Matt. 19:1-26; Mark 10:1-27; Luke 18:15-27
After Jesus final departure from Galilee, He entered into Peraea. Imagine his delight of revisiting the same area where He began his ministry starting with his baptism. However he knew of his impending death. This became a new chapter in His life which would become saddened and yet unwilling to stray away from His goal; the Redemption of Man...
Remember my last post where the leaders asked Jesus about divorce? Well, soon afterward, a rich young man came to Jesus inquiring about eternal life. Jesus read his heart from the beginning and saw he was more interested in his earthly possessions than his spiritual and eternal life. Jesus posed the question to him, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and then thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me." Although the young man wanted eternal life, he was unwilling to part with his possessions. He could not pay the price asked of him. All that money, and no way to buy his way out!
"In the observations He made He did not expressly say that to part with property was necessary to salvation, but He did speak in a manner which seemed to the disciples almost to imply that... He was hinting that the thing to be renounced in order to salvation was not money, but the inordinate love of it." The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 254.
What a shame to have everything, seemingly, but yet lose everything in eternity!
Even the disciples were perplexed by this statement as they asked, "Who then can be saved?" Bruce continues, "It is an inquiry of vital moment what our Lord really meant to teach on the subjects of marriage and money. The question concerns not merely the life to come, but the whole character of our present life. For if man's life on earth doth not consist wholly in possessions and family relations, these occupy a very prominent place therein. Family relations are essential to the existence of society, and without wealth there would be no civilization. Did, Jesus, then, frown or look down on these things, as at least unfavorable to, if not incompatible with, the interests of the divine kingdom and the aspirations of its citizens?" pg. 255.
The short answer is "no." Jesus knew that these things did not change the salvation of man anymore than they do today for those who have family and riches; and in some occasions both. The question is where the young man's heart was centered. He had all he could ever want (on this earth), but was unwilling to part with it for the kingdom's sake. That's where his heart lie.
Was Jesus asking him to part with all his riches just to enter the kingdom of Heaven? I don't think so. I think He was determining from His spiritual intuition that this would be a stumbling block for the young man from the very beginning and wanted him to know it before he surrendered to the call.
You see, some in the past have given everything up for the high calling of Christ and still missed the mark. Monks were some of the few. Celibacy was the given course of their life. This allowed the monk no distractions in his quest for the cause of Christ. But was it? When he spent his whole life behind walls of stone craving his quest; did he really understand his calling was to go out from the walls and reach those with the saving power he kept to himself? In reality, this monk's life was and is never a serious option for the serious Christian. The serious Christian lives beyond the walls. He ventures out of it, seeking to save that which was lost; even losing what some consider important in life.
Listen to one more quote as we close for the day, "Abstinence is the virtue of the weak (the monk), temperance (the serious Christian) is the virtue of the strong. Abstinence is certainly the safer way for those who are prone to inordinate affection, but it purchases safety at the expense of moral culture; for it removes us from those temptations connected with family relationships and earthly possessions, through which character, while it may be imperiled, is at the same time developed and strengthened. Abstinence is also inferior to temperance in healthiness of tone." pg. 257.
So where are you today? Are you selfish with no ambition to share Jesus? Or are you serious about the cause of Christ willing to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ outside the walls of your household and share it with the world who need the light in a morally and spiritually darkened world?
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
Self Sacrifice
Matt. 19:1-26; Mark 10:1-27; Luke 18:15-27
How much are you willing to sacrifice for your relationship with the Lord?
As Jesus makes a second visit to the area of Peraea, he and John both have recollections of the last visit. Both must have reflected on the great days of the past; however Jesus knew that His time was coming to an end. The joy he must have experienced of meeting with John the Baptist, undergoing baptism in the Jordan River, and beginning His public ministry. Now, on his second visit, He is nearing the culmination of His ministry. To die a cruel death for those who would be willing to put Him to death...
Before He can get a chance to enjoy His memories of goodness and joy, the Pharisees begin to taunt Him with questions; seeking to entrap Him into either being unpopular with the crowd or finding fault in His knowledge of the law. "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?"
Jesus replied, "By laying down the primitive principle, that divorce was justified only by conjugal infidelity, and by explaining, that any thing to the contrary in the law of Moses was simply an accommodation to the hardness of men's hearts. The disciples heard this reply, and they made their own remarks on it. They said to Jesus: 'If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.'" The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 252-253.
