Renouncing Self Defense - Cost of Discipleship Pt 65

Chapter 12 - Revenge

Bonhoeffer- 'To leave everything behind at the call of Christ is to be content with him alone, and to follow only him. By his willingly renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego. The exclusiveness of the adherence is the only power which can overcome evil.

We are concerned not with evil in the abstract, but with the evil person. Jesus bluntly calls the evil person evil. If I am assailed, I am not to condone or justify aggression. Patient endurance of evil does not mean a recognition of its rights. That is sheer sentimentality, and Jesus will have nothing to do with it. The shameful assault, the deed of violence and the act of exploitation are still evil. The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil."

My thoughts- 

'Renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego.'

The tyranny of our own egos. 

Our own egos. You know what that is, that part of you that seems to always consider yourself first in light of all you do.  It doesn't mean you won't help others, but it means you instantly help at the expense of yourself.  Let me try to clarify. You are asked to help someone do something- instantly your thought is of what you are doing, whether or not you can rightly stop what you are doing, and whether you even want to help.  These thoughts have become automatic and happen in an instant. Even if you know you are going to help, the thoughts take place and in there is the thought about how you are helping at the expense of your own desire to continue on with whatever you were doing, even if it was nothing.  We think of ourselves first almost automatically. That is our EGO. 

Our ego also seems to demand we defend ourselves from any insult or any sort. Why? Because any SELF respecting person would NOT just allow themselves to be insulted or injured in any way at all, they'd defend themselves. We have been taught to believe that our SELF respect means not simply allowing insult/injury but railing against it.  To us, someone who take insult and/or injury without standing up for themselves, is a loser.  By that way of thinking we are actually calling our Savior a loser without even realizing it because HE led the example with His life, and death.  He took insult, He took injury and He did NOT stand up for himself, He did NOT rail against the unwarranted abuse. 

When we renounce our SELF-DEFENSE, when we renounce defending ourselves against any and all abuse- we are truly AFFIRMING our adherence to Jesus. The tyranny of our own ego, being a slave to our own egos, is GONE. The self we worship is gone and in its place is the choice made to live as our greatest example, our Savior.

'The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil.'

This is truth. Read it a few times.

Do we want to overcome evil through our SAVIOR? Then we must live His example.

We should NOT resist evil assaults against us- but PATIENTLY endure the evil person.

Suffering WILLINGLY endured is stronger than evil- it spells DEATH to evil.

Satan has convinced people that those who suffer willingly are weak, stupid, foolish and so on.

We've grown up surrounded by this concept. We have to stand up for ourselves, this is what is applauded by the world. The truth is not of the world, but of GOD and we have to live for God's truth, not the worlds!

We need to recognize the difference and comprehend what the LORD desires of us and live by HIS grace, not caring what the world thinks of us. Our ONLY concern should be how God views us, not mankind.

If we live in HIM, truly in HIM, then we will live loving Him and our neighbors, and this is God's will. 

1Jn_5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1Pe_3:17  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

All by HIS LOVE!

Jesus - Our Creator

Jesus - Our Creator.

The Word- all things were made by Him.
God ended His work which He had made.
God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth.
By Him all things consist.
They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Gen 2:1  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.


There is NO doubt that scripture teaches us that God along with Jesus Christ created the world.
There is NO doubt that is was God with Jesus Christ who was with Moses as the ten moral laws, the ten commandments were given in stone.
There is NO doubt that our CREATOR, our REDEEMER, our FATHER GOD, the SON of the FATHER GOD, the HOLY SPIRIT GOD all had a part in Creation and in Redemption.

Rev_1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Luk_6:5  And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

We cannot doubt that the Creator-Jesus God - rested on that seventh day and sanctified it, and blessed it.
In the very beginning of Creation this amazing act was done.  Before SIN entered into humanity, the seventh day was blessed and sanctified. 

