Today's Reading:
Matthew 23:13-39
Numbers 23:27-24:25
Song of Solomon 5:2-6:3
 |
| Listen to the Bible |
Thoughts and Commentary on Today's Reading:
There is a powerful statement at the beginning of our reading from Matthew 23. Remarkably, the Scribes and Pharisees, who were the church leaders of Christ's day, were unconverted! What a concept! It is possible to be in the right place and go through the right motions without having a heart change or a real experience with Christ. What a sobering thought!
Lest any should be similarly self-deceived, I would like to look a bit more deeply into this passage and its implications:
Matthew 23:13-15 "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."
"And this is the record, that God hath
given to us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son. He that hath the
Son hath Life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life." I
John 5:11-12
Are You a Real Christian?
(quoted from Empowered Living Ministries' December 2015 Newsletter)
Why of
course I am! Why do you ask such a thing? The question even irritates
me! Don't you know I go to church, pay my tithes and offerings, believe
in Christ, believe in the tenets of the church, live a clean lifestyle,
and basically try to be a good person? I even do some witnessing and
hand out some literature. Besides I belong to the right church.
Certainly I'm a Christian! You are not going to make me question my
Christianity are you?
If you had been a member of the
Jewish church in Christ's day you would probably have believed that
because you were a Jew you were thereby in good standing with God. You
were a member of the right church, God's church, paid a faithful
tithe and offering, went to the temple on Sabbath, refrained from
unclean meats, followed the ordinances of the church and looked for the
coming of the Messiah. Thus you would have felt quite confident of your
standing with God.
But when the Messiah came friends,
only a handful recognized Him, only a handful followed Him, only a
handful found their salvation "in Him." The vast majority of Jews were
not real Jews. In fact scripture validates this. "For he is not a Jew,
which is one outwardly: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly." (Romans
2:28,29) It is apparent not only from scripture but history as well
that most of the Jews were Jews only outwardly. In other words they
followed a form, a routine, a ritual, they went to the right church and
believed in the Bible.
These "professed" Jews were the
very ones who crucified Christ Himself! They rejected Him and hung Him
on the cross. It wasn't just the church leadership but also most of its
members that in the end were only Jews outwardly. Romans
9:6 puts it this way, "For they are not all Israel, which are of
Israel." In other words they are not all Jews (Christians) who professed
to be Jews (Christians).
Are you going to be a Christian outwardly or inwardly? Don't
rely on your church membership because it won't save you. Don't rely on
your mental assent to certain truths, for that won't save you. Don't
rely on your lifestyle changes nor your donations, for they won't save
you either! Salvation is found "in Christ" only!
In the
day of final reckoning there is going to be a lot of "weeping and
gnashing of teeth." (Luke 13:28) For millions of "Christians" have been
led to trust in their church, in their creeds, in their leaders, in
their lifestyle--but have not been led "into Christ."
Only those found "in Christ" will in the end be saved and found to be
true Christians versus professed Christians. Let's validate this first
with Scripture then define what it means to be in Christ.
Let's start with I John 5:11,12. "And this is the record, that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." Could it be
any plainer, any clearer? Even I can understand and see it. Eternal
life is "in His Son." Not in the church, in a doctrine or in a lifestyle
but "in His Son." Verse 12 now expounds upon it, "He that hath the Son
hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
We must have Jesus, we must be "in Christ" for in Him only is eternal life. But what does it mean to be in Christ?
Well it is the opposite of "out". When Lucifer stepped
"out" of Christ, he decided his way was better than God's way. He lost
eternal life because he chose to disconnect himself from the Source of
life. He chose to follow his will and way instead of God's will and way.
Whose will and way are you choosing--your's or Christ's?
When Adam chose to step "out" of the will of Christ, he became fallen
and selfish. He died spiritually right then, and would have died
physically as well without Jesus giving Himself as Savior for him, and
for the entire fallen human race. He too wanted it his way instead of
God's way. Which way is it with you? God's way or your own?
So understanding what it means to be "in Christ" is crucial for us.