The heart of the matter is this:
1. Marriage is a serious event in life. It is not to be taken lightly. It is a "heart matter." It is and was designed to be for life. If you're not ready for a lifelong event, don't jump into it...
2. Marriage is something to be thought about and carefully planned with careful consideration. Is Jesus at the heart of this marriage? We find that today, marriage is something which is planned very quickly and has the "option" for divorce if it doesn't work. Its called "convenience marriage."
If it doesn't work, "lets find a way out." I tell people often who ask about marriage, "God hates divorce on so many levels." One is because of the hurt and pain associated with the separation that occurs; it is a cancer that lives within each one for years to come.
Spouses come to the closest thing to having the death of another; except they see the person still alive, without them...
Children suffer with fear, anger, rejection, and resentment thinking they might have been the root cause. Parents know their children will confront them in the future. How will they though? Either properly or improperly? This too can cause the previously damaged person to enter into their relationships in the future which affects their own marriage view and relationships.
3. Some of us from the womb feel the need for celibacy, because anything else distracts us and is impracticable. They sense the family life would impend their time with the relationship with the Lord. I know of people to this day who have made this decision. Believe it or not...
But something to think about in all this. What if Jesus ran out on our salvation when the times got tough? Did He commit to the relationship with us when we are infested with cancer, or broken from a bad relationship? No. He is there to comfort us in our times of need.
Don't get me wrong. There are circumstances where "space" is definitely needed. Maybe not divorce immediately, but space to think about the marriage. But what a shame it is to think about it "after" everything has gone wrong, instead of this planning"before" the marriage. Seems kind of backwards doesn't it?
This is why God has a perfect plan. It includes being obedient to His Word. This will help avoid a lot of heartaches in the future and allow us to have the best life Christ intended for us! I encourage you to place your life in His hand and allow His feet to guide your steps in your marriage today!
How much are you willing to sacrifice for your relationship with the Lord?
As Jesus makes a second visit to the area of Peraea, he and John both have recollections of the last visit. Both must have reflected on the great days of the past; however Jesus knew that His time was coming to an end. The joy he must have experienced of meeting with John the Baptist, undergoing baptism in the Jordan River, and beginning His public ministry. Now, on his second visit, He is nearing the culmination of His ministry. To die a cruel death for those who would be willing to put Him to death...
Before He can get a chance to enjoy His memories of goodness and joy, the Pharisees begin to taunt Him with questions; seeking to entrap Him into either being unpopular with the crowd or finding fault in His knowledge of the law. "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?"
Jesus replied, "By laying down the primitive principle, that divorce was justified only by conjugal infidelity, and by explaining, that any thing to the contrary in the law of Moses was simply an accommodation to the hardness of men's hearts. The disciples heard this reply, and they made their own remarks on it. They said to Jesus: 'If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.'" The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 252-253.
The heart of the matter is this:
1. Marriage is a serious event in life. It is not to be taken lightly. It is a "heart matter." It is and was designed to be for life. If you're not ready for a lifelong event, don't jump into it...
2. Marriage is something to be thought about and carefully planned with careful consideration. Is Jesus at the heart of this marriage? We find that today, marriage is something which is planned very quickly and has the "option" for divorce if it doesn't work. Its called "convenience marriage."
If it doesn't work, "lets find a way out." I tell people often who ask about marriage, "God hates divorce on so many levels." One is because of the hurt and pain associated with the separation that occurs; it is a cancer that lives within each one for years to come.
Spouses come to the closest thing to having the death of another; except they see the person still alive, without them...
Children suffer with fear, anger, rejection, and resentment thinking they might have been the root cause. Parents know their children will confront them in the future. How will they though? Either properly or improperly? This too can cause the previously damaged person to enter into their relationships in the future which affects their own marriage view and relationships.
3. Some of us from the womb feel the need for celibacy, because anything else distracts us and is impracticable. They sense the family life would impend their time with the relationship with the Lord. I know of people to this day who have made this decision. Believe it or not...
But something to think about in all this. What if Jesus ran out on our salvation when the times got tough? Did He commit to the relationship with us when we are infested with cancer, or broken from a bad relationship? No. He is there to comfort us in our times of need.
