Chapter 3
-Single-Minded Obedience (continued)
Bonhoeffer- 'When He
was challenged by Jesus to accept a life of voluntary poverty, the rich young
man knew he was faced with the simple alternative of obedience or disobedience.
When Levi was called
from the receipt of custom and Peter from his nets, there was no doubt that
Jesus meant business.
Both of them were to
leave everything and follow.
Again, when Peter
was called to walk on the rolling sea, he had to get up and risk his life.
Only one thing was
required in each case-- to rely on Christ's word, and cling to it as offering
greater security than all the securities in the world.
The forces which
tried to interpose themselves between the word of Jesus and the response of
obedience were as formidable then as they are to-day.
Reason and
conscience, responsibility and piety all stood in the way, and even the law and
"scriptural authority" itself were obstacles which pretended to
defend them from going to the extremes of antinomianism (((Antinomianism in
Christianity is the belief that under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral
law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to
salvation.)))) and
"enthusiasms." But the call of
Jesus made short work of all these barriers, and created obedience. That call
was the Word of God himself, and all that it required was single-minded
obedience.'
My thoughts--
'Only one thing was
required in each case-- to rely on Christ's word, and cling to it as offering
greater security than all the securities in the world. '
TRUTH!
Mat_6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not
break through nor steal
No treasure here on
earth offers us any security at all.
We are under the
delusion that we can amass great riches and we'll be security but you know
what, you will only be secure in things that ultimately mean NOTHING.
There is only ONE
thing that matters in THIS life- LOVE- and the result of that TRUE LOVE-
Eternal life with Jesus Christ our Savior.
We cannot have LOVE without knowing Christ's forgiveness. This is the ONLY thing that matters-
JESUS. Jesus is the ONLY security we
have and yet Satan has convinced us that we can find security in this world, in
things of this world.
The rich young ruler
was told to give up his wealth but to him the wealth was his security in life
and in all. He couldn't give up that
security even for eternal life! He was speaking with the SAVIOR, he was speaking
with God's SON and he refused to obey Him. Face to face with GOD and he refused
to believe Him!
How many of us
REFUSE to believe enough to OBEY?!
How many of refuse
to truly believe the SAVIOR is our ONLY SECURITY?
The Apostles were
mostly martyred - does this mean their faith failed them? That God let them
down because they suffered? NO!
THIS IS TRUTH-
Php_3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung,
that I may win Christ
ALL THINGS but
Christ mean NOTHING!
Truly ALL THINGS-
even our own LIVES!
Bonhoeffer- 'Only
one thing was required in each case-- to rely on Christ's word, and cling to it
as offering greater security than all the securities in the world. '
TRUTH!
Bonhoeffer-'That
call was the Word of God himself, and all that it required was single-minded
obedience.'
TRUTH!
By the Grace of God
my we TRULY make Jesus our ONLY security.
Money will tempt us!
Food will tempt us!
A roof over our
heads will tempt us!
Safety will tempt
us!
Pain will tempt us!
Contentment will
tempt us!
Others will tempt
us!
Loved ones will
tempt us!
Our jobs will tempt
us!
So much will tempt
us to put it/them before JESUS, telling us all the while that Jesus will
understand.
Jesus calls us to
OBEY Him! OBEY! And when we FAIL to obey and continue in a life of willful
disobedience then we are turning our backs on CHRIST'S LOVE!
Oh, how tragic it is
going to be when millions of people see Jesus Christ and because they've lived
a life in direct disobedience to Christ and His Word, they hear Him tell them
He never knew them. They've deluded themselves into believing that they don't
have to obey just because they believe. They forget these verses-
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
being alone.
Jas 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I
have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith
by my works.
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou
doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith
without works is dead?
The works with faith
are OBEDIENCE, they go hand in hand, one without the other does NOT work.
Please LORD, help us
to make this a reality when we are confronted with all the things that would
tempt us away from YOU!
By YOUR LOVE, YOUR
GRACE!
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