In fact it is the apostle Paul's favorite expression occurring in his
epistles more than 70 times. Six of his epistles are addressed to the
saints and faithful who are "in Christ."
Are you "in
Christ?" Or are you merely in the church, in the truth, into reforms,
into outreach, into end time events? Without living "in Christ" these
activities can be a curse. Why? Because they become a substitute, a
counterfeit, a cover up for the real, the genuine experience. They have a
subtle way of convincing us that we are the "enlightened ones," when in
essence we may be the "foolish ones." Are you a wise or a foolish
virgin? The only difference between them was that the wise virgins
possessed the oil, which represents the Holy Spirit. The wise virgins
lived under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Day by day, hour-by-hour,
moment-by-moment they surrendered to do the will of God. They were "in
Christ" by faith. They had a faith that worked and cooperated with God in all
things.
No one is safe unless they are "in Christ," in
the present, in the now, experientially. Theoretically we are to assent
to what is true, but experientially we are to be doers not hearers only.
All of humanity was embraced in Christ on the cross, all of humanity
was in Him. What He did, He did for all of us. But that's only half of
the "in Christ" equation. Christ also invites us, by His empowering
grace, to surrender ourselves; mind, body, soul and will to His Lordship
over our lives in the present. Because what He has done for us and what
He is doing in us are to be inseparable. You cannot have one without
the other. Christ cannot be divided, you are complete in Him not apart
from Him. If you accept His substitutionary death for your sins you must
also accept His role as Lord of your life.
It was the
choice that Lucifer and Adam made in not allowing God to be their Lord
that got us all into this mess of sin today. Adam repented and allowed
Christ to regain His position of Lordship over him. Lucifer rebelled
against surrendering to Christ's control and is now Satan, the cruel
enemy of God and all humanity. Who are you following--Adam or Lucifer?
Millions of Christians have accepted Christ's
substitutionary death for them, but are resisting in allowing Him to be
Lord of their entire life, right now. Until they do, they are not "in
Christ." You see "in" denotes that you are presently in, right now, you
are cooperating with Him in the present, in all your known choices. No
resistance, no rebellion, just a conscious, "Yes, Lord."
For example, it may be -40 F below zero outside. You may know that in
Christ's house it is a pleasant 80 degrees F. But if you're out in the
cold, you receive no real benefit because you're still outside. Knowing
about the 80 degrees in Christ's house does not warm you. Talking about
it does you no saving good. Telling others about it does you little
practical good. The fact that Christ's house is paid for and you have a
title to it in your safe deposit box, still brings you no present
benefit unless you choose to come into Christ. As long as you remain "in
Christ" you receive all the benefits of His protection, warmth and
security. They are yours, they are free, but you have to choose to enter
in and remain in. You can at any time step outside, but if you do, you
lose all the benefits of its warmth, security and protection.
That's what Paul meant when he said in Colossians 2:10, "Ye are
complete in Him." Not in a knowledge or profession of Him, but abiding
"in Him." In an article in Signs of the Times July 4, 1892 a well-known
author put it this way, "We are complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved
only as we abide in Him by faith." Also we find in the book of Acts
17:28 informs us, "For in Him, we live and move, and have our being."
Isaiah also understood when he declared, "In the Lord have I
righteousness and strength." and "In the Lord shall all the seed of
Israel be justified." (Isaiah 45:24,25) May I also quote just a couple
more passages so as to remove all lingering doubt? "Therefore, if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature." (2 Corinthians 5:17) It doesn't
say if you are in the church or in the truth, or into the doctrine of
salvation, or into a good lifestyle, it says we must be "in Christ," not
just legally but experientially. It is a here and now experience of
letting Christ have all of me, that I may have all of Him.
Hopefully one more text will help cement in our hearts and minds what
constitutes salvation and consequently a true living Christian. "There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1) Who are
them? Can "them" be an Adventist? Yes! Can "them" be a Baptist? Yes! Can
"them" be a Catholic? Yes! You mean to say there are going to be
Catholics, and Baptists as well as Adventists in heaven? Yes, if they
meet the condition, which is not walking in the flesh but in the Spirit
by a living faith experience in Christ Jesus.
