May 1st 2016
Wherever The Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is True Freedom!
Mark 8:31-33 (NIV)
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Did you, do you; attempt to join into the most popular group that exists where you spend much of your time? Most of us seek acceptance by whatever group we become involved with, whether it is where you work, a club you join, or even where you attend the church of your choice. In the selected verses Jesus says some alarming things to His disciples (us). First He rebukes Peter for not believing that the church people of his day could do such terrible things to Jesus his friend and ministry companion! After all, Peter identifies his fellow church members as the chosen people of God!
Then Jesus continues this barrage by saying to Peter, "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Peter is likely confused by this comment, as these people Jesus refers to have been Peter’s friends and members of the same fellowship at Peter’s previous church. These are the people who likely taught Peter about God while he was growing up. What about you, do you still hold a high opinion of people in your past who taught you about God/Jesus while you were growing up? It is very important here for me to tread lightly, as this commentary will possibly be stepping on some toes here. Here goes, people who even teach each other about God, and who attend church regularly, are still sinners! Some such people are not saved, because they could not shake “the things of men" which has caused them to not trust “the things of God.”
Please believe that salvation only comes through accepting the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made on your behalf, believing what any member of mankind teaches will not, cannot save your immortal soul! Mankind does not possess the absolute truth, and the only way to obtain this truth is gained from an avid study of God’s Word, AKA the Bible! Yet, salvation can still elude any member of mankind, if they cannot believe what they have read, and has been diligently taught to them by well-meaning members of a church of their choice. Most regular attenders of a church have not and will not ever plan to take the time to study their Bible. Can a person be saved in spite of their lack of effort to do what Jesus did, study the Scriptures; of course the answer is YES!
However, most of the people who walk this earth today do not believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus made it somewhat clear that each person must decide for themselves who they will follow, when He said He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew 12:30) Jesus once said, Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. (Luke 6:22) Blessed are you when men hate you, does not seem like a good sales pitch to make to someone you wish to get as a convert into Christianity, does it!
Another quote of Jesus that Luke recorded for us will usually not attract new members of your church. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets. (Luke 6:26) Woe to you when all men speak well of you, would not cause many people to want to join a group of people, espousing such a sentiment, now would it. The key here is to identify the importance of getting to know Jesus, and to depend upon the Holy Spirit for directions in your life, and depend less on the members of mankind to have the eternal answers of working out your salvation.
Paul wrote about this theme to “work out your salvation” of course this is not talking about doing good works to gain your salvation, but to working on becoming more Christ-like every day. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13) Notice here Paul is telling us that” it is God who works in you” after you have accepted His Son as your Lord and Savior. It is salvation that prompts us to do the good works, not that good works could ever save you!
Once we have accepted our salvation, then there is the possibility of true peace in our lives. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17, NLT) The peace comes in knowing your eternal destiny is assured because Jesus paid the price of your salvation. Now you can experience a true peace given you through Jesus. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10) If the Spirit indwells you then there can be true freedom, because “wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Have you gained your freedom from the worldly ideas of mankind, and you are now working through the Spirit to be better equipped to assist other members of mankind to believe that Jesus is the way, and the only way to salvation? Pray for the freedom to go tell someone, it could save their immortal soul, and give them a peaceful attitude.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Mark 8:31-33 (NIV)
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Did you, do you; attempt to join into the most popular group that exists where you spend much of your time? Most of us seek acceptance by whatever group we become involved with, whether it is where you work, a club you join, or even where you attend the church of your choice. In the selected verses Jesus says some alarming things to His disciples (us). First He rebukes Peter for not believing that the church people of his day could do such terrible things to Jesus his friend and ministry companion! After all, Peter identifies his fellow church members as the chosen people of God!
Then Jesus continues this barrage by saying to Peter, "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Peter is likely confused by this comment, as these people Jesus refers to have been Peter’s friends and members of the same fellowship at Peter’s previous church. These are the people who likely taught Peter about God while he was growing up. What about you, do you still hold a high opinion of people in your past who taught you about God/Jesus while you were growing up? It is very important here for me to tread lightly, as this commentary will possibly be stepping on some toes here. Here goes, people who even teach each other about God, and who attend church regularly, are still sinners! Some such people are not saved, because they could not shake “the things of men" which has caused them to not trust “the things of God.”
Please believe that salvation only comes through accepting the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made on your behalf, believing what any member of mankind teaches will not, cannot save your immortal soul! Mankind does not possess the absolute truth, and the only way to obtain this truth is gained from an avid study of God’s Word, AKA the Bible! Yet, salvation can still elude any member of mankind, if they cannot believe what they have read, and has been diligently taught to them by well-meaning members of a church of their choice. Most regular attenders of a church have not and will not ever plan to take the time to study their Bible. Can a person be saved in spite of their lack of effort to do what Jesus did, study the Scriptures; of course the answer is YES!
However, most of the people who walk this earth today do not believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Jesus made it somewhat clear that each person must decide for themselves who they will follow, when He said He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew 12:30) Jesus once said, Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. (Luke 6:22) Blessed are you when men hate you, does not seem like a good sales pitch to make to someone you wish to get as a convert into Christianity, does it!
Another quote of Jesus that Luke recorded for us will usually not attract new members of your church. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets. (Luke 6:26) Woe to you when all men speak well of you, would not cause many people to want to join a group of people, espousing such a sentiment, now would it. The key here is to identify the importance of getting to know Jesus, and to depend upon the Holy Spirit for directions in your life, and depend less on the members of mankind to have the eternal answers of working out your salvation.
Paul wrote about this theme to “work out your salvation” of course this is not talking about doing good works to gain your salvation, but to working on becoming more Christ-like every day. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13) Notice here Paul is telling us that” it is God who works in you” after you have accepted His Son as your Lord and Savior. It is salvation that prompts us to do the good works, not that good works could ever save you!
Once we have accepted our salvation, then there is the possibility of true peace in our lives. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17, NLT) The peace comes in knowing your eternal destiny is assured because Jesus paid the price of your salvation. Now you can experience a true peace given you through Jesus. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10) If the Spirit indwells you then there can be true freedom, because “wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Have you gained your freedom from the worldly ideas of mankind, and you are now working through the Spirit to be better equipped to assist other members of mankind to believe that Jesus is the way, and the only way to salvation? Pray for the freedom to go tell someone, it could save their immortal soul, and give them a peaceful attitude.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|