Before mankind's sinning the sabbath was created.
Before self-serving humans existed the sabbath was created.

God created the earth, God created human beings. God created the garden and placed mankind in the garden along with all the animals and all the fruits, vegetables and such. Man was to TEND the garden, man was to TEND the animals having dominion over them. Sinless tending, sinless dominion.  There was joy in this life that we can only catch a mere glimpse of. A joy in the life where man was covered in the righteousness of God, clothed in the light of that righteousness, that purity, that sinlessness. Joy, peace, all the things we long for, all the things we were created for. And yet…

God wasn't dwelling with mankind.

God created man and the earth and all… but God did not choose to dwell on earth with mankind. Mankind were left to their own to live in this joy created for them.  They lived in constant connection to God by their very God's righteousness clothed existence.  He was ONE with them at all times, but He did not dwell with them in the Garden.

God VISITED them in the Garden. God's righteousness was with them always and they were surrounded by all that God had created, knowing they were creatures themselves having been created by God. Their Creator was a part of their lives always, but in that face to face communication, He wasn't always there walking beside them all the time. He came and visited with them.

Remember this--

Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day...

IF God were at their side constantly and they were never a part from Him, they would never have HEARD the VOICE of the LORD GOD walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

God was visiting with them.

We know for a fact God rested on the seventh day when He had no need of resting, it wasn't as if He had worn Himself out.  God made the Sabbath for man.  God PURPOSEFULLY set aside ONE day out of seven, the SEVENTH day, for US to always and forever REMEMBER HIM. We keep the sabbath holy when we keep God in the sabbath, when He is our delight on the sabbath. God has made the sabbath holy- He blessed and sanctified the seventh day and what makes it holy is God, what sanctifies it is God.  We can profane the day God has set aside as holy by not observing its holiness. We profane it when we do not delight in God, delight in His presence on this day. We are called to remember… meaning do not forget. 

Seriously if we cannot delight in God for one 24 hour period out of 168 hours making up seven days, what in the world makes us believe we will delight in Him for eternity? 

Are we expecting some magical transformation that makes us suddenly delight in God?

We choose to believe in Christ Jesus as our Savior, we need to choose to believe in Christ Jesus as our Creator as well.

Delighting in Him.

Luk 10:25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luk 10:26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Luk 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Luk 10:28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.


JESUS' WORDS!

Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

JESUS' WORDS!

Rev_12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The remnant of God's chosen- KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of GOD and have the TESTIMONY of JESUS CHRIST.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The SAINTS- KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of GOD and the FAITH of JESUS.

Try all we want we will never negate the scriptural facts, the Sabbath is an integral part of God's ten moral commandments and NONE of those ten moral laws will EVER be acceptable to break, not then, not now, not ever. If you want to yank out the Sabbath and trample on it, you do so at your own eternal risk.

As it was in the beginning, may we keep the Sabbath a delight unto the LORD. May we fellowship with God as it is permitted to us- sinners now.  In prayer, study, contemplation, song, worship.  May our selfishness be overcome by HIS glorious love! 

All in HIM!

Selfless for a Single Day?

Gen 2:1  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Blessed.
Sanctified.

Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  FOR IN SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, THE SEA AND ALL THAT IN THEM IS, AND RESTED THE SEVENTH DAY: wherefore the LORD BLESSED the sabbath day, and HALLOWED it.


Blessed.
Sanctified.

Mat_12:11  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Mat_12:12  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Jesus confirmed the keeping of the Sabbath- saying it is LAWFUL to do well on the sabbath days.


Mat_24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day

Speaking of the future- Jesus confirmed the sabbath would be KEPT in the future.


The day not only blessed but sanctified by God during the week of Creation.

Blessed.
Sanctified.

Special to God, made special for us.


Mar_2:27  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath

Made for us!
Blessed for us!
Sanctified for us!

Kept by GOD!
Kept by JESUS!
Kept by those who are God's!
Kept by those who are Jesus'!

