Wednesday, February
3, 2016, 8:45 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “In Holiness.” Speak, Lord, your words
to my heart. I read Mark 8:31-38
(ESV).
What kinds of things
must we suffer? (vv. 31-32a)
And
he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be
rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and
after three days rise again. And he said this plainly.
When Jesus walked this earth, he told his followers that
they would suffer like he suffered. He said they would be treated in like
manner as he was also treated. He told them that they would be hated,
persecuted, mistreated, falsely accused, arrested, imprisoned, brought to
trial, and that some of them would even be put to death on account of their
faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, they were not to be afraid of what humans might do
to them, but they were to remain strong in their faith and keep on sharing the
full gospel message of salvation.
When I was growing up in the church as a young woman, I was
taught that the people of this world (the unsaved) would be the ones who would
persecute and mistreat me. What I wasn’t prepared for was that most of the
rejection and persecution I would face in my life would not come from the
people outside the church organization, but from within. But, this makes sense,
doesn’t it? Who were Jesus’ opposition and his greatest persecutors? They were
members of his own family, of his own faith, of his own town, and they were the
leadership of the temple. Who put him to death? The temple leaders and rulers,
the teachers and preachers, the students of God’s word, and the shepherds of
the people.
Why did they hate Jesus so much? For one, they were jealous
of him, because the people were following him and were praising him and his
ministry. They were also fearful that their own positions of power, authority
and influence over the people would be threatened by this man who was drawing
so many people to himself. As well, they hated him because he didn’t follow all
their human traditions and external rules and regulations passed down to them
by the elders. He didn’t play by their rules, and he also healed people on the
Sabbath. In addition to all this, he confronted them with their sin, and spoke
the truth to them about their hypocrisy and their wicked hearts. He confronted
sin in sinful humans, warned of judgment, and called people to repentance and
to faith in Jesus Christ. And, he claimed to be God, which is who he is. They
didn’t like any of what he did and said. So, they killed him.
If we are following in Jesus’ footsteps, and we are also
preaching the full gospel message of salvation, confronting sin, warning of
judgment, and calling people to repentance and to faith in Jesus Christ, we, as
well, will be hated and persecuted for our faith, our witness, and for our
testimonies for Jesus Christ, and also because we stand on his Word and do not
deny his name. And, much of this persecution will come, not from the unsaved
world, but from within the church. Why? Because so much of today’s church has
adopted the ways, thinking, values and behaviors of this sinful world. They
have bought into the lies of Satan which say we must soft pedal the gospel so
as not to offend people, so they will find us an offense, and will be trained
in how to filter us out, and in how to encourage us to leave.
What do you set your
mind on? (vv. 32b-33)
And
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his
disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not
setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
When we decide to follow Jesus Christ with our lives, to go
where he sends us, and to say what he gives us to say, and when we preach the
unadulterated word of God regarding sin and our eternal salvation, we most
likely will end up suffering rejection and persecution for our faith. As well,
we may have friends, family members or people within the church, or our close
friends who will counsel us that we don’t have to be so serious about our
relationship with Jesus Christ. They will call us “hyper religious,” and will
counsel us to lighten up, to have fun, and to let our hair down (an
expression). They will try to get us to join in with them in their worldliness,
and may even try to convince us that our witness for Christ would be better
served if we immersed ourselves in our culture, rather than us living lives
separate from (different, unlike) this sinful world, because we are becoming
like Christ.
They might try to shame us into a compromise of our faith
and convictions so that we will be more acceptable to the world around us. They
might even try to convince us that such dedication to Christ is “crazy,” “radical,”
and “extreme,” and that we are not “normal.” It always amazes me how many who
call themselves followers of Christ have no issue with the dedication of Christ’s
followers in Bible times, but if a follower of Christ today shows the same or
similar dedication in following Christ, they are tagged as “not normal.” And,
pastors are being trained in how to watch out for those with such “strong
convictions,” so they can “filter them out,” and encourage them to go someplace
else where they will be a “better fit.” This is scripted. Many pastors are
following this same dialogue. Yet, they are not following the teachings of
scripture, but of man, and thus they are Satan’s voice to us, too.
So, we must not give way to the pressures or persecution of
humans who, although they may call themselves followers of Christ, and
ministers of the gospel, do not have their minds set on the things of God, but
of man. We must resist Satan, flee temptation, and draw near to God with full
assurance of faith, and keep on obeying our Lord always.
Would you come after
him? (vv. 34-38)
And
calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would
come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For
whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my
sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the
whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his
soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and
sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in
the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
So many people get this idea that salvation means merely an
escape from punishment in hell and a promise of heaven when we die. Yet, Jesus
died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; that we might no
longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us. He died that
the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not
according to our sinful flesh, but according to the Spirit. His grace is not a
free license to continue in sin without guilt and remorse. His grace, which
brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s
return.
Coming to Christ means we are crucified of the Spirit of God
with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of
life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” If we walk
according to our sinful flesh (in darkness), we will die, but if by the Spirit
we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live. True faith in
Jesus Christ means death to sin and living to righteousness, not in sinless
perfection, but walking according the Spirit, and not according to our sinful
flesh. Amen!
[See: Jn. 6:35-66; Jn. 10:27-30; Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6:1-23; Ro.
8:1-14; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:8-10; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Pet.
2:24-25; & 1 Jn. 1:5-9.]
In Holiness / An
Original Work
February 1, 2016
Praise the Lord all you saints!
Worship God in holiness.
Trust in Him! Do not faint!
Believe in His righteousness.
God is faithful in all things.
He delivered you from sin.
Follow Him where’er He leads.
Witness daily. His words heed.
Trust in Him! He is truth!
He has not forsaken you.
Rest in Him! Let Him lead!
He will meet all of your needs.
When you go through trials deep,
He’ll be with you. He’ll not sleep.
Walk with Him throughout your day.
Read your Bible. Kneel and pray.
Give to God all your heart!
From His mercy ne’er depart.
Jesus died for your sin!
Walk in vict’ry. Live in Him.
Jesus paid the debt we owe.
From our lives His love should flow,
Living for Him ev’ry day,
Loving others, His words say.
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