What Is Needed:
A Man Or A Woman Of One Idea
"He who wishes to fulfill his mission in this world must be a man of one idea." - John Bate
If there ever was a man who fulfilled his mission in life - it was the Apostle Paul. The reason for his success was that he was "a man of one idea."
In 1 Corinthians 2:2, we find the explanation for this concept - "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
It all started in Paul's life with a holy resolve...a fixed, deliberate purpose...and a determination - "For I determined..."
What was it that he "determined"?
"...not to know any thing among you..." - Paul was a very intelligent and educated man. What could he possibly mean by this statement?
He was saying that he was resolved to not attend to...engage in...regard...give time to...fix his mind upon...make it his business...or know - any thing in comparison with one selected theme or teaching.
What was that?
It was "...Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
With an unswerving determination, he made "Christ crucified" the grand object of his attention and kept as his main objective to always and everywhere make Him known. Though the world ridiculed...the philosophers scoffed...and the rich and frivolous laughed to scorn - he would not change the content of his message. He centered his attention on the Person of Christ - "save Jesus Christ" - and His redemptive work - "and Him crucified."
He knew that if he specified the person of Christ, hardened hearts would be reached...men would begin to love God...holiness would reign in the hearts and lives of the believers...and obedience would become habitual.
Paul was a man of one idea. Did that mean that he cast aside all other knowledge? No, it simply meant that out of "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" emanated all other ideas. In other words, it was the foundation from whence all other ideas flowed.
Read the following comment from the Matthew Henry Commentary in order to glean further understanding on this matter - "Christ, in His person and offices, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister's preaching. His business is to display the banner of the cross, and invite people under it. Any one that heard Paul preach found him to harp so continually on this string that he would say he knew nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Whatever other knowledge he had, this was the only knowledge he discovered, and showed himself concerned to propagate among his hearers."
Since getting saved - What kind of knowledge have you discovered and desire to propagate among your hearers?
As a minister of the Gospel, have you made the person of Jesus and His cross the great subject of your preaching?
As a witness for the Lord or a laborer in His vineyard, is this your main emphasis?
Though it might expose you to contempt or others reject and despise you for it - will you still resolve to make "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" your great and constant theme?
So many today are preaching a "powder-puff, feel-good" Gospel. They are seeking to make it user-friendly - appealing to the lusts of their audiences.
The Holy Spirit is calling all of His ministers to a ministry of one text. That text happens to be the same one as that of Paul - "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." In order to achieve success and fulfill their mission, this must always remain the center of their Gospel message. Even though the world may laugh and scorn, this still remains the only object of their attention.
We close with a quote from the Barnes' Notes - "This should be the resolution of every minister of the gospel. This is his business. It is not to be a politician; not to engage in the strifes and controversies of people; it is not to be a good farmer, or scholar merely; not to mingle with his people in festive circles and enjoyments; not to be a man of taste and philosophy, and distinguished mainly for refinement of manners; not to be a profound philosopher or metaphysician, but to make Christ crucified the grand object of his attention, and seek always and everywhere to make Him known...
...the preaching of the cross is the only kind of preaching that will be attended with success. That which has in it much respecting the divine mission, the dignity, the works, the doctrines, the person, and the atonement of Christ, will be successful. So it was in time of the apostles; so it was in the Reformation; so it was in the Moravian missions; so it has been in all revivals of religion. There is a power about that kind of preaching which philosophy and human reason have not. 'Christ is God's great ordinance' for the salvation of the world; and we meet the crimes and alleviate the woes of the world, just in proportion as we hold the cross up as appointed to overcome the one, and to pour the balm of consolation into the other."
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