Rest.

Commanded to Rest.
Commanded not to Work.

And yet… people find it too hard not to work, so they work, they break the fourth commandment of God's  ten moral commandments.

Commanded not to cause any other to work.

And yet people find it too hard not to cause others to work, serving them by their working.

Commanded not to buy and sell,  causing others and themselves to work.

And yet people find it too hard not to buy and sell, causing other and themselves to work.

Neh 10:31  And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath

Commanded not to be selfish.

Isa 58:13  If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isa 58:14  Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

And yet people cannot keep from being selfish for a single day.

Our Savior wants us to live selflessly, putting God and others before ourselves and yet we can scarcely comprehend that idea for a single day, let alone a life time.

Delight in the Lord.
Call the Sabbath a delight.

Call the Sabbath a luxury, a pleasure, a delight.
To be happy about the Lord.

Psa 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory

Delighting in the Lord, can we even do that for a full day?  If we cannot delight in the Lord for a day, rather than ourselves, how are we to ever expect to delight in the Lord endlessly, eternally?

Truth.

All by HIS grace.
All by HIS mercy.
All by HIS love.
All by HIS righteousness.
All by HIM.

Thank you Lord for this blessed, sanctified, sabbath!  In You alone can we keep it as You command.

Praise GOD!
All Glory and Honor to our GOD
Always!

Free from possessions - Cost of Discipleship pt 64

Chapter 12 - Revenge

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Bonhoeffer - 'At this point it becomes evident that when a Christian meets with injustice, he no longer clings to his rights and defends them at all costs. He is absolutely free from possessions and bound to Christ alone. Again, his witness to this exclusive adherence to Jesus creates the only workable basis for fellowship, and leaves the aggressor for him to deal with.

The only way to overcome evil is to let it run itself to a standstill because it does not find the resistance it is looking for. Resistance merely creates further evil and adds fuel to the flames. But when evil meets no opposition and encounters no obstacle but only patient endurance, its sting is drawn, and at last it meets an opponent which is more than its match. Of course this can only happen when the last ounce of resistance is abandoned, and the renunciation of revenge is complete. Then evil cannot find its mark, it can breed no further evil, and is left barren.'

My thoughts-

Reread the above, please.

'Absolutely free from possessions and bound to Christ alone.'

We've accumulated so many things, our hearts are wrapped around our possessions. Can you even imagine not having possessions? We mourn the loss of our things when we lose them. Some people would rather die than lose their possessions. Some people would rather kill others than lose their possessions.  Some endlessly dwell on their possessions- and the possessions they are looking forward to acquiring. It's true that some people live for their possessions, and some even try to control their possessions after they're dead.

When we belong to Christ we need to be FREE FROM POSSESSIONS.

No, I'm not saying you need to get rid of everything you own. I'm saying you have to get rid of the HOLD the things you possess have over you. You have to put CHRIST first in ALL THINGS.

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The kingdom of God - Our Savior! Our Savior's righteousness- these are the things we should desire to possess more than anything else.

Free from possessions and bound to Christ alone, this is the ONLY way we can truly live in Christ and even have the hope that NO person will EVER provoke us to evil.

We almost instinctively want to fight back when we feel ourselves threatened. When someone hits us, we want to hit back. The ONLY thing that stands between us and that instinct is our SAVIOR. When we STOP living for ourselves and start living for CHRIST we are choosing to live as Christ would have us live. And Christ wants us to live this way-

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Do we live this way?

Do we live for others?

We need to by the GRACE of GOD!

This is truth-

'Absolutely free from possessions and bound to Christ alone.'

Bound to Christ alone.

Are you bound to Christ alone?

This needs to be our prayer, our desire, to be bound to Christ alone. Christ first and last in our lives, Christ our all in all.