Don't get me wrong. There are circumstances where "space" is definitely needed. Maybe not divorce immediately, but space to think about the marriage. But what a shame it is to think about it "after" everything has gone wrong, instead of this planning"before" the marriage. Seems kind of backwards doesn't it?
This is why God has a perfect plan. It includes being obedient to His Word. This will help avoid a lot of heartaches in the future and allow us to have the best life Christ intended for us! I encourage you to place your life in His hand and allow His feet to guide your steps in your marriage today!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Is Jesus Prejudice?
Luke 9:51-56
I often have thought of the story where Jesus and the disciples entered into a Samaritan city. When they asked for lodging, they were refused. Jesus knew the answer, but still James and John (aptly named the Sons of Thunder) proposed the calling of fire from Heaven to consume the villagers.
Just as Jesus knew the heart condition of the people in the village; so He knew the hearts of these two men...
This was another strange proposal for the disciples of Jesus after years of following Him. In fact John would have been witness to the woman at the well's meeting with Jesus when He told her of the new era to come. How it shows the best are to learn so slow!
"How startling, again to think of this same John, a year or two after the date of this suggestion, going down from Jerusalem and preaching the gospel of Jesus the crucified in 'many of the villages of the Samaritans,' possibly in this very village which he desired to see destroyed!" The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 242.
But Jesus was not prejudice against the disciples as a result of their tempered responses at the time. He knew what they would come to be. Jesus loved the heart of the men whom they would become.
"The zeal of the son of thunder did not disappear from John's nature after he became an apostle; it only became tempered by the light of wisdom, and softened by the heat of love....in his later years he knew better what to hate-- the objects of his abhorrence being hypocrisy, apostasy, and Laodicean insincerity; not as of old, mere ignorant rudeness and clownish incivility." pg. 242
All of us have something from our past which is lurking within. It's called our old nature. It wrestles for its attention and demands its place in our new life. It calls for retribution when hurt, getting the last word in during a conversation, pushing the limits of the legal boundaries. It is the worst of us... We are prejudice to only the things that matter to us.
Some how do we change and become the person that Christ can use and glorify His Kingdom? Here is the key. Submit your life to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! This means taking our time to diligently study the Scriptures and ask ourselves the hard questions. How do I respond to this situation which will honor God instead of doing it the same way I have before? Praying and asking God to reveal our hearts; showing us what they really look like in that area. Asking godly friends and family to help us with our struggles as we seek to follow Christ in a real and personal way.
These are attainable goals for each us which can be started now. Don't wait until the new year. You can begin now! Remember, Jesus sees the goodness in you and what you will become as a child of God, but it only because of what He has done in you. Now, give way to that change and let it happen!
I often have thought of the story where Jesus and the disciples entered into a Samaritan city. When they asked for lodging, they were refused. Jesus knew the answer, but still James and John (aptly named the Sons of Thunder) proposed the calling of fire from Heaven to consume the villagers.
Just as Jesus knew the heart condition of the people in the village; so He knew the hearts of these two men...
This was another strange proposal for the disciples of Jesus after years of following Him. In fact John would have been witness to the woman at the well's meeting with Jesus when He told her of the new era to come. How it shows the best are to learn so slow!
"How startling, again to think of this same John, a year or two after the date of this suggestion, going down from Jerusalem and preaching the gospel of Jesus the crucified in 'many of the villages of the Samaritans,' possibly in this very village which he desired to see destroyed!" The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 242.
But Jesus was not prejudice against the disciples as a result of their tempered responses at the time. He knew what they would come to be. Jesus loved the heart of the men whom they would become.
"The zeal of the son of thunder did not disappear from John's nature after he became an apostle; it only became tempered by the light of wisdom, and softened by the heat of love....in his later years he knew better what to hate-- the objects of his abhorrence being hypocrisy, apostasy, and Laodicean insincerity; not as of old, mere ignorant rudeness and clownish incivility." pg. 242
All of us have something from our past which is lurking within. It's called our old nature. It wrestles for its attention and demands its place in our new life. It calls for retribution when hurt, getting the last word in during a conversation, pushing the limits of the legal boundaries. It is the worst of us... We are prejudice to only the things that matter to us.
