When the Prisoners Don't Know They Are Prisoners - Part 923

The parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16 continues ... again from the perspective that the prisoners referred to here don't even realize that they are prisoners.

Jesus said, “If you continue in My Word, then you shall you be My disciples.” (John 8:31) By continuing in the Word, you will know the truth and be set free by His grace. Set free from the bondage contained under the old covenant Law. The Ten Commandments that is often quoted as a schoolmaster, but hardly stated in the context that Jesus fulfilled the Law. 

Indeed, we have been set free from being captives to this world because of the precious blood that Jesus – our Lord God who willingly became our Saviour -- God in the flesh – shed on the cross for you and I.

The scriptures state: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace." (Romans 6:14)

Further, "he that commits sin is of the devil for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (I John 3:)

When Jesus satisfied the Law, satan -- the unjust steward -- became condemned. (John 12:31) Fired. No longer would satan be able to repress the sons and daughters of the Most High King. Jesus said, "concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me, and concerning judgement because the ruler of this world has been judged." John 16:-11)

But like the example of the unjust steward in Jesus' parable, satan had to act quickly to regain his stature in the world. The new goal then was to make us half hearted in our salvation - so that we would never serve Jesus with ALL our mind, soul, heart and strength -- but rather, rendering our hearts to a religious system that doesn't rock the boat. 

Remember that thought while we digress for a moment and focus on the Pharisees who were also listening to Jesus share this parable. As Jews, they believed that they were Abraham's Seed and therefore, never in bondage. "We be Abraham's Seed and were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" (John 8:33) 

Note that when the Jews said that they were of Abraham’s seed, they were referring to Abraham's natural seed. As we read in the scriptures, Ishmael was born of Abraham's natural seed to a bondwoman. Sarah, who was Abraham's wife died and when Abraham remarried, he had born of his natural seed six more children.

If we further examine the scriptures concerning Abraham and Sarah, we learn that Sarah's womb was sealed. However, within Sarah did dwell the SEED of promise - the Seed promised by God and first mentioned to Eve in the Eden garden. The scriptures also declare that Eve was the mother of all living with God declaring that it would be the Seed of a woman that would bruise the serpent. The serpent being the same accuser of the brethren -- known as satan -- yes, the unjust steward portrayed in the Luke 16 parable.

This promised Seed was not one of Adam’s now sin prone seed. Rather, the promised Seed was a pure Seed, which Seed contained ALL the fullness of the spiritual humanity of God. Or, put another way, the Son of God or God Himself as a Son. The Seed then was the Seed of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Jesus is God Himself as a Son. (John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:26)

"For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9)

The aforementioned Seed of promise passed from Eve into Seth and thus, we are introduced into the generational travels of the promised Seed through the scriptures. Sarah caused her bond maid to lie with Abraham which led to Ishmael being born from Abraham's natural seed. Ishmael was not born a Muslim. Why? Because at this time, the Muslim religion was non-existent. But nevertheless, God did promise that Ishmael who had twelve sons would, as a consequence become a great nation.

How do we know this account of Abraham to be true? Because in everything that has transpired, our Lord God has always been a God of impossibilities. There is nothing too hard that God cannot do. However, God’s way of doing things is not necessarily bound to man’s ways or the norms established within society. So when Abraham was one hundred years of age and Sarah, Abraham's wife 90 years of age, God promised Abraham that in his Seed would all the nations of the earth be blessed. But as expected, Abraham's capabilities to reproduce were now non-existing. In the mind of humans, this would have been the end of the story.

However, as mentioned earlier, God deals with impossibilities. This means that God intervened and resurrected Abraham's capabilities as a man. At the same time, God implanted into Abraham the Seed of promise, wherein, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Yes, God is God and He is still God. As a result, Abraham and Sarah were both rejuvenated of God.

God opened Sarah's womb. Isaac was born. Isaac was the product of Abraham and Eve’s natural seed whereby the SEED of promise passed into Isaac. Indeed, the SEED of promise continued on their generational travels until God’s appointed time when they would be brought together by the Holy Spirit. That moment between the two covenants when time stood still.

In this, neither Ishmael or Isaac did bring forth or show forth the life of God. Ishmael for sure was not in the genealogy.

But Abraham was declared as a friend of God. In John chapter 8, the Jewish audience told Jesus that they had never been in bondage. 

Specifically, in John 8:34, Jesus replied with the following – “Whosoever commits sin is a servant of sin.” The point to note here is that Jesus was speaking directly to the Jewish audience. Ditto to the Pharisees who stood listening to Jesus share the parable of the unjust steward with His disciples.