You say,
"I hear you Jim, but will you spell out practically not theologically,
how I am to be found in Christ daily, hourly? I'm glad you asked,
because conversion and righteousness are not received or retained apart
from being "in Christ" and continuing to abide in Christ. For no man is
in a saving relationship any longer than he abides in Christ and
exercises a living faith in Him.
Being a Christian is
not a one time choice but rather a moment by moment, continuous choice
to let God have all of me. Day in and day out I am to live for Jesus. My
focus is to be in His will, His way. Many attempt to accomplish this
through their own humanity. They set out with their strong will power
and their teeth gritted in determination to live the Christian life. It
always ends in defeat.
How then is it possible to live
everyday, every hour, every moment to the glory of God? It's very
simple. We are to live as Jesus did.
Every morning Jesus took time with
God His Father. We too, must take time to give ourselves to God every
morning, to surrender at the beginning of every day. It can't be rushed,
but has to allow time for us to commune with God and really listen to
what He's saying to us individually. God speaks to us through the Bible,
nature, providence and His impressions in our mind. Then after
communing with our Father, and making sure there is nothing to prevent
us from hearing His voice, we can rest assured that He will guide us.
When we leave our place of quiet devotion, it is essential to
continue walking with God in order to commune with Him throughout the
day. We need to learn to ask, "What wilt Thou have me to do?" Acts 9:6
God wants us to know we are not in this alone. We need help from a
source outside of ourselves at the beginning of the day and then all
through the day. As we learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's
prompting upon our hearts and submit our wills to always do His will,
then it is that, "Christ liveth in me." Galatians 2:20.
But then temptation comes, perhaps the same temptation where we have
often failed before. In the past we have gritted our teeth and tried to
resist the temptation until, we either failed or forced ourselves to
obey. There is no peace or joy in such an experience. Friends, the true
conflict of temptation occurs in the heart. I first must decide if I
want to remain surrendered to God. When surrender is my choice, then
self dies and the victory is won and then God supplies all the power to
meet the temptation. This experience is hard because self, my way and
will must die; but it is the only path to peace and joy as a Christian! I
must choose to remain in Christ, daily, hourly.
Now
choice doesn't merit me anything with God. I am not saved by my choices.
The very desire to make the choice of submission to God is a gift from
His grace. Salvation is fully the gift of God, yet it is my choice to
submit which allows God the freedom to transform my life through the
ministry of His grace upon my heart.
It is vitally
important to see this, for most who have taken the name of Christ live
in a strange amalgamation of Christ and self-contending for the
management of their life. This type of Christian life is like a yo-yo,
continuously up and down. Being born of the Spirit is going from this
experience to allowing Christ to be sole Ruler of the life. When this
amalgamation of self versus Christ ends, there is rest for the soul.
Then we learn the true science of salvation and the language of heaven,
which is simply how to allow Christ full access to all my decisions and
then by His grace, through a living faith, to say "yes" to God and "no"
to self.
It all has to do with faith, a living faith, a
faith that works by love and purifies the soul; where we are enabled to
live above the pull of the flesh in the present. Faith is not only a
belief in what Christ has done for me but also a surrender of all my
known choices to Him, where all my thoughts, feelings and actions are in
obedience to His known will, where I choose by His empowering grace to
depend only on Him. This is a faith that works!
Are all
your known choices surrendered to Him? Do you trust only in His merits
for your standing before God? Do you depend on His power to choose right
over wrong? If you do then you are a Christian. If this is a continuous
choice, a continuous acceptance, a continuous dependence, then you are
continuing to be a Christian. Welcome to the body of Christ!
Just a final note. Someone might think that I am anti-church or
anti-doctrine or anti-lifestyle because I de-emphasize these things.
