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Articles
Preparation
Few great and important things occur with success without preparation. The saints of
God are urged to have their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
(Ephesians 6:15). The work of John the Baptist was '"to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord" (Luke 1: 17). God prepared beforehand for the salvation that was
manifested with the coming of Jesus Christ (Luke 2:30-32). A warning of wrath to come
is given against those who know the Master's will, but do not prepare themselves "or do
according to His will" (Luke 12:47). We should be vessels "prepared unto every good
work" (2 Timothy 2:21). Jesus has gone "to prepare a place" for His people; and based
upon that preparation, He has promised that He will come again and receive the faithful
unto Himself, '"that where I am there you may be also" (John 14:3).
The beginning of conversion is that one prepare or set his heart to seek the Lord (2
Chronicles 19:3; 30:17-20). "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him"
(Hebrews 11 :6). One must "make up his mind" to listen to the word of God, and then he
must "make up his mind" to repent of his sins, to confess Jesus as the Christ, and to be
baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of his sins (Acts 8:27-39; 2:37,38; Romans 10:10).
Much determination is required for one to thus prepare himself to enter newness
of life and to face the struggle of Christian warfare.
In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul stresses the importance of preparation. One must prepare
himself in order to be strong in the Lord. He must put on the whole armor of God that he
may "be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The struggle is great, and its
outcome for each one is eternal in its consequence. Girding one's waist with the truth
literally takes years of preparation - reading, studying, and learning. We put on the
breastplate of righteousness by obedience to the gospel, but to keep it on requires
constant awareness and diligent effort. Faith is gained by a heart receptive to the truth,
upon hearing and contemplating the truth with an open mind (Romans 10:17). We grow
in strength of faith over years of preparation in reading and studying the Scriptures.
Preparation is necessary in order for us to keep the helmet of salvation on our heads and
in order for us to use the sword of the Spirit efficiently, skillfully, and successfully. We
learn to pray as we ought by preparation to do so, studying prayer in the Scriptures.
If we are going to be "prepared unto every good work," we must apply ourselves to
the task of learning how to do things of righteousness. We must prepare our hearts to
benevolent love of others. If we desire to be teachers, we must prepare ourselves through
careful study, which takes time and much mental work. If one wishes to serve in the
church as an elder, he must begin preparing long beforehand by preparing himself to be a
faithful Christian first, and a teacher; and then he must be a faithful and successful
husband and father who rears his children according to God's instruction (2 Timothy
2:15; 1 Timothy 3:1-7).
Finally, preparation for the Judgment is vital. To a disobedient nation, Amos said,
"Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel" (Amos 4:1-13). He who has the proper hope
concerning the Judgment "purifies himself, even as He is pure" (1 John 3:3).
When one considers the "long haul", how far the journey is and how long it will last, he makes the
necessary preparation and is not discouraged when he doesn't make it in one day,
because he has prepared himself for the hardships of the journey. So we must prepare
ourselves, for our spiritual journey lasts for the rest of our lives and is uphill all the way.
Nevertheless, we do not lose heart, for God is with us all the way, sustaining us and
strengthening us; and the treasure at the end of the journey exceeds our comprehension
(Matthew 6:19-21).
Gilbert Alexander