Live in Truth - Cost of Discipleship Pt 63

Chapter 11 - Truthfulness

Mat 5:33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Mat 5:34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Mat 5:35  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Bonhoeffer- ' "Let your speech be Yea, yea, and Nay, nay." This is not to say that the disciples are no longer answerable to the omniscient God for every word they utter, it means that every word they utter is spoken in his presence, and not only those words which are accompanied by oath. Hence they are forbidden to swear at all. Since they always speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth, there is no need for an oath, which would only throw doubt on the veracity of all their other statements. That is why the oath is "of the evil one." But a disciple must be a light even in his words. 

It is clear that the only reason why Jesus prohibits the swearing of oaths lies in this concern for truthfulness.  It also goes without saying that he admits no exceptions, however high the court of law may be.

The commandment of complete truthfulness is really only another name for the totality of discipleship. Only those who follow Jesus and cleave to him are living in complete truthfulness. Such men have nothing to hide from their Lord. Their life is revealed before him, Jesus has recognized them and led them into the way of truth. They cannot hide their sinfulness from Jesus, for they have not revealed themselves to Jesus, but he has revealed himself to them by calling them to follow him. At the moment of their call Jesus showed up their sin and made them aware of it. Complete truthfulness is only possible where sin has been uncovered and forgiven by Jesus. Only those who are in a state of truthfulness through the confession of their sin to Jesus are not ashamed to tell the truth wherever it must be told. The truthfulness which Jesus demands from his followers is the self-abnegation which does not hide sin. Nothing is then hidden, everything is brought forth to the light of day.

In this question of truthfulness, what matters first and last is that a man's whole being should be exposed, his whole evil laid bare in the sight of God. But sinful men do not like this sort of truthfulness, and they resist it with all their might. That is why they persecute it crucify it. It is only because we follow Jesus that we can be genuinely truthful, for then he reveals to us our sin upon the cross. The cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only power which can make us truthful. When we know the cross we are no longer afraid of the truth. We need no more oaths to confirm the truth of our utterances, for we live in the perfect truth of God.

There is no truth towards Jesus without truth towards man. Untruthfulness destroys fellowship, but truth cuts false fellowship to pieces and establishes genuine brotherhood. We cannot follow Christ unless we live in revealed truth before God and man.'

My thoughts--

Psa_145:18  The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

Psa 146:5  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
Psa 146:6  Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever

Pro_3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart

Pro_12:19  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Pro_16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Pro_23:23  Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Joh_3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh_16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Joh_17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh_17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

1Co_13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth

Eph_4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

1Jn_3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jn_3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

3Jn_1:4  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth

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Truth.

Until we pay very close attention to the truth, I don't think we realize how much we lie.  How easy lying has become and yet every lie is a sin.  Christ's cross reveals our sin, it reveals every lie.

We are to LIVE IN TRUTH.
We are to LIVE IN CHRIST.

There is NO GRAY area here, not a single one and yet we love to tell ourselves there is. We make excuses to lie, when there are no excuses for lying. The truth is PAINFUL, often excruciatingly painful. 

Lord help us to be truthful in a world of lies. 

Only by Your love can this be possible, You who died having lived only in the Truth, You who are TRUTH.

Truth or Lies Cost of Discipleship Pt 62

Chapter 11 - Truthfulness

Mat 5:33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Mat 5:34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Mat 5:35  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Bonhoeffer- 'If lying were unknown, there would be no need for oaths. Oaths are intended as a barrier against untruthfulness. But it goes further than that: for there, where alone the oath claims final truth, is space in life given to the lie, and it is granted a certain right of life. The Old Testament had expressed its condemnation of the lie by the use of the oath. But Jesus destroys the lie by forbidding oaths altogether.'

My thoughts-

'Oaths are intended as a barrier against untruthfulness.'

We don't make many oaths these days do we? But we do make some.

