Today's Verse: "But after that the kindness and love of God
our Saviour toward man appeared -- not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to His mercy He
saved us; by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost
which He shed on us abundantly through
Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being
justified by His grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)
This same Lord God who later became our Saviour Jesus
the Christ said, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of
wolves. Be ye therefore wise as
serpents, and [yet] harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
In the past, we have written
about 'wolves in sheep's clothing' and 'false prophets' that creep into our church
communities unawares. Jesus warned us that in the last days, there would be false
prophets. II Peter 2:1 adds his voice to this claim. Peter wrote, “But there were false prophets also among
the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
But what are we supposed to do? We are instructed to become
grounded in His Word. We are to study the Word to show ourselves approved. To
seek His righteousness on a daily basis.
"Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye steadfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know
that your labour is not in vain in the Lord," (I Corinthians 15:58) “For
we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast
unto the end …” (Hebrews 3:14)
The question is this. How
do we remain true to the good news gospel of Jesus Christ and His kingdom if
the church community in which we regularly subscribe refuses to believe the
Word that was given?
John wrote, "In the
beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
(John 1:1) This scripture aligns perfectly with Genesis 1:1 -- "In the
beginning, God." If we stop there and accept the standard creed or statement
of faith that is proclaimed in the broader church community today – and subsequently
accept church doctrine as the standard and not the Word of God -- we miss the
entire point of salvation.
That is, the same God who
created us in the beginning loved us so much that He Himself -- He who knew no
sin became sin -- shed His precious blood on the cross so that you and I could
walk in the cool of the day with Him.
But what happens when we
accept church creeds to be the standard and not the Word? Jesus said that we
become blinded to the truth. Jesus makes this point to the disciples in Matthew
13. Herein, Jesus is sharing parables with the multitudes, speaking many things
to those who had gathered on the shore to listen to Him.
Jesus is finishing the
parable when He said, "He who that ears to hear, let him hear." Upon
hearing this last statement, the disciples came and said unto Jesus, "Why
speakest Thou unto them in parables?"
Jesus answered, saying
unto them. "Because it is given
unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is
not given."
Read that again. Jesus
said, "Because it is given
unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."
Continuing, Jesus
clarifies His point. "For whosoever
hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, but whosoever
hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to
them in parables; because they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not,
neither do they understand." (Matthew 13:9-13)
Quoting next from an old covenant prophecy in
Esaias (Isaiah) Jesus states: "By
hearing, ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and
shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross and their ears are
dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time, they should
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their
heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them ..." (Matthew
13:14-15)
“But blessed are YOUR
eyes, for they see: and YOUR ears for they hear.”
"For verily I say
unto you," said Jesus, "That
many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see,
and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not
heard them. Hear ye therefore the parables of the sower." (Matthew
13:17-18)
But here is the punch line,
if you are still in need of one. "When any one heareth the Word of the kingdom and understands it not, then comes
the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart -- that is he
which received the seed by the wayside." (Matthew 13:19)
Who is the Word of the
kingdom? The Word is Jesus. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word
was with God and the Word WAS God ... And the Word became flesh." “I
am the Lord thy God and beside Me, there is no Saviour.” (Isaiah 43:11) Jesus said, “I and
my Father are one.” (John 10:30-33) Jesus said, “Have I been so long time with
you Philip and yet you still say, Show us the Father?” (John 14:8-9)
So how do we remain
steadfast in the Word so that we can understand the teachings of Jesus? He said,
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
In other words, we need
to focus our hearts, our souls, our minds and our strength on seeking Jesus and
His kingdom. "Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, [becoming] a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the Word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15) And similarly, be diligent in sharing the Word so that
we can become truly effectual in our communications. (Philemon 1:6)
Why is this important? Because Jesus wants to
give us every good and perfect thing – the riches of His kingdom. (James 1:17) In
this context, an old covenant prophecy (repeated in Romans chapter nine) comes
to mind. Speaking about the Israelites and the Gentiles, verse 25-26 states:
“I will
call them My people, which were not My people; and her beloved, which was
not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said
unto them. “Ye are not My people; there
shall they be called the children of the living God.”
A similar passage can be found in the teachings
from the new covenant – this current dispensation of grace. I Peter 2:2-10 states:
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may
grow thereby: if so be [that] you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of
men, but chosen of God, and precious. You also, as lively stones, are built up
a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, “Behold, I lay in
Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall
not be confounded. Unto you therefore which
believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being
disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”
“But ye [yes, that means you and I] are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of
darkness into His marvellous light …”
Which in time past were
not a people, but are now the people of
God: which had not obtained mercy, but
now have obtained mercy.” (I Peter 2:2-10)
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither
was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was
reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed
Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: Who His
own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to
sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
For ye were as sheep
going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
(I Peter 2:21-25)
Note the word used in this last verse is “were” – for we were as sheep going astray, but
are now returned unto the Shepherd
and Bishop of your souls.”
Isn’t our Lord God and Saviour truly awesome?
Thank you Jesus! “But after that the kindness and love of
God our Saviour toward man appeared …" (Titus 3:4)
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