Some how do we change and become the person that Christ can use and glorify His Kingdom? Here is the key. Submit your life to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! This means taking our time to diligently study the Scriptures and ask ourselves the hard questions. How do I respond to this situation which will honor God instead of doing it the same way I have before? Praying and asking God to reveal our hearts; showing us what they really look like in that area. Asking godly friends and family to help us with our struggles as we seek to follow Christ in a real and personal way.
These are attainable goals for each us which can be started now. Don't wait until the new year. You can begin now! Remember, Jesus sees the goodness in you and what you will become as a child of God, but it only because of what He has done in you. Now, give way to that change and let it happen!
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Who is Against us and Who for Us?
Luke 9:49-50; Mark 9:38-41
Today we look a little at the life of John.
As the disciples continue to grow in their faith and walk with Christ, another situation which seems to be a distraction occurs which seems to confuse the disciples. Funny how this incident occurs right after each one of the disciples is talking about who will be the greatest in the kingdom...
John is not now who he will be, but differs at this time from his future self. He is one who asks the question why a person who is not a part of them (the close group of Jesus disciples) who can continue to perform exorcisms in the name of Jesus when he is not a follower of Christ.
John wants judgment to fall upon one who is doing something outside of the scope of the group of disciples just like the other disciples who at times would have called fire down from heaven to people they felt who needed it. Later in his life, John will become one who is concerned about love for all as he writes the book of John. This is not who he is now though.
"For the conscience of a young disciple is like a fire of green logs, which smokes first before it burns with clear blaze. And a Christian whose conscience is in this state must be treated as we treat a dull fire: he must be borne with, that is, till his conscience clear itself of bitter, cloudy smoke, and become a pure, genial, warm flame of zeal tempered by charity." The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 234.
John was one of those smoky logs in the fire place, without a time for a good seasoning. Firewood to burn, has to be set aside over time. It needs time for it to dry out and become useful; otherwise it will continue to give you problems in performing what it was created to be; light and heat, the purposes for what you need it to be.
All of us have issues in life. John was no different. He continued to grow through events in his life which made him a huge asset for the Kingdom of God, but for now he is a liability. For now he is smoky and unclear as the Kingdom's goal. His goal right now is to be someone of influence and noticed. A seat at the big table...
You see so many people get caught up in their own actions for the Kingdom that if anyone else either from a different faith background, difference in personality, or temperament that they become a threat of superseding their chance to be more important in the Kingdom. This is where John was at in this period of his life. Jesus does not rebuke his ignorance, but rather uses it to cause a teachable event in his life. Jesus responds to his question in Mark 9:40,
"For he who is not against us is for us."
Have you ever taken time to evaluate your relationship with Christ. I mean deeply...
Are you smoky at best, or well seasoned?
When we get to the point of being well seasoned it will show. Just a seasoned fire log burns bright in the fireplace, so can our lives become a clear bright burning flame for the Kingdom of God. One that will be light and warmth to all who encounter us. Just like the person John would one day come to be for the Kingdom of God!
Today we look a little at the life of John.
As the disciples continue to grow in their faith and walk with Christ, another situation which seems to be a distraction occurs which seems to confuse the disciples. Funny how this incident occurs right after each one of the disciples is talking about who will be the greatest in the kingdom...
John is not now who he will be, but differs at this time from his future self. He is one who asks the question why a person who is not a part of them (the close group of Jesus disciples) who can continue to perform exorcisms in the name of Jesus when he is not a follower of Christ.
John wants judgment to fall upon one who is doing something outside of the scope of the group of disciples just like the other disciples who at times would have called fire down from heaven to people they felt who needed it. Later in his life, John will become one who is concerned about love for all as he writes the book of John. This is not who he is now though.
"For the conscience of a young disciple is like a fire of green logs, which smokes first before it burns with clear blaze. And a Christian whose conscience is in this state must be treated as we treat a dull fire: he must be borne with, that is, till his conscience clear itself of bitter, cloudy smoke, and become a pure, genial, warm flame of zeal tempered by charity." The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg. 234.
John was one of those smoky logs in the fire place, without a time for a good seasoning. Firewood to burn, has to be set aside over time. It needs time for it to dry out and become useful; otherwise it will continue to give you problems in performing what it was created to be; light and heat, the purposes for what you need it to be.
All of us have issues in life. John was no different. He continued to grow through events in his life which made him a huge asset for the Kingdom of God, but for now he is a liability. For now he is smoky and unclear as the Kingdom's goal. His goal right now is to be someone of influence and noticed. A seat at the big table...