From Wikipedia-

'An oath (from Anglo-Saxon āð, also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow. Those who conscientiously object to making an oath will often make an affirmation instead.
*
Various religious groups have objected to the taking of oaths, most notably the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and Mennonites. This is principally based on Matthew 5:34-37, the Antithesis of the Law. Here, Christ is written to say "I say to you: 'Swear not at all'". The Apostle James stated in James 5:12, "Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned." Beyond this scriptural authority, Quakers place importance on being truthful at all times, so the testimony opposing oaths springs from a view that "taking legal oaths implies a double standard of truthfulness" Faith and Practice of Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (1988) p. 19 suggesting that truthfulness in legal contexts is somehow more important than truthfulness in non-legal contexts and that truthfulness in those other contexts is therefore somehow less important.

Not all Christians interpret this reading as forbidding all types of oaths, however. Opposition to oath-taking among some groups of Christian caused many problems for these groups throughout their history. Quakers were frequently imprisoned because of their refusal to swear loyalty oaths. Testifying in court was also difficult; George Fox, Quakers' founder, famously challenged a judge who had asked him to swear, saying that he would do so once the judge could point to any Bible passage where Jesus or his apostles took oaths. (The judge could not, but this did not allow Fox to escape punishment.) Legal reforms from the 18th century onwards mean that everyone in the United Kingdom now has the right to make a solemn affirmation instead of an oath. The United States has permitted affirmations since it was founded; it is explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. Only President Franklin Pierce has chosen to affirm rather than swear at his inauguration.'
Pasted from

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We do make oaths. It's common place for us to say the words… "I swear…"  And when we say those words we are trying to convince another of the truth of our words, of the seriousness of our words. We don't necessarily think of it in a religious sense but it is very religious when the One we are swearing to is  God. To say the words, "I swear to God…"  means we are truly swearing before God our truth.  Jesus does tell us NOT to swear. It makes sense that the truth is something we should be LIVING and have NO NEED of having to swear, no need to make an oath when our lives should be truth.  If we do swear an oath we are saying that our lives are not truth always.

*******

Bonhoeffer- '"Let your speech be Yea, yea, and Nay, nay."  This is not to say that the disciples are no longer answerable to the omniscient God for every word they utter, it means that every word they utter is spoken in his presence, and not only those words which are accompanied by an oath. Hence they are forbidden to swear at all. Since they always speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth, there is no need for an oath, which would only throw doubt on the veracity of all their other statements. That is why the oath is "of the evil one." But a disciple must be a light even in his words.'

My thoughts-

Only through Christ Jesus can we live the truth- because HE is the truth!

Joh_14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

He is the truth and if we live in HIM, we must live the truth.

If we can't be truthful in our words we are liars, because the only way NOT to be truthful is to lie.

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

All UNREPENTANT liars will perish eternally.

Lying is evil.

Lying is of Satan.

Satan is the father of lies.

Joh_8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The next 'white' lie you tell, the next harmless 'lie' you utter, try to remember that SATAN is behind it! Satan's work is being wrought by you every time you lie.

We need to seek forgiveness for every single lie from the tiniest to the largest.

Our lives must be lives of TRUTH in CHRIST!

All by HIS mercy and grace!

Please LORD save us from ourselves and the evil that would overtake us.

Cost of Discipleship Pt 61 Crucify the flesh

Chapter 10 - Woman

Mat 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:31  It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Mat 5:32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery

Bonhoeffer- 'Jesus does not impose intolerable restrictions on his disciples, he does not forbid them to look at anything, but bids them look on him.  If they do that he knows that their gaze will always be pure, even when they look upon a woman. So far from imposing on them an intolerable yoke of legalism, he succors them with the grace of the gospel.'