Moreover, Jesus’ death – which had still not occurred at this point -- extends to the “whosoever” including both you and I, and all of Adam’s prone to sin offspring. Because every one of us has fallen short of the glory of God -- thereby having sinned – makes salvation necessary. For salvation to be given, it necessitated that sin prone persons (both male and female, prophet, priest, or king) recognize their personal need for a Saviour.

Unfortunately, in man’s eyes there is – either as a result of man-made religious constructs or secular influenced doctrines -- an abundance of ways to be saved. However, in God’s eyes there is only "one way" to be saved. (Acts 2:38-42; John 14:6)

So, at the appointed time, the holy Ghost brought together the promised SEED in the womb of a willing surrogate mother named Mary. 

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, "And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." (Galatians 3:16)

Herein, the Seed was united and clothed with Mary’s sin prone flesh. He who came forth was none other than God Himself -- appearing in fashion as a Son. The only begotten Son of God. The flesh birthed -- in the image of God in "created form" whereas the Spirit within that flesh being -- the very life of the holy Spirit of God. Yes, in this SEED is life.

Thus, the essence of the parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16.  The message -- that we could personally enter into a relationship with the Holy of holies by seeking Jesus first and His righteousness ... and, in so doing, we can know the truth that sets us free. 

But His grace is not just about the "generosity" of our Lord (as cited in the parable) but also His willingness to forgive our sins. An inner knowledge and heart of gratefulness knowing how far our heavenly Father would go to reconcile His creation back to Him. God’s gift of salvation. The one who knew no sin willingly becoming sin for us so that we might acknowledge His desire to know us personally. The Lord our God willingly became mankind’s only Saviour.

But satan, who stood condemned forever because of Jesus’ shed blood on the cross for our sin, had to devise a plan that would once again make us debtors to the Law. The same Law known as the schoolmaster that Jesus satisfied once and for all when He shed His blood on the cross. And consequently, satan knew he had to act quickly before the Lord’s friends (the community of believers) would discover his lie. 

Why? Because Jesus was about to expose men for who they really were - captives and prisoners of the devil – in bondage to satan -- that required salvation. For Jesus made the statement that we as humans are of our father the devil and as a consequence partake in lusts which proves that we are in bondage to our father the devil. Unfortunately, try as we might to escape this bondage in and of our own selves, we continue repeating the same sin over and over again because we are held in captivity by the devil. Ever since the day that our ancestral father Adam ignored God’s instructions and obeyed satan, we were led into sin by satan who was and is a murderer -- the father of all lies. Just like Adam and Eve submitted to satan's voice, we are likewise being led away into the captivity of a sinful nature.

As a consequence, satan runs to and fro hoping to keep us contained within that initial bondage and captivity. The lie and deception being that we are not free as a consequence of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Or, if we are, we are only a little bit free. (Remember, the dealing with the debtors in the parable?) To be successful in his mission, satan had to enlist others to promote his lies. 

Indeed, prophecies within the scriptures foretell of a time when false prophets and teachers will come and deceive many. And as the scriptures also reveal, many shall follow their pernicious ways departing from the truth. Indeed, the truth shall become as if it were error, and error as if it were truth.

In sharing this parable, the Lord Himself was forewarning believers that such things would come to pass, and that unfortunately, there would be a great falling away. In fact, the Lord said that the church which ought to be witnesses to the kingdom truth would have their candlestick removed. 

Why? Because churches/religion would no longer be representatives of the gospel truth. The churches' initial love affair with the Lord Jesus growing cold or at best lukewarm. We see this today. Many churches and religious organizations teach adherence to the Law and ten commandments – the old covenant whereby believers are misled to believe that the ten commandments and laws in Leviticus still apply today. That Jesus did not really set us free. In other words, the lie continues. The prince of this world continues to keep us indebted to a Law and worldly system that God Himself satisfied once and for all. It is in this context that the Lord will vomit the “neither hot nor cold” church out of His mouth.

  

Still, in spite of man-made, traditional church institutions, the Lord continues to seek and to save those who are lost. And His love goes beyond the "generosity" that is exhibited in the parable. In fact, God’s faithfulness is true. This is why God stands at the door of our hearts knocking. When we say yes to Jesus, we open up our hearts. We let His Son shine in so that we can live the very life that God Himself intended for us to live from the very beginning -- as His sons in the likeness of Jesus. For to us is the Word of this salvation sent.

Let us therefore earnestly contend for this one faith that was delivered to us by the Lord Jesus Himself. The same Lord God who created us in the beginning decidedly becoming our Saviour. Don't settle for the ho-hum that religion and its culture offers. Become fishers of men, as did the disciples. 

There is still more to come on this parable so keep reading. In the interim, stand in the offering plate and offer yourself to the Most High King!