July 15th 2018
Are You Too Sophisticated To Follow A Mere Carpenter?
John 8:23-24 (NIV)
Jesus once said, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
Some people do not believe that Jesus Christ is the only way by which a person can go to heaven. The way I have read His Word, I believe that He is the only way any member of mankind can go to heaven. What do you believe? Some people have told me they do not believe Jesus claimed to be the only way for us to go to heaven. Again, I believe Jesus that told us many times, while He walked this earth that He was the ONLY way. In the selected verses this is one of these times, for He said, “if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
So, who did Jesus claim to be? In the Gospel of John, we read another time when Jesus claimed to be the ONLY Savior by what He said to Thomas and all the other disciples who chose to follow Him. That includes me, what about you are you trying to live your life as an active follower of Jesus Christ? Here is that account as reported by John. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? " Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7). Jesus said, “No-one comes to the Father except through me.” It cannot be any clearer, that Jesus does claim He is the ONLY way to His Father, and our Father, and He resides in heaven, where all true followers of Jesus Christ will end up!
We are warned that friendship with the worldly lifestyle and that which espouses the “things” of the world makes us an “enemy of God”. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4). That is because such people embrace the “spirit of the world” and not “the spirit which is of God.” We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Corinthians 2:12). Those people speak about the things of the world, and the world listens to them. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:5-6).
Are you truly trying to be a follower of Jesus? You are in this world, but are worldly possessions more attractive than your attraction toward Jesus? Do you intend to try and become more Christ-like every day? In your pursuit of happiness does following Jesus have more appeal than the things of this world? That is a tough question, and it is important that you know the true answer. When confronted with troubling things, or appeals to you for help by another member of mankind, do you really react in the mode of WWJD? I do not believe anyone reading this can truly answer such a tough question with the absolute, answer of always, “YES!” When Jesus walked this earth He once gave the following advice. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34). The wrap up to Jesus’ comments here may be understood as follows; 31 So do not worry, 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow. Give your worry about tomorrow to Jesus by trying to do WWJD in your daily walk!
Choosing your friends needs to include some insight into their basic belief system. Paul gave us some advice about making good choices about those people we socialize with, and especially those people who we plan to establish long term relationships with in this world. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (2Corinthians 6:14). Jesus told us we must love every member of mankind, and if we truly love them we will tell them about Jesus! How could we truly love anyone and then, allow then to go to hell, because we didn’t tell them the absolute truth? Paul also wrote about God’s love for all members of mankind and that He desires them to receive good lives free from worry about their salvation. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). No one can trust God unless they get to know Him. Trusting in God allows true freedom in this life. Knowing that your salvation is assured, because of what Jesus did for you gives the only true freedom in this lifetime.
Confession is good for your soul because it liberates you from worrying about it! Christianity is the only religion that offers this true freedom. All worldly religions require you to do something to earn your salvation or to be good enough to earn it. So, they can never be sure they will gain a reward in the hereafter. Christians are assured of salvation because when Christ died for your sins, all that is required of you is to claim your salvation through God’s grace. John wrote about our need for knowing we are sinners, and then to confess our sins to God. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1John 1:8-10). Everyone has a sinful nature we inherited from Adam, therefore, you cannot be good enough to save yourself.
Jesus once said, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. (Matthew 23:2-3). In your daily life do you try to become more Christ-like in every area? Are you practicing your faith by attending a church of your choice, and working for the Lord in some ways? If you are, be careful, as people who do not follow Jesus may be watching. Jesus warned us to do what religious leaders say, but more importantly to practice doing good else we may be like Jesus said the Pharisees were, as they were not good to follow, because they did not do what they preached. As Jesus said, “But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”
In this lifetime always attempt to practice what you preach!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 8:23-24 (NIV)
Jesus once said, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
Some people do not believe that Jesus Christ is the only way by which a person can go to heaven. The way I have read His Word, I believe that He is the only way any member of mankind can go to heaven. What do you believe? Some people have told me they do not believe Jesus claimed to be the only way for us to go to heaven. Again, I believe Jesus that told us many times, while He walked this earth that He was the ONLY way. In the selected verses this is one of these times, for He said, “if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
So, who did Jesus claim to be? In the Gospel of John, we read another time when Jesus claimed to be the ONLY Savior by what He said to Thomas and all the other disciples who chose to follow Him. That includes me, what about you are you trying to live your life as an active follower of Jesus Christ? Here is that account as reported by John. Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? " Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7). Jesus said, “No-one comes to the Father except through me.” It cannot be any clearer, that Jesus does claim He is the ONLY way to His Father, and our Father, and He resides in heaven, where all true followers of Jesus Christ will end up!
We are warned that friendship with the worldly lifestyle and that which espouses the “things” of the world makes us an “enemy of God”. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4). That is because such people embrace the “spirit of the world” and not “the spirit which is of God.” We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Corinthians 2:12). Those people speak about the things of the world, and the world listens to them. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:5-6).
Are you truly trying to be a follower of Jesus? You are in this world, but are worldly possessions more attractive than your attraction toward Jesus? Do you intend to try and become more Christ-like every day? In your pursuit of happiness does following Jesus have more appeal than the things of this world? That is a tough question, and it is important that you know the true answer. When confronted with troubling things, or appeals to you for help by another member of mankind, do you really react in the mode of WWJD? I do not believe anyone reading this can truly answer such a tough question with the absolute, answer of always, “YES!” When Jesus walked this earth He once gave the following advice. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34). The wrap up to Jesus’ comments here may be understood as follows; 31 So do not worry, 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow. Give your worry about tomorrow to Jesus by trying to do WWJD in your daily walk!
Choosing your friends needs to include some insight into their basic belief system. Paul gave us some advice about making good choices about those people we socialize with, and especially those people who we plan to establish long term relationships with in this world. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (2Corinthians 6:14). Jesus told us we must love every member of mankind, and if we truly love them we will tell them about Jesus! How could we truly love anyone and then, allow then to go to hell, because we didn’t tell them the absolute truth? Paul also wrote about God’s love for all members of mankind and that He desires them to receive good lives free from worry about their salvation. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). No one can trust God unless they get to know Him. Trusting in God allows true freedom in this life. Knowing that your salvation is assured, because of what Jesus did for you gives the only true freedom in this lifetime.
Confession is good for your soul because it liberates you from worrying about it! Christianity is the only religion that offers this true freedom. All worldly religions require you to do something to earn your salvation or to be good enough to earn it. So, they can never be sure they will gain a reward in the hereafter. Christians are assured of salvation because when Christ died for your sins, all that is required of you is to claim your salvation through God’s grace. John wrote about our need for knowing we are sinners, and then to confess our sins to God. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1John 1:8-10). Everyone has a sinful nature we inherited from Adam, therefore, you cannot be good enough to save yourself.
Jesus once said, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. (Matthew 23:2-3). In your daily life do you try to become more Christ-like in every area? Are you practicing your faith by attending a church of your choice, and working for the Lord in some ways? If you are, be careful, as people who do not follow Jesus may be watching. Jesus warned us to do what religious leaders say, but more importantly to practice doing good else we may be like Jesus said the Pharisees were, as they were not good to follow, because they did not do what they preached. As Jesus said, “But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”
In this lifetime always attempt to practice what you preach!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak