May 9th 2021
You Can Only Serve Others In A Positive Way By “Faithfully Administering God’s Grace!”
Mark 8:36-37 (NIV)
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Every member of mankind has inherited a sinful nature, which started when Adam and Eve sinned by breaking the one command God gave them for their protection in this world He had just created. In the Garden of Eden where God placed them, He had created trees that bore fruit and they were allowed by God to eat from any tree, except one. Yes, you guessed it, they could not avoid eating the fruit on that tree. I am sure you know the account of this event, which has come to be known to us as the Fall of Man. Because of this first or original sin this universe was cursed by God and thus it cannot be the permanent home for mankind. Our immortal soul needs a permanent place for us to reside forever, with God. Therefore, God is going to create a new world where our immortal soul can live with Him forever.
With the above in mind, it is important for all of us to know the value of this current cursed world in which our mortal bodies now live. So, then we come to the meaning of the selected verses of this commentary. Why would you place so much value on accumulating earthly wealth in this temporary, wonderful place, where God allows us to live? When you die to this mortal life, you cannot take any earthly possessions with you. Thus, this knowledge should help us to not place accumulating wealth at the expense of NOT having time to devote to giving the glory to God. So, you work hard and gain earthly wealth, but you do not have time you allot to God, and you “forfeit your immortal soul.” Jesus asked this question of you, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
Hopefully, this is not being misleading to mean we must gain our salvation by anything we do; it is meant to let us know we need to allot time to accumulate knowledge, so we come to be followers of Jesus Christ, knowing that He is the only Way for us to gain heaven when we leave this earth. If we come to believe this, how can we not desire to hold Him in awe and offer Him our attention and study our Bibles and to give Him the glory! Do you believe you can do this on your own? I do not believe anyone can amass the knowledge of God/Jesus without sharing our ideas with other like-minded persons at a church of your choice! What do you believe about attending a Bible believing church, and studying God’s Word with other sinners? Join or start a Bible study class.
The term other sinners is based on the thought that we all have that sinful nature to deal with, and it is helpful to learn from others how they have controlled themselves in this world. Paul wrote about this a lot, here is one example. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:3-5). Followers of Jesus Christ can avoid allowing their sinful nature to guide their lives, as we can instead learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this lifetime.
Jesus tells us how He came into this world as the Son of God to offer salvation to everyone who comes to believe that He is in fact the Savior of the world. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:24-27). Jesus also relates for us how He came into this world to be with us and how He became the Son of Man, so we could relate to His ability to live in this cursed world, but to stay away from continuing to be a sinner.
Jesus ate and drank with sinners, and He loved them in spite of the fact that they were still sinners. However, He criticized the religious leaders of His day because they were following the commands on men instead of following the commands of God. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7:7-8). Many of the religious leaders on this earth today are likewise changing the Word of God to match what members of mankind have created commands to express. Choose wisely a church of your choice, be sure it is teaching God’s Word, not a watered-down version that reflects commands of mankind replacing the Words of God.
Let us end this commentary with some words of wisdom from Peter. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11).
You can only serve others in a positive way by “faithfully administering God’s grace!”
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Mark 8:36-37 (NIV)
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Every member of mankind has inherited a sinful nature, which started when Adam and Eve sinned by breaking the one command God gave them for their protection in this world He had just created. In the Garden of Eden where God placed them, He had created trees that bore fruit and they were allowed by God to eat from any tree, except one. Yes, you guessed it, they could not avoid eating the fruit on that tree. I am sure you know the account of this event, which has come to be known to us as the Fall of Man. Because of this first or original sin this universe was cursed by God and thus it cannot be the permanent home for mankind. Our immortal soul needs a permanent place for us to reside forever, with God. Therefore, God is going to create a new world where our immortal soul can live with Him forever.
With the above in mind, it is important for all of us to know the value of this current cursed world in which our mortal bodies now live. So, then we come to the meaning of the selected verses of this commentary. Why would you place so much value on accumulating earthly wealth in this temporary, wonderful place, where God allows us to live? When you die to this mortal life, you cannot take any earthly possessions with you. Thus, this knowledge should help us to not place accumulating wealth at the expense of NOT having time to devote to giving the glory to God. So, you work hard and gain earthly wealth, but you do not have time you allot to God, and you “forfeit your immortal soul.” Jesus asked this question of you, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
Hopefully, this is not being misleading to mean we must gain our salvation by anything we do; it is meant to let us know we need to allot time to accumulate knowledge, so we come to be followers of Jesus Christ, knowing that He is the only Way for us to gain heaven when we leave this earth. If we come to believe this, how can we not desire to hold Him in awe and offer Him our attention and study our Bibles and to give Him the glory! Do you believe you can do this on your own? I do not believe anyone can amass the knowledge of God/Jesus without sharing our ideas with other like-minded persons at a church of your choice! What do you believe about attending a Bible believing church, and studying God’s Word with other sinners? Join or start a Bible study class.
The term other sinners is based on the thought that we all have that sinful nature to deal with, and it is helpful to learn from others how they have controlled themselves in this world. Paul wrote about this a lot, here is one example. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:3-5). Followers of Jesus Christ can avoid allowing their sinful nature to guide their lives, as we can instead learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this lifetime.
Jesus tells us how He came into this world as the Son of God to offer salvation to everyone who comes to believe that He is in fact the Savior of the world. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:24-27). Jesus also relates for us how He came into this world to be with us and how He became the Son of Man, so we could relate to His ability to live in this cursed world, but to stay away from continuing to be a sinner.
Jesus ate and drank with sinners, and He loved them in spite of the fact that they were still sinners. However, He criticized the religious leaders of His day because they were following the commands on men instead of following the commands of God. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7:7-8). Many of the religious leaders on this earth today are likewise changing the Word of God to match what members of mankind have created commands to express. Choose wisely a church of your choice, be sure it is teaching God’s Word, not a watered-down version that reflects commands of mankind replacing the Words of God.
Let us end this commentary with some words of wisdom from Peter. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11).
You can only serve others in a positive way by “faithfully administering God’s grace!”
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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