“Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow
me." When
the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
This passage confuses people because our churches have quit preaching God’s requirement of complete commitment. Many churches today preach a Jesus that would have run after this young man to negotiate…. They often proclaim Christ as Savior but rarely refer to Him as Lord.
This passage confuses people because our churches have quit preaching God’s requirement of complete commitment. Many churches today preach a Jesus that would have run after this young man to negotiate…. They often proclaim Christ as Savior but rarely refer to Him as Lord.
We
have forgotten that sometimes the bible says hard things, but they are never suggestions.
So instead of obedience we have created a biblical buffet where we pick and
choose what we like out of the bible and ignore the things that bother us. If we
don’t agree with what the bible says about marriage, our role in the church,
how we are to respond when mistreated, or any other issue…We explain the verse
away and assume God would not require obedience if it doesn’t make us happy.
But
that is not the Jesus we see in this passage. What Jesus demanded was hard –
And with one look into the eyes of Christ the young man knew there was no need
to make a counteroffer… The price of discipleship is everything…. You either follow God - or you don’t… and
obeying only what you are comfortable with is not following God - it is
following yourself.
Like
a loving parent, God has given guidelines for your protection. He has pointed
out sin so it will not overtake you. He has written truths that are
nonnegotiable. God does not give recommendations He gives commandments. And
they are to be obeyed not debated.
Our
fatal flaw is believing that what we want, and what we need are always the same
thing… so we change His word to fit our lives, instead of changing our lives to
fit His word …which insures there is never a need for submission or obedience.
God
loves you deeply…. but He did not die on the cross to make you happy…He died to
make you Holy. It is what you were created for, and only holiness will fill the
void in your life and bring lasting joy and true freedom.
“More
than once Jesus deliberately addressed certain issues that quickly diminished
the number of onlookers. It was commitment that thinned the ranks.”
- Chuck Swindoll
- Chuck Swindoll
No comments:
Post a Comment