This is not so! I believe in the church but not as the solution only as a
tool. I love the truth but only as a means - not an end. My lifestyle
changes have given me better health and a greater awareness of His
presence but I'm not made righteous by carrots and bananas. All these
are good only as they direct us to Christ. They are the dock that leads
us onto the ship; which is Christ. Let's not just be excited about being
on the dock, lets get aboard the Ship which is Christ Jesus our Lord
and Saviour!
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath Life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life." I John 5:11-12
Are You a Real Christian?
(quoted from Empowered Living Ministries' December 2015 Newsletter)
Why of
course I am! Why do you ask such a thing? The question even irritates
me! Don't you know I go to church, pay my tithes and offerings, believe
in Christ, believe in the tenets of the church, live a clean lifestyle,
and basically try to be a good person? I even do some witnessing and
hand out some literature. Besides I belong to the right church.
Certainly I'm a Christian! You are not going to make me question my
Christianity are you?
If you had been a member of the
Jewish church in Christ's day you would probably have believed that
because you were a Jew you were thereby in good standing with God. You
were a member of the right church, God's church, paid a faithful
tithe and offering, went to the temple on Sabbath, refrained from
unclean meats, followed the ordinances of the church and looked for the
coming of the Messiah. Thus you would have felt quite confident of your
standing with God.
But when the Messiah came friends,
only a handful recognized Him, only a handful followed Him, only a
handful found their salvation "in Him." The vast majority of Jews were
not real Jews. In fact scripture validates this. "For he is not a Jew,
which is one outwardly: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly." (Romans
2:28,29) It is apparent not only from scripture but history as well
that most of the Jews were Jews only outwardly. In other words they
followed a form, a routine, a ritual, they went to the right church and
believed in the Bible.
These "professed" Jews were the
very ones who crucified Christ Himself! They rejected Him and hung Him
on the cross. It wasn't just the church leadership but also most of its
members that in the end were only Jews outwardly. Romans
9:6 puts it this way, "For they are not all Israel, which are of
Israel." In other words they are not all Jews (Christians) who professed
to be Jews (Christians).
Are you going to be a Christian outwardly or inwardly? Don't
rely on your church membership because it won't save you. Don't rely on
your mental assent to certain truths, for that won't save you. Don't
rely on your lifestyle changes nor your donations, for they won't save
you either! Salvation is found "in Christ" only!
In the
day of final reckoning there is going to be a lot of "weeping and
gnashing of teeth." (Luke 13:28) For millions of "Christians" have been
led to trust in their church, in their creeds, in their leaders, in
their lifestyle--but have not been led "into Christ."
Only those found "in Christ" will in the end be saved and found to be
true Christians versus professed Christians. Let's validate this first
with Scripture then define what it means to be in Christ.
Let's start with I John 5:11,12. "And this is the record, that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." Could it be
any plainer, any clearer? Even I can understand and see it. Eternal
life is "in His Son." Not in the church, in a doctrine or in a lifestyle
but "in His Son." Verse 12 now expounds upon it, "He that hath the Son
hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
We must have Jesus, we must be "in Christ" for in Him only is eternal life. But what does it mean to be in Christ?
Well it is the opposite of "out". When Lucifer stepped
"out" of Christ, he decided his way was better than God's way. He lost
eternal life because he chose to disconnect himself from the Source of
life. He chose to follow his will and way instead of God's will and way.
Whose will and way are you choosing--your's or Christ's?
When Adam chose to step "out" of the will of Christ, he became fallen
and selfish. He died spiritually right then, and would have died
physically as well without Jesus giving Himself as Savior for him, and
for the entire fallen human race. He too wanted it his way instead of
God's way. Which way is it with you? God's way or your own?
So understanding what it means to be "in Christ" is crucial for us.
In fact it is the apostle Paul's favorite expression occurring in his
epistles more than 70 times. Six of his epistles are addressed to the
saints and faithful who are "in Christ."
