He who loves father or mother
more than Me is not worthy
of me. And he who loves son
or daughter more than Me is
not worthy of Me.
And he who does not take
his cross and follow after Me
is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:37-38
Harsh, harsh, harsh, are those words of Jesus Christ. Does He really mean that we are to put Him ahead of those who we love? Maybe it has other meanings? Does it? Or is this exactly what is required? Now Jesus has done it: what words that are hard and seemingly unattainable, yet required: "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39). Yes, it is plain, and very clear, we are to place in our lives, ahead of every thing else, on Him, Jesus Christ. From the beginning of creation man was made different from all other living beings, God made man in His image: "then God said, 'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God crated man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). Man did not leave well alone, for he left behind this fact that all men are created in the image of God, that is we have the attributes of God, love, ration thinking, the authority over this earth as God would have us use that authority as being in His image, but we have left this fact and this is due to the fall of Adam, and our inherited sin, but this is not to be true if we then in our lives become conformed to the image of His Son: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29). Unfortunately, many, even within Christian Churches, man has become conformed to this world, they have become cultural Christians, liberalism in theology has been the result and not Authentic Biblical Faith and we have been warned against such: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2). As Authentic Biblical Christians we follow a new and better way: "Therefore, brethren,having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:19-23). There it is: we are to do exactly as our High Priest and Savior requires, He is to be first in our lives in all things, even those things we hold dear.
The means to grow in grace is also to be watchful over our conduct in the little matter of everyday life. This means to be watchful over our tempers, our tongues, the discharge of our daily relations in life. This would include where we work, our time at work. I notice this one fact and maybe you have seen the same or have participated in this act, I know that I have, hopefully the change I made is not broken as I consciously attempt not to do this: a car speeds by in a 70 miles per hour zone, or any other posted zone, with a "fish" symbol on the back of the car going much faster than the posted speed. What a witness! Not a good one! No wonder people speak ill of Christians, they cannot even follow God's word. Peter reminds us: "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good" (1Peter 2:13-14). We are the living witnesses of God; therefore live as such! Be intentional, God requires us to be precise for He is a precise God and we are made in His image, we are conformed in the image of His Son, who is God come in the flesh.
It is not easy, it is hard, we are fallen creatures and our morality is flawed, but this is no excuse for we have the sure and true words of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and we have the Holy Spirit that will aid us in our efforts to serve Him (Why would He serve a person who is not willing to follow God?). Jesus said: "Then he said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the hole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His won glory, and in His Father's, and if the holy angels" (Luke 9:23-26). Growth in grace is first implicit, that is, it is inside a man, then it is explicit, that is, it is shown in every day life. This is one way by which we grow in grace.
Beloved, I now write to you
this second epistle
(in both of which I stir up your
pure minds by way of reminder),
that you may be mindful of the words
which were spoken before by the
holy prophets, and of the commandment
of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior.
2Peter 3:1-2
Spend time in Communion with God: today
Richard L. Crumb
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