that our hands, tongue, eyes, ears and feet would all be committed to preaching the Gospel of our precious Lord Jesus Christ. The world is going to Hell and it is up to us to hold forth the Word of life to them.
Do you have beautiful feet or spiritual gout?
