Weekly Devotion: Them That Are Without

“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” Colossians 4:5

The saddest thought I have toward lost people, which are described here as “them that are without”, is to think about them being outside of God’s kingdom. I still have a phobia of being locked out of some place that I desire to be. “Without” here could mean on the outside of something / someplace or not having something / someone, i.e. Christ / God, like those in Ephesians.

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” Ephesians 2:12

I shudder to reflect back on my own hopeless condition before Christ. This feeling of “having no hope” must have been a present reality for the “unclean” lepers of the Old Testament.

“All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.” Leviticus 13:46

The thought of having to “dwell alone” outside the camp of God’s people is horrifying! Jesus satisfied this problem by being crucified “without the gate”, i.e. on Mount Calvary which is outside of Jerusalem, to take upon himself the reproach of lepers and all unclean!

“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” Hebrews 13:12, 13

Lost people’s end is doomed unless we reach them with the gospel and they get saved. The dreadful words of the UN-regenerate soul have been preserved for us here in the gospel of Luke.

“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” Luke 13:25-27

Friend, do you fear being left behind if the Lord were to return today? I once did too, until Christ came into my life. If you are uncertain of your eternity, I would love to redeem some time by opening up the Bible and showing you the same light that I have been given. Wisdom is crying “without…in the streets” just like in the verses above, if you will turn at God’s reproof (repent), he promises to give you his Spirit and make known his words unto you and allow you entrance into his kingdom!

“Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” Proverbs 1:20-23