Are you "in
Christ?" Or are you merely in the church, in the truth, into reforms,
into outreach, into end time events? Without living "in Christ" these
activities can be a curse. Why? Because they become a substitute, a
counterfeit, a cover up for the real, the genuine experience. They have a
subtle way of convincing us that we are the "enlightened ones," when in
essence we may be the "foolish ones." Are you a wise or a foolish
virgin? The only difference between them was that the wise virgins
possessed the oil, which represents the Holy Spirit. The wise virgins
lived under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Day by day, hour-by-hour,
moment-by-moment they surrendered to do the will of God. They were "in
Christ" by faith. They had a faith that worked and cooperated with God in all
things.
No one is safe unless they are "in Christ," in
the present, in the now, experientially. Theoretically we are to assent
to what is true, but experientially we are to be doers not hearers only.
All of humanity was embraced in Christ on the cross, all of humanity
was in Him. What He did, He did for all of us. But that's only half of
the "in Christ" equation. Christ also invites us, by His empowering
grace, to surrender ourselves; mind, body, soul and will to His Lordship
over our lives in the present. Because what He has done for us and what
He is doing in us are to be inseparable. You cannot have one without
the other. Christ cannot be divided, you are complete in Him not apart
from Him. If you accept His substitutionary death for your sins you must
also accept His role as Lord of your life.
It was the
choice that Lucifer and Adam made in not allowing God to be their Lord
that got us all into this mess of sin today. Adam repented and allowed
Christ to regain His position of Lordship over him. Lucifer rebelled
against surrendering to Christ's control and is now Satan, the cruel
enemy of God and all humanity. Who are you following--Adam or Lucifer?
Millions of Christians have accepted Christ's
substitutionary death for them, but are resisting in allowing Him to be
Lord of their entire life, right now. Until they do, they are not "in
Christ." You see "in" denotes that you are presently in, right now, you
are cooperating with Him in the present, in all your known choices. No
resistance, no rebellion, just a conscious, "Yes, Lord."
For example, it may be -40 F below zero outside. You may know that in
Christ's house it is a pleasant 80 degrees F. But if you're out in the
cold, you receive no real benefit because you're still outside. Knowing
about the 80 degrees in Christ's house does not warm you. Talking about
it does you no saving good. Telling others about it does you little
practical good. The fact that Christ's house is paid for and you have a
title to it in your safe deposit box, still brings you no present
benefit unless you choose to come into Christ. As long as you remain "in
Christ" you receive all the benefits of His protection, warmth and
security. They are yours, they are free, but you have to choose to enter
in and remain in. You can at any time step outside, but if you do, you
lose all the benefits of its warmth, security and protection.
That's what Paul meant when he said in Colossians 2:10, "Ye are
complete in Him." Not in a knowledge or profession of Him, but abiding
"in Him." In an article in Signs of the Times July 4, 1892 a well-known
author put it this way, "We are complete in Him, accepted in the Beloved
only as we abide in Him by faith." Also we find in the book of Acts
17:28 informs us, "For in Him, we live and move, and have our being."
Isaiah also understood when he declared, "In the Lord have I
righteousness and strength." and "In the Lord shall all the seed of
Israel be justified." (Isaiah 45:24,25) May I also quote just a couple
more passages so as to remove all lingering doubt? "Therefore, if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature." (2 Corinthians 5:17) It doesn't
say if you are in the church or in the truth, or into the doctrine of
salvation, or into a good lifestyle, it says we must be "in Christ," not
just legally but experientially. It is a here and now experience of
letting Christ have all of me, that I may have all of Him.
Hopefully one more text will help cement in our hearts and minds what
constitutes salvation and consequently a true living Christian. "There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1) Who are
them? Can "them" be an Adventist? Yes! Can "them" be a Baptist? Yes! Can
"them" be a Catholic? Yes! You mean to say there are going to be
Catholics, and Baptists as well as Adventists in heaven? Yes, if they
meet the condition, which is not walking in the flesh but in the Spirit
by a living faith experience in Christ Jesus.
