A Matter of Concern

A recent Christian periodical flatly stated that their survey showed that most Christians have very little feeling of responsibility for the souls of their fellow men. That there is a great deal more concern for his physical well-being than for his spiritual health and ultimate future is quite disturbing.

Word often comes to us of a family losing all their earthly possessions by a fire or by some other catastrophe and the response to that need is truly wonderful. Certainly this is only right and doing it is a Christian joy and duty.

Spiritual health is too often a different matter. This is something that should concern all true believers fully as much as one’s physical care and many times more so. The apostle Peter, speaking to his Lord said, "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love You!" Jesus said unto him, "Feed my sheep" (John 21:17).

Of course Christians know that such concern as Jesus had for all is much easier when the soul-saving need is clearly evident in our neighbors and friends. But going that extra mile as Christ bids us to do, certainly means a deep caring for the men and women who are behind gray prison walls. To fail in this is to bring to us His awful condemnation, "Truly I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it not unto one of the least of these, you did it not to me" (Matthew 25:43 and 45).

My Neighbor

"And who is my neighbor?" This is the question that touches everyone of us. It is found in Luke the 10th chapter and is of much greater importance than most people probably think. Webster's Dictionary first says that it is a person who lives near another. Another definition given should be the only one that Christians can consider.

In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus does not ask what kind of a man is our neighbor. He was concerned only that the man was in need of help. It is not merely in giving first aid, but in helping in every way that would completely fill the need.

We cannot, in all honesty, separate this parable from the words of Jesus in the great commission, Mark 16:15 "Go you unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature". It certainly means that we are to come to the aid of our neighbors in their hour of need whether they are physical or spiritual needs. In large prisons, we are, in a sense, having the world brought to us in the back yards of our cities. This gives all Christians the golden opportun.ity to become good Samaritans with their prayers, their encouragement, and their much needed contributions.

Man

"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?" (Ps. 8:4). This is a question that is often raised today. One television panel show recently had quite a bit to say about it, most of it false. In the prison environment in general, man is not thought to amount to much and life is held very cheaply.

Everyone should know that the apostle John plainly means mankind when he uses the word 'world' here in his gospel. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17).

The Christ Prison Ministry in every institution in which it is working, is striving to bring the truth about man and his relationship to God to as many as is possible. He did not give His only begotten Son to save dumb animals! He created man in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:27), with the ability to reason and make moral decisions. He can obey God or he can disobey Him.

In the prison we teach that man is an eternal creature and is appointed unto men once to die and after that is the judgment (Heb. 9:27). The knowledge that we will spend eternity in heaven or in hell is the basis for our prison ministry.

Clem Cole
Taken from "Christ Prison Ministry" (1982)