By James Hannibal @jamesrhannibal

“If you love me, you will keep my commands.” John 14:15 (CSB)

There are many opinions within the Christian writing community regarding our job and the depth of our responsibility as Christian writers. Make no mistake. Scripture is clear on this topic. 

“If you love me, you will keep my commands.” These are the words of Christ.

Keep in this verse comes from the Greek word téreó, which has a much deeper meaning. Try reading the verse in the following three ways, and understand them as simultaneous rather than alternate interpretations. [Strong’s Greek, NAS Concordance, Helps Word-studies]

“If you love me, you will abide by my commands.”

“If you love me, you will guard my commands.”

“If you love me, you will preserve my commands.”

“If you love me . . .”

Don’t miss that first part. 

Téreó at its most basic means to guard. Picture a watchman on a wall, protecting the king’s palace. Picture a knight with a sword in hand, watching tirelessly over the king’s treasure day and night. This is us, keeping, abiding by, guarding, and preserving His commands. It should be who we are as Christians, because we love Him. To take it a step further, as Christian writers, we are leaders and teachers of this crowd of watchkeepers, whether we intend so or not.

Dear Christian writer, present your message with care to help your readers understand His commands. Prepare yourself for discourse to explain and defend His commands. And live your life—which happens to be in public view—in the reverent preservation and observance of His commands. Because you love Him, and because you love your fellow Christians.

More than inspiration. More than story.

“Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” James 3:1 (CSB)

Guess what, Christian writer. You’re a teacher. Every story we tell invokes a conclusion by the reader or listener. “What did she mean by that?” “What is he trying to say?” And those readers trust you. Don’t betray that trust with careless writing.

While our stories are entertaining and inspirational tales, they also teach, evangelize, convict, encourage, and transform. Therefore, we must write with intent. Know your topic. Dig into what trusted biblical scholars have to say. Get multiple viewpoints. Prayerfully plan how every facet of the story will bring out your message. Failing to speak to them through a purposeful message may send your readers down the wrong path. You accepted this responsibility when you accepted the title “Christian writer.” 

Writer, prepare thyself.

“But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Peter 3:15 (CSB)

The Lord, through Peter, tells us to be ready at any time to give a defense of our faith. Do we all need to have MDivs or PhDs? No. But we should study the works of those who do, always with a Bible open to test what they say in the full context of the passage. Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? You are, Christian writer. Get your public discourse right, because even outside your books, readers see you as a teacher of the whats and hows of His commandments and grace. Be ready to teach when you’re asked a tough question. And whatever you do, don’t shoot from the hip with human wisdom. Why not? See James 3:1 above.

Live like a defender.

“Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness, and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them.” 2 Tim 2:15-17 (CSB)

Yeah. Paul tells it like it is. And he names names. Why? He’s defending the faith.

Sometimes we miss the present yourself part of this passage. After all that work I listed above to plan and execute our message and prepare as teachers, we are also presenting ourselves to God. And as published writers, we’re doing it in full view of the public—not just in our Christian writing, but in all the public facets of our lives. That includes our writing for secular organizations and publishers plus our social media posts. Our actions in those places have consequences for others.

This brings us back to keeping His commands. You, Christian writer, should keep His commands because you love Him. But because you are a Christian writer in the public eye, your expression of love through obedience becomes an act of leadership. Anything other than obedience is also an act of leadership—toward a cliff. Bear that in mind.

Keep His commands. Be purposeful in teaching His commands. Be prepared to defend His commands. Know that by either keeping or skirting His commands as a public figure, you are leading others. Lead with reverence and caution.

Now, please, go and read the full chapters of James 3 and 2 Tim 2. Each has solemn advice for Christian leaders (that means you).

As a former stealth pilot, James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He has been shot at, locked up with surface to air missiles, and chased down a winding German road by an armed terrorist. He is a two-time Silver Falchion award-winner for his Section 13 mysteries for kids, a Thriller Award nominee for his Nick Baron covert ops series for adults, and a Selah Award finalist for his Christian CIA thriller, the Grypyhon Heist. James is a rare multi-sense synesthete. Want to know more? Visit JamesRHannibal.com.