“When I die, let my name die with me.”

Those are the words of England’s greatest evangelist, George Whitefield, best known for his dynamic open air preaching that gripped and stirred the hearts of the common and royal people with the intensity of eternity. His eternal influence was not confined to Britain alone; alongside Jonathan Edwards, God had used Whitefield to a vast extent in America’s 1^st Great Awakening (between 1730 and 1760). Although a Deist and unconverted, Benjamin Franklin, a close acquaintance of the notorious evangelist, used the power of his press to publish all of Whitefield’s sermons and journals to proliferate his fame, which no doubt assisted to advance the evangelical movement throughout the colonisation of America. His gained popular stature was known to be compared to that of George Washington.

So preoccupied with the glory of God, Whitefield had no interest in making himself a spectacle to the world; his one ambition was to please his Lord and Redeemer, proclaiming Him to lost and unregenerate souls. His life personified the great apostle’s autobiography: “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” 

The world’s greatest philosophers strove for immortality, that through their words they would never cease to be remembered. The Da Vinci’s, Rembrandt’s, Monet’s and Picasso’s continue to ‘live’, confined within the walls of museum’s and among the aristocratic collectors. Scientists have made their mark through ground-breaking discoveries; ingenious names have harnessed electricity, split the atom, broken the sound barrier, defied the law of gravity, viewed the earth from the moon, and now strains forward for its next innovative plateaux.

Humanity has always revived the memory of great names, but only God has the power to resurrect a life once it expires in this world; the cycle and repetition of life, that we (and all who have existed) are accustomed to, will soon reach its end only to give an account to the One Who gave us breath, to the One “Who laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens…the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; they will wear out like a garment, like a robe You will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end” (Hebrews 1:10-12).

All our achievements, our advancing of civilization and everything that has been ‘praiseworthily’ attributed to us by man will be revealed through the testing fire of God, whether it was unto His glory or our own. What is ascribed to us will not withstand; what has glorified God – not what we think, but by His judgment –  will remain (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Few realize the implications of what Jesus really meant when He will turn many away who will say, “Lord, Lord…” convinced they had performed outstandingly for God and all ‘in the name of God’ (Matthew 7:21-23). If there is one scripture that is intensely soul searching, that one is the most piercing of them all.

Much of what is seen in our generation of Christian publication and speaking caters for those who desire to improve themselves. The deception is the subtle insinuation of promoting self; rather than us conforming to the image of God’s Son, it has been cleverly manipulated to becoming the image we dream and what we want to be in God; rather than reading and studying to explore and understand the attributes of God, and of how we are mercifully brought into His glorifying purposes, it is more the case of how can we can ‘tap’ into God that ‘unleashes’ our potential to bring all our desires and longings to fruition. His power is no longer viewed for us being made living witnesses unto Jesus Christ, but a display of ‘dynamism’ that makes people want to become like us – the subtlety of it all ends with us. Book titles such as, ‘How To Become A Better You’, ‘Healing The Hidden Self’, or ‘A Map To Living Out Your Dreams’ may sound plausible at first, but when observing our era from a biblical and honest perspective, one is not wrong in assessing that we live in an extremely and morbidly self-orientated epoch. It is expected in the world, but when the church assimilates its philosophy that supersedes scriptural principles it no longer remains as light amidst the darkness.

A plethora of motivational, self help Christian literature is becoming all the more popular. Of course such ‘spiritual’ stimuli to live a legendary life, is going to greatly appeal to the masses today. Many are weary of the humdrum and mediocre lifestyles of where one’s self esteem is undermined and at low ebb, and anyone who can offer a successful formula in obtaining such a ‘victorious’ and ’happy’ way of life is enthusiastically welcomed without questioning its roots or consequences; so long as it’s practical and brings about ‘positive’ results, “then it must be right”. Is it any wonder that as many have a distaste for sound doctrine that channels are opened to wander off into beliefs that suit their passions (2 Timothy 4:3)?

Did any of the apostles strive for recognition, and did the greatest of all apostles – who sincerely viewed himself as the least of all apostles and the ‘chief of sinners’ – make it his priority to be a legendary maker? Nothing else was quite like it when the early church was initiated; many could have gained great profit for themselves, but as Paul said, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:5-6) – which is a vivid and distinct contrast to what many advocate in our churches today. “Him we proclaim [not ourselves]…that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28) realising that such overseers will give an account before God (Hebrews 13:17), and whose sober warning is just as applicable today for every professing church leader.

Or do we think that the order has been reversed: “He must increase, but I must decrease”? No leader greatly used of God in the history of the Church was conceited or significant in their own eyes – never!; humility not modesty governed their lives. Modesty often times is a concealed and reserved pride that looks impressive to others but is malodorous to God. Those who are ambitious to have their names remembered are the ones whose memory fades with time. Real men of God denied their names and any ‘would-be-legacy’, but proclaimed and breathed the name of God. Though dead in body, they still speak with the impact of eternity. They were leaders who spoke the oracles of God, and scorned the praise of men. It is such names that will not be remembered for how great they were but rather how God greatly made known his power and glory through such weak vessels (2 Corinthians 12:9) that will resonate throughout all eternity. They go beyond remembrance; they are no longer mortal but immortal, now reigning with Him Who lives forevermore.