You see so many people get caught up in their own actions for the Kingdom that if anyone else either from a different faith background, difference in personality, or temperament that they become a threat of superseding their chance to be more important in the Kingdom. This is where John was at in this period of his life. Jesus does not rebuke his ignorance, but rather uses it to cause a teachable event in his life. Jesus responds to his question in Mark 9:40,
"For he who is not against us is for us."
Have you ever taken time to evaluate your relationship with Christ. I mean deeply...
Are you smoky at best, or well seasoned?
When we get to the point of being well seasoned it will show. Just a seasoned fire log burns bright in the fireplace, so can our lives become a clear bright burning flame for the Kingdom of God. One that will be light and warmth to all who encounter us. Just like the person John would one day come to be for the Kingdom of God!
Thursday, July 30, 2015
How Humble Are You?
Matt. 17:24-27
I remember a few posts back, I spoke of the prideful statements of the disciples as they walked down the road with Jesus after His transfiguration. Would Jesus use His knowledge of the hearts of men to teach them another lesson in humility? Of course; he knew the hearts of men and how they still think today!
Consider this miracle in Matt. 17:24-27: Peter is confronted by those who collected the temple tax and is asked if his master is going to pay the temple tax. The disciple answered "yes" as there was no reason to think the answer would have been different this time as opposed to the last time of their visit to the temple.
But Jesus wished for the disciples to learn something beyond this; far more than they knew...
"He wished them to understand, in the first place, that for Him to pay the temple dues was a humiliation and an incongruity, similar to that of a king's son paying a tax for the support of the palace and the royal household; that it was not a thing of course that He should pay, any more than it was a thing of course that He should become a man, and, so to speak, leave His royal state behind and assume the rank of a peasant; that it was an act of voluntary humiliation, forming one item in the course of humiliation to which He voluntarily submitted, beginning with His birth, and ending with His death and burial. He desired His disciples to think of these things in the hope that meditation on them would help to rebuke the pride, prevention, and self-assertion which had given rise to that petty dispute about places of distinction." The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, page 226
So what happens?
Jesus gives Peter instructions to "as the Lord of nature, to whom all creatures in land and sea were subject..." (pg. 227) put a hook in the water. When the first fish comes up, check his mouth and you will find a drachma to pay for both.
Here the Christ of all creation gives the order to His creation (the fish with the drachma), and uses His creation to pay for the creation (of the temple) which gives honor to Him (and His Father)!
And in all this, people would never know that God Himself was visiting the temple on that day without a person knowing He paid a temple tax so that He too could identify with the lowest of people and be among His people...
Here poses the question today for us: "When we think we are worthy of a title place or position within our lives; are we above the thing that we ascribe?" The disciples thought so at the time, but later would learn that it was about the Kingdom of God, not them.
Are we above that thing that we so desperately need to attain? Sometimes things we think are really in the truest sense important, may not even be close to what we really need. The disciples found out later after Jesus ascended into Heaven that this life was for Christ, not self.
I would ask you today to look at your life's pursuit and ask whether you look to the success of creation or to the success in the eyes of the Creator. One honors "self," while the other honors Christ!
I remember a few posts back, I spoke of the prideful statements of the disciples as they walked down the road with Jesus after His transfiguration. Would Jesus use His knowledge of the hearts of men to teach them another lesson in humility? Of course; he knew the hearts of men and how they still think today!
Consider this miracle in Matt. 17:24-27: Peter is confronted by those who collected the temple tax and is asked if his master is going to pay the temple tax. The disciple answered "yes" as there was no reason to think the answer would have been different this time as opposed to the last time of their visit to the temple.
But Jesus wished for the disciples to learn something beyond this; far more than they knew...
"He wished them to understand, in the first place, that for Him to pay the temple dues was a humiliation and an incongruity, similar to that of a king's son paying a tax for the support of the palace and the royal household; that it was not a thing of course that He should pay, any more than it was a thing of course that He should become a man, and, so to speak, leave His royal state behind and assume the rank of a peasant; that it was an act of voluntary humiliation, forming one item in the course of humiliation to which He voluntarily submitted, beginning with His birth, and ending with His death and burial. He desired His disciples to think of these things in the hope that meditation on them would help to rebuke the pride, prevention, and self-assertion which had given rise to that petty dispute about places of distinction." The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, page 226
So what happens?