You say,
"I hear you Jim, but will you spell out practically not theologically,
how I am to be found in Christ daily, hourly? I'm glad you asked,
because conversion and righteousness are not received or retained apart
from being "in Christ" and continuing to abide in Christ. For no man is
in a saving relationship any longer than he abides in Christ and
exercises a living faith in Him.
Being a Christian is
not a one time choice but rather a moment by moment, continuous choice
to let God have all of me. Day in and day out I am to live for Jesus. My
focus is to be in His will, His way. Many attempt to accomplish this
through their own humanity. They set out with their strong will power
and their teeth gritted in determination to live the Christian life. It
always ends in defeat.
How then is it possible to live
everyday, every hour, every moment to the glory of God? It's very
simple. We are to live as Jesus did.
Every morning Jesus took time with
God His Father. We too, must take time to give ourselves to God every
morning, to surrender at the beginning of every day. It can't be rushed,
but has to allow time for us to commune with God and really listen to
what He's saying to us individually. God speaks to us through the Bible,
nature, providence and His impressions in our mind. Then after
communing with our Father, and making sure there is nothing to prevent
us from hearing His voice, we can rest assured that He will guide us.
When we leave our place of quiet devotion, it is essential to
continue walking with God in order to commune with Him throughout the
day. We need to learn to ask, "What wilt Thou have me to do?" Acts 9:6
God wants us to know we are not in this alone. We need help from a
source outside of ourselves at the beginning of the day and then all
through the day. As we learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's
prompting upon our hearts and submit our wills to always do His will,
then it is that, "Christ liveth in me." Galatians 2:20.
But then temptation comes, perhaps the same temptation where we have
often failed before. In the past we have gritted our teeth and tried to
resist the temptation until, we either failed or forced ourselves to
obey. There is no peace or joy in such an experience. Friends, the true
conflict of temptation occurs in the heart. I first must decide if I
want to remain surrendered to God. When surrender is my choice, then
self dies and the victory is won and then God supplies all the power to
meet the temptation. This experience is hard because self, my way and
will must die; but it is the only path to peace and joy as a Christian! I
must choose to remain in Christ, daily, hourly.
Now
choice doesn't merit me anything with God. I am not saved by my choices.
The very desire to make the choice of submission to God is a gift from
His grace. Salvation is fully the gift of God, yet it is my choice to
submit which allows God the freedom to transform my life through the
ministry of His grace upon my heart.
It is vitally
important to see this, for most who have taken the name of Christ live
in a strange amalgamation of Christ and self-contending for the
management of their life. This type of Christian life is like a yo-yo,
continuously up and down. Being born of the Spirit is going from this
experience to allowing Christ to be sole Ruler of the life. When this
amalgamation of self versus Christ ends, there is rest for the soul.
Then we learn the true science of salvation and the language of heaven,
which is simply how to allow Christ full access to all my decisions and
then by His grace, through a living faith, to say "yes" to God and "no"
to self.
It all has to do with faith, a living faith, a
faith that works by love and purifies the soul; where we are enabled to
live above the pull of the flesh in the present. Faith is not only a
belief in what Christ has done for me but also a surrender of all my
known choices to Him, where all my thoughts, feelings and actions are in
obedience to His known will, where I choose by His empowering grace to
depend only on Him. This is a faith that works!
Are all
your known choices surrendered to Him? Do you trust only in His merits
for your standing before God? Do you depend on His power to choose right
over wrong? If you do then you are a Christian. If this is a continuous
choice, a continuous acceptance, a continuous dependence, then you are
continuing to be a Christian. Welcome to the body of Christ!
Just a final note. Someone might think that I am anti-church or
anti-doctrine or anti-lifestyle because I de-emphasize these things.
This is not so! I believe in the church but not as the solution only as a
tool. I love the truth but only as a means - not an end. My lifestyle
changes have given me better health and a greater awareness of His
presence but I'm not made righteous by carrots and bananas. All these
are good only as they direct us to Christ. They are the dock that leads
us onto the ship; which is Christ. Let's not just be excited about being
on the dock, lets get aboard the Ship which is Christ Jesus our Lord
and Saviour!
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