Leaving a Spiritual Legacy; or Why I Publish Theology for My Children
When I began writing in September 2015, I was out of ministry options. My original intent was to create my own daily devotional. Knowing that whatever is not being used is being lost, I wrote so as to sharpen my Bible verse retrieval skills. I also wrote to meditate on doctrine and theology. At first, I was the only audience I had, except for the Lord who knows all things (omniscience). An acquaintance challenged me to make my short theological essays more public.
As my writings increased in number, I realized that I was leaving something that had been left for me, albeit in reflective memories of my parent’s faithful church attendance and attempted witness. My desire was simply to leave a more substantial and sustainable witness, a spiritual legacy for my posterity.
When my focus shifted from mere daily devotion to a spiritual legacy, my motive did not change. The Bible teaches us to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mk 12:30; Lk 10:27). We love God because He first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). By this standard taught by Jesus, I clearly fall short, but the longer I live as a Christian, the more His love controls me (2 Cor 5:14), through sanctification by the Spirit (Rom 15:16; 1 Thess 4:3, 7; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2). I want the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:15), and I want them for the people in my life because the world only produces cheap imitations for the love of God in Christ Jesus (1 Jn 2:15–17).
The world creates a false hope for a better future, but those who hope in Christ Jesus are not disappointed (Ps 22:5; Rom 9:33; 10:11; 1 Pet 2:6). As the Apostles said to the lame beggar, “Silver and gold I have none, but what I do have I give to you (Acts 3:6a).” All of us are lame, deaf, blind, and even spiritually dead because of sin (Eph 2:1). We need help in our natural state (Eph 2:12) to have a hope and a future (Jer 29:11).
Children in the same family, with the same parents, can vary immensely. Some seem to be spiritually sensitive and others spiritually dull. They invariably go through seasons of spiritual vitality and spiritual famine. Being the imperfect dad that I am to our six children, my timing can be way off. In addition, as I have grown out of false doctrines (i.e. Arminianism, Dispensationalism; Rapture Theory Eschatology; etc.), I need a way to correct the bad teaching I unfortunately passed along to our children when they were young.
Clearly, the written word has a degree of sustainability over time. Still, even the Bible was lost in the days leading up to the reign of King Josiah of Judah (late 7th century B.C.). My plan for the days ahead includes a gift of the full collection of my sermons, articles, etc. to each child. My prayer is that when the season is right that each one will be inclined to take up and read what I have written for them as a spiritual legacy. That though I will be with the Lord, I might still speak through my writings.
I still feel the burden of my “lost years” and the grief I caused my parents when I was not walking with the Lord. Having lived and learned about the vanity of this fallen world (Eccl 1:2), I have set my heart to study the Scriptures (Ezra 7:10) and to faithfully minister God’s Word where open doors exist (1 Cor 9:17). Ironically, in my rather closed-door experience, I have felt the compaction of God’s providential constraint on my ministry ambitions.
Although I do not share the theological prowess of A.W. Pink, I remain inspired by his daily dedication on the Isle of Lewis, along with his wife as his editor, to write and write and write after being rejected by church after church after church. Had Arthur Pink been permitted to preach God’s Word, I suppose we would have far less of him, today. In God’s grace and providence, the life and ministry of Arthur and Vera Pink serves to show us that God’s ways are higher than our ways (Is 55:9). Pink’s departure from this life in 1952 has only seen an increase in his readership, far exceeding those who benefited from his works during his lifetime.
I also do not share the pulpit prowess of many of my contemporaries, but there is nothing I would rather do than preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to His church. Having not the writing skills of my published brethren, I remain committed to the spiritual edification of my children, regardless of their varied attentiveness on any given day. They are now almost all in adulthood, so I also pray that our children and their children will somehow benefit from what little I am able to leave for them in this life and in preparation for the next.
The best of what I have, I leave with you, too, my dear reader. That on the night He was betrayed, the perfect sinless life of the Lamb of God was turned over to sinful men, who judged Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be unworthy of them (Jn 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15). With injustice they scourged and crucified Him unto death. Unaware of the predetermined plan of God (Acts 2:23), the murderers of Jesus Messiah missed His mission to save His chosen people from their sins and the wrath of God directed against all sinners (Mt 1:21; Rom 3:25; 11:5; Heb 2:17; 1 Pet 2:9, 24; 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10).
The precious blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:19), spilt and sprinkled on God’s holy nation of royal priests, His church, the Israel of God atoned for all our sins (Gal 6:16; 1 Jn 1:9). Through this blood redemption, Jesus has secured His bride for eternity (1 Cor 1:30; 6:20; 7:23; Eph 5:25), demonstrated by God raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:31), as the first fruit of the resurrection from the dead (1 Cor 15:20). The resurrection to life is coming on the last day when He returns for the full number of His people (Jn 5:28–29).
God has granted His beloved the faith of all the saints throughout history, along with eternal life (Phil 3:9; Jude 3; 1 Jn 5:11–13). He will lose not one of us (Jn 10:28–29; Rom 8:35–39). This means that my labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor 15:10). This is true for your labors, too, dear Christian.
Just as I am a product of the Holy Spirit working through the church, so our collective labors by the Spirit are manifesting all the elect children of God in every age and in every place. Although I myself am nothing but an unprofitable servant (Lk 17:10), I marvel together with those who have contributed a little (loaves and fish), a lot (Zacchaeus and Mary of Bethany), or in genuine sacrifice (Macedonians and martyrs) at what God does with what we freely give of what belongs to Him (Ps 24:1; Mt 10:8). Our acts of faith are acceptable good works generating great joy in those who now glorify God our Father with us (Mt 5:16; Eph 2:10; Jas 2:14–26).
May all who read this explanation of my attempt to leave a spiritual legacy for my progeny also find themselves in the family of God with the blessing of our heavenly Father, in order to bless the generations to come…for His glory.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
June 19, 2022