Jesus gives Peter instructions to "as the Lord of nature, to whom all creatures in land and sea were subject..." (pg. 227) put a hook in the water. When the first fish comes up, check his mouth and you will find a drachma to pay for both.
Here the Christ of all creation gives the order to His creation (the fish with the drachma), and uses His creation to pay for the creation (of the temple) which gives honor to Him (and His Father)!
And in all this, people would never know that God Himself was visiting the temple on that day without a person knowing He paid a temple tax so that He too could identify with the lowest of people and be among His people...
Here poses the question today for us: "When we think we are worthy of a title place or position within our lives; are we above the thing that we ascribe?" The disciples thought so at the time, but later would learn that it was about the Kingdom of God, not them.
Are we above that thing that we so desperately need to attain? Sometimes things we think are really in the truest sense important, may not even be close to what we really need. The disciples found out later after Jesus ascended into Heaven that this life was for Christ, not self.
I would ask you today to look at your life's pursuit and ask whether you look to the success of creation or to the success in the eyes of the Creator. One honors "self," while the other honors Christ!
Friday, July 24, 2015
Forgiving Injuries
Matt. 18:21-35
How do you view forgiveness?
The two debtors have two different views. Let's take a look at the amounts owed first...
"The two debts are respectively ten thousand talents and a hundred denarii, being to each other in the proportion, of say, a million to one. The enormous disparity is intended to represent the difference between the shortcomings of all men towards God, and those with which any man can charge a fellow-creature." Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, page 217.
Here is the story of a Lord and a slave; then a slave and a fellow slave. The lord sees the debt of the slave and calls for payment, but the slave can't pay it and pleads with the the lord that he will pay it back in full. The lord is gracious and forgives the debt.
Now the slave has a fellow slave who owes him money. He goes to his fellow slave and demands payment. The slave attacks his fellow slave and begins to choke him out as a beast attacks prey to demand payment. The fellow slave pleads with him to allow him to repay the debt, but instead of forgiving him, the slave throws him into prison. Afterward, friends of the fellow slave alert the lord to this situation knowing of the former encounter the slave had with with the lord. The slave is now placed into the hands of those who would torture him until his original debt is paid. He gets what he was originally guilty.
"God deals with His debtors as the king dealt with the satrap. He is slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil He hath threatened. He giveth men space to repent, and by providential delays accepts the promise of amendment, though He knoweth full well that they will be broken, and that those who made them will go on sinning as before." (pg. 219)
Now we look at the attitude of each:
"Lord have patience with me, and I will pay Thee all," "He grants their petition, knowing that when the danger or the fit of repentance is over, the promise of amendment will be utterly forgotten." (pg. 219)
Truly God has not dealt with us in our sins, nor does He give us what we deserve. So how do you view your forgiveness today? It is temporary or are you truly grateful for the Lord's loving kindness? Will you be the one who asks for forgiveness from the Lord, but be quick to demand others to conform or "pay up" when it comes time; or will you just let it go... permanently!
The choice is yours! I don't know that I want the Lord to remember my sins and judge me for them because of my foolishness in not forgiving others!
Practice true forgiveness today. Forgive and let the debt you feel is owed to you today.
It is a good thing!
How do you view forgiveness?
The two debtors have two different views. Let's take a look at the amounts owed first...
"The two debts are respectively ten thousand talents and a hundred denarii, being to each other in the proportion, of say, a million to one. The enormous disparity is intended to represent the difference between the shortcomings of all men towards God, and those with which any man can charge a fellow-creature." Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, page 217.
Here is the story of a Lord and a slave; then a slave and a fellow slave. The lord sees the debt of the slave and calls for payment, but the slave can't pay it and pleads with the the lord that he will pay it back in full. The lord is gracious and forgives the debt.
Now the slave has a fellow slave who owes him money. He goes to his fellow slave and demands payment. The slave attacks his fellow slave and begins to choke him out as a beast attacks prey to demand payment. The fellow slave pleads with him to allow him to repay the debt, but instead of forgiving him, the slave throws him into prison. Afterward, friends of the fellow slave alert the lord to this situation knowing of the former encounter the slave had with with the lord. The slave is now placed into the hands of those who would torture him until his original debt is paid. He gets what he was originally guilty.
