For I have not spoken
on My own authority,
but the Father who
sent Me gave Me
a command, what I
should say and what
I should speak.
And I know that His
command is everlasting life.
Therefore, whatever I speak,
just as the Father has
told Me, so I speak.
John 13:49-50
Jesus made this one thing exceptionally clear: He lived and operated under the authority of the Father. Jesus did not invent some new form of belief, a new religion; no, He came and did exactly what the Father had sent Him to do: die! It is that simple, Jesus came for one purpose and that purpose was to do the will of the Father and that will was that by means of the Wisdom, God was to become incarnate and die, to die to pay the debt of sin for those God chose to give to the Son. Further, Jesus taught first His disciples, and then His disciples, the Apostles, who were to teach others of His commands and the one command that Jesus gave to the Apostles that was to be taught to all disciples was: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have love you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). What was the love that Jesus demonstrated? He gave Himself to the authority of God by doing His will and not His own. It is love between the brothers and sisters that when exercised according to the will of God as revealed in His Holy word, then the world will know we are Christians, true Christians. The world may hate us for that fact, that we love as Jesus Christ love, that we live under the authority of God which they do not, but we are in love and devoted to God, and to His Son that He sent for His children. John the Apostle wrote in regards to the attitude of the world towards Christians: "Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death" (1John 3:13). A Christian cannot serve two masters: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). When the ideologies of the world, and secularization of the Church occurs, all that has been done is for the Church to become friends of the world: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of god. or do you think that the Scriptures says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously" (James 4:4-5)? It is the truth that sets us apart from the world, but it is our lives living in that truth that demonstrates to the world God, and His Son. We are not our own for we have been bought with a price, and that price was for God to come, be incarnate, to die a horrible death on the cross, demonstrating His love for us, should we not then show our love for the Father, His Son, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in this life: no matter the cost? "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree')" (Galatians 3:13). Further: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God; who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
It is by faith that we live, as Abraham by faith left his country and kin to go to a land that God will show to him, this we do as well, we live by faith and allow God to direct our paths. Yet, we are not to be naive, for we must examine our faith, our worship and determine if there is any sin in us, in our worship. Are we actually living for God or for ourselves? Death is assured for all men, it is not a whether or not, it is how and when! Eternity began the day you were conceived. The question is what we do with the life God gave us, for if God had not decreed that you should live, you would not have lived. God did not cause your birth, but He did decree that you live, and when He has, which He does for His children, given faith to you to believe upon the Son of God as Savior, then we have a master for our life and that master is God. Therefore we are to cast out all things which are not of God. This takes study at times to know what has occurred in our lives, our Church. How have we been affected by men and women who are not God's children and teach and promote ideologies, theologies that are not of God, they are not what God has commanded His servants to follow and to do. This will take courage, and determination, and to be intentional in our faith toward God, and His Son. But we are not left alone for we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us; so why be afraid? We are often afraid, because the first change is in our own life, our attitudes, this is hard and often takes a lifetime and will finally be accomplished when we arrive in heaven to be with Jesus Christ forever and forever. Paul wrote these words for us: "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). As sons and daughters of God we live for Him, the gift of faith having been given to us and this we know is truth for we no longer desire to live as the world, rather to live as redeemed individuals and to turn away from the former life: "Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. but now after you have know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage" (Galatians 4:7-9).
The Bible outlines the will of God and how He has determined the arrangement of His Church. The Bible is not speaking of equality between the sexes, for all men and women are equal under the eyes of God. All men and women have been given talents, and gifts, that are to be used in this life, and in the life of the Church. What the Bible, God, has set forth is authority and that authority has been given to men. This authority is an awful responsibility for man will be required to give an accounting for how he as used that authority. All will be required to give an account of their lives but man, those in leadership have a greater accounting. Jesus makes this plain: "but I say to you that for every idle word men may speak,they will give account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:36-37). Paul writes: "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12). We have been given words of admonishment: "O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. grace by with you Amen" (1Timothy 6:20-21). In Paul's second letter to Timothy he advises this: "Peach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. but you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2Timothy 4: 2-5).
This I will do, will you? I will examine what is occurring in the Church, how Christians have been affected by the world, and how we are to remove the dross that is clogging up the faith of believers and leading them into that which leads to away from the authority of God. The next few blogs as needed will discuss more of things that are occurring in the Church, i.e., Tai Chi, yoga, and other practices. Are they of God or not? If found not to be of God, will you remove them or yourself from them. Will you and me, come under the authority of God?
Yes, and all who desire to
live godly in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution.
2Timothy 3:12
Determine to Live For God--No Matter what!
Richard L. Crumb
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