Mankind has perverted so much.  Satan has corrupted so much and he's done it to the point we call things NORMAL which are anything but normal. We've twisted our morals throughout our history even to the point of some trying to establish morals through strict civil laws of propriety. That fails too as people go into secret to enact their perversions. Today's morals are very corrupt, and yet we call them normal.  Our Savior understands temptations, and He understands morals very well. When Jesus said- 'whosever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' , we say, IMPOSSIBLE!  "It's normal to lust," we cry out! We say that because we've been taught that it's normal. We have it set up for women to entice and men to be enticed by the woman, and vice versa. Men entice women as well, and we have made entire industries geared towards this enticing business. Makeup, clothes, jewelry, magazines, movies, books all filled with that which is meant to entice people to lust.  All these things have been and are being used to increase the deception that these things are NORMAL, acceptable, and cannot be any other way. If we say they're abnormal and people should not lust the way they do, then we are told we are foolish and stupid, because it's natural for people to be this way.

Maybe it is natural- to the flesh, but NOT to the spirit. 

If we choose to be the disciples of Christ we are choosing to WAR AGAINST the flesh, war against what people call natural. We war against it because we KNOW that our SAVIOR has told us that what others call normal is in fact- SIN.

If you even look at a woman and LUST for her- YOU'VE SINNED!

And sin needs repentance, and forgiveness, NOT ACCEPTANCE!

We are to look to Jesus as our source of strength to resist temptation to sin. We are to look to Jesus always in all things, keeping ourselves from being enticed by other things.  Do we look to HIM, really look to HIM? Is He really a HUGE part of our LIVES? He needs to be the biggest part of our lives, not regulated to even second position.   All by HIS GRACE.

Bonhoeffer-  'Being concerned exclusively with the perfect purity, that is to say, the chastity of his disciples, Jesus also approves of absolute celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. But he lays down no definite program for his disciples, whether of celibacy or of marriage, only he delivers them from  the perils of (GREEK WORD) (eg. any sexual irregularity inside or outside of the married life.) Such irregularity is a sin, not only against our own bodies, but against the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 6:13-15)

(((1Co 6:13  Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
1Co 6:14  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
1Co 6:15  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. ))))


Even our bodies belong to Christ and have their part in the life of discipleship, for they are members of his Body, Jesus, the Son of God, bore a human body, and since we enjoy fellowship with that Body, fornication is a sin against Christ's own body.

The body of Jesus was crucified. Paul speaking of those who belong to Christ, says that they have crucified  their body with its affections and lusts (Gal 5:24). Here we have another instance of an Old Testament law finding its truest fulfillment in the crucified body of Jesus Christ. As they contemplate this body which was given for them , and as they share its life, the disciples receive strength for the chastity which Jesus requires.'

My thoughts-

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Go through that NOT all inclusive list- there are so many more works of the flesh that could be added-

Adultery
Fornication
Uncleaness
Lasciviousness
Idolatry
Witchcraft
Hatred
Variance
Emulations
Wrath
Strife
Seditions
Heresies
Envyings
Murders
Drunkeness
Revellings
And the such like.

Works of the flesh.

They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

CRUCIFIED the FLESH.

Think about that and what it means to crucify the flesh- with the affections and lusts.  We are crucifying, killing violently, painfully the affections, the lusts that would keep us from Christ! 

To read those words and believe that following Christ is painless, is ludicrous.  It's painful. All the chastising, all the refining, all the crucifying, it is PAINFUL! It HURTS!  It is NOT easy. 

No, nothing we do will save us! NOTHING BUT choosing to accept what JESUS CHRIST has done for us! We cannot work our way to salvation.  We accept what our Savior did for us and choose to LIVE for HIM! And when we choose to live for HIM we accept the life that He wants for us.  The life He lived, we are to live. He is our GOD, our SAVIOR, our KING! 

Truthfully our every action matters, and yet Satan would have us believe the exact opposite.

Living in Christ, for Christ, by Christ!   Knowing Him, knowing right from wrong, living for Him.

Living in -

Love
Joy
Peace
Longsuffering
Gentleness
Goodness
Faith
Meekness
Temperance

All by the GRACE of GOD!