"God deals with His debtors as the king dealt with the satrap. He is slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil He hath threatened. He giveth men space to repent, and by providential delays accepts the promise of amendment, though He knoweth full well that they will be broken, and that those who made them will go on sinning as before." (pg. 219)
Now we look at the attitude of each:
"Lord have patience with me, and I will pay Thee all," "He grants their petition, knowing that when the danger or the fit of repentance is over, the promise of amendment will be utterly forgotten." (pg. 219)
Truly God has not dealt with us in our sins, nor does He give us what we deserve. So how do you view your forgiveness today? It is temporary or are you truly grateful for the Lord's loving kindness? Will you be the one who asks for forgiveness from the Lord, but be quick to demand others to conform or "pay up" when it comes time; or will you just let it go... permanently!
The choice is yours! I don't know that I want the Lord to remember my sins and judge me for them because of my foolishness in not forgiving others!
Practice true forgiveness today. Forgive and let the debt you feel is owed to you today.
It is a good thing!
Monday, July 20, 2015
The Dangers of Keeping the Unrepentant in the Church
Matt. 18:15-20
"...to keep scandalous offenders inside the communion of the church is to do your best to damn their souls, and to exclude them ultimately from heaven. On the other hand, to deliver them over to Satan may be, and it is to be hoped will be, but giving them a foretaste of hell now that they may be saved from hell-fire forever." pg. 212, A. B. Bruce The Training of the Twelve
Most would say this is a cruel act, but what is more important? Is is that we learn from our mistakes here on earth and later regret our actions or to become doomed in our own souls?
There is a problem with allowing the unrepentant to remain within the church though as Bruce continues: "Such mixtures of the godly and the godless are too common phenomena in these days. And the reason is not too far to seek." (pg. 213)
"It is the desire to multiply members. The various religious bodies value members still more than morality or high-toned Christian virtue, and they fear least by discipline they may lose one or two names from their communion roll. The fear is not without justification. Fugitives from discipline are always sure of an open door and a hearty welcome in some quarter. One who has become, or is in danger of becoming, as a heathen man and a publican to one ecclesiastical body, has a good chance of becoming a saint or an angel in another." (pg. 214)
Isn't this a shame today when we are more worried about numbers than the souls of men? If we love the person enough, is it not enough to always seek their best? Isn't that what the Law of Love commands? We cannot wink our eye at their sin and yet claim to look out for their best interest as a Christian brother or sister.
As I pause to reflect on these words, I sometimes realize how difficult the task of loving one another can be at times. Will I love my brother or sister enough to wink at their sin? Or will I love them enough to tell them I care and I will not condone their behavior.
Hopefully, we all would want the same from others who would speak truth into our lives at some time in the future...
"...to keep scandalous offenders inside the communion of the church is to do your best to damn their souls, and to exclude them ultimately from heaven. On the other hand, to deliver them over to Satan may be, and it is to be hoped will be, but giving them a foretaste of hell now that they may be saved from hell-fire forever." pg. 212, A. B. Bruce The Training of the Twelve
Most would say this is a cruel act, but what is more important? Is is that we learn from our mistakes here on earth and later regret our actions or to become doomed in our own souls?
There is a problem with allowing the unrepentant to remain within the church though as Bruce continues: "Such mixtures of the godly and the godless are too common phenomena in these days. And the reason is not too far to seek." (pg. 213)
"It is the desire to multiply members. The various religious bodies value members still more than morality or high-toned Christian virtue, and they fear least by discipline they may lose one or two names from their communion roll. The fear is not without justification. Fugitives from discipline are always sure of an open door and a hearty welcome in some quarter. One who has become, or is in danger of becoming, as a heathen man and a publican to one ecclesiastical body, has a good chance of becoming a saint or an angel in another." (pg. 214)
Isn't this a shame today when we are more worried about numbers than the souls of men? If we love the person enough, is it not enough to always seek their best? Isn't that what the Law of Love commands? We cannot wink our eye at their sin and yet claim to look out for their best interest as a Christian brother or sister.
As I pause to reflect on these words, I sometimes realize how difficult the task of loving one another can be at times. Will I love my brother or sister enough to wink at their sin? Or will I love them enough to tell them I care and I will not condone their behavior.
Hopefully, we all would want the same from others who would speak truth into our lives at some time in the future...
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