Declaring War on God: Part 2
"Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.'" -John 14:6
In His ministry here on Earth, Jesus was a living example, He still is our living example. As we read the gospels especially and see His relationship to the Father, we see how our relationship to the Father should look like. That was Jesus' prayer for us. (John 17)
Jesus doesn't have perspective, ideology, or His own interpretation. He see's the truth, knows the truth, and says the truth. It's the same for us as Christians. We can't do whatever we want, neither can we agree with whatever we want, if it doesn't line up with the Bible, don't do it! Following Christ means doing what God wants. God wants us to accept His son, Jesus, and stop doing what is wrong...whether we think it's wrong or not. Essentially, that's what God's love looks like. We're right back to repentance, which is agreeing with God that what we did was wrong, and turning from it. J.I. Packer said, "Anytime we don't practice repentance of our sins, and preach repentance for others sins, we're heretics." Christianity is about repentance; turning away from sin, and turning to truth. It is our fruits that determine false and truth in our lives.
John says in John 8:32, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." A couple of verses up, Jesus identifies His Father as being truth (v.26), and our key verse John 14:6, Jesus identifies Himself as the truth. Jesus is teaching the Pharisee's, and they aren't so fair ya see. In the beginning of John 8, they brought a prostitute before Jesus saying she should die for her sin by being stoned. Do you know what Jesus invited her to do after her accusers left? He invited her to turn from her sin through repentance and sin no more. (v.11) The Pharisee's then declared war on God. This is where we all fall. The issue ceases to be about the sinner, but with God; the accusations are no longer what the woman did, but what Jesus didn't do, and what He said. The Pharisee's judged from the law, but Christ judges from what the Father says, "Thus Saith the Lord!" Jesus in a way starts rebuking the Pharisee's for not believing saying, "You are of this world, I am not. Unless you believe you will die in your sins." Do you see what Jesus is extending to them? An invitation to repentance and change. But like the people in the parable from Part 1 of this series, they ignore and reject it. The Pharisee's were much too caught up in culture applauding. We too face this. Would we rather have culture applauding, and Jesus rebuking, or Jesus applauding, and culture rebuking?
In verse 31 Jesus says, "You are truly my disciples IF you keep obeying my teachings." Meaning, we must keep walking in truth, not walking in sin, not agreeing with sin, not tolerating sin. Jesus applauding, and culture rebuking. That is knowing the Father, and the Father setting you free (v.32). Jesus addresses again that one much choose who his master is. In this passage of scripture Jesus is basically asking, Who's your Daddy? They answered Abraham. I think the choices were God or Satan. Again like I said in Part 1, we hang onto what we like about each master, and try to coexist. There is no thing as a half lie, or a half truth. Satan is a liar (v.44), Jesus is the truth. (John 18:37-38, Isaiah 45:19)
So what do you believe? Whom do you believe? This is why doctrine and theology matter!! Because it's not so much how we behave, but how we believe. From that belief which will be rooted in our hearts will determine how we behave. Loving is good, serving is good, but knowing what you believe is even better. Real love tells the truth, and how can you tell the truth if you do not know it?
Are you truly His disciple? Do you know what you believe? Are you making a stand for Christ? Is Jesus applauding you? Who's your daddy? Has the truth set you free? Or is your life still declaring war on God? The invitation has been given again. Repentance, and change has been offered once again.
Shoseki a philosopher once said, "Truth only reveals itself when one gives up all preconceived ideas." This sums up the danger of religion, tradition and pride. Religion is a corruption of the gospel. Tradition is fear of change. Pride is the root of most every sin. All make me incapable of receiving and perceiving the truth. May I humble myself continually, acknowledging my infinite limitations, and my finite understanding so that I may receive truth and therefore grow in Christ.
In His ministry here on Earth, Jesus was a living example, He still is our living example. As we read the gospels especially and see His relationship to the Father, we see how our relationship to the Father should look like. That was Jesus' prayer for us. (John 17)
Jesus doesn't have perspective, ideology, or His own interpretation. He see's the truth, knows the truth, and says the truth. It's the same for us as Christians. We can't do whatever we want, neither can we agree with whatever we want, if it doesn't line up with the Bible, don't do it! Following Christ means doing what God wants. God wants us to accept His son, Jesus, and stop doing what is wrong...whether we think it's wrong or not. Essentially, that's what God's love looks like. We're right back to repentance, which is agreeing with God that what we did was wrong, and turning from it. J.I. Packer said, "Anytime we don't practice repentance of our sins, and preach repentance for others sins, we're heretics." Christianity is about repentance; turning away from sin, and turning to truth. It is our fruits that determine false and truth in our lives.
John says in John 8:32, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." A couple of verses up, Jesus identifies His Father as being truth (v.26), and our key verse John 14:6, Jesus identifies Himself as the truth. Jesus is teaching the Pharisee's, and they aren't so fair ya see. In the beginning of John 8, they brought a prostitute before Jesus saying she should die for her sin by being stoned. Do you know what Jesus invited her to do after her accusers left? He invited her to turn from her sin through repentance and sin no more. (v.11) The Pharisee's then declared war on God. This is where we all fall. The issue ceases to be about the sinner, but with God; the accusations are no longer what the woman did, but what Jesus didn't do, and what He said. The Pharisee's judged from the law, but Christ judges from what the Father says, "Thus Saith the Lord!" Jesus in a way starts rebuking the Pharisee's for not believing saying, "You are of this world, I am not. Unless you believe you will die in your sins." Do you see what Jesus is extending to them? An invitation to repentance and change. But like the people in the parable from Part 1 of this series, they ignore and reject it. The Pharisee's were much too caught up in culture applauding. We too face this. Would we rather have culture applauding, and Jesus rebuking, or Jesus applauding, and culture rebuking?
In verse 31 Jesus says, "You are truly my disciples IF you keep obeying my teachings." Meaning, we must keep walking in truth, not walking in sin, not agreeing with sin, not tolerating sin. Jesus applauding, and culture rebuking. That is knowing the Father, and the Father setting you free (v.32). Jesus addresses again that one much choose who his master is. In this passage of scripture Jesus is basically asking, Who's your Daddy? They answered Abraham. I think the choices were God or Satan. Again like I said in Part 1, we hang onto what we like about each master, and try to coexist. There is no thing as a half lie, or a half truth. Satan is a liar (v.44), Jesus is the truth. (John 18:37-38, Isaiah 45:19)
So what do you believe? Whom do you believe? This is why doctrine and theology matter!! Because it's not so much how we behave, but how we believe. From that belief which will be rooted in our hearts will determine how we behave. Loving is good, serving is good, but knowing what you believe is even better. Real love tells the truth, and how can you tell the truth if you do not know it?
Are you truly His disciple? Do you know what you believe? Are you making a stand for Christ? Is Jesus applauding you? Who's your daddy? Has the truth set you free? Or is your life still declaring war on God? The invitation has been given again. Repentance, and change has been offered once again.
Shoseki a philosopher once said, "Truth only reveals itself when one gives up all preconceived ideas." This sums up the danger of religion, tradition and pride. Religion is a corruption of the gospel. Tradition is fear of change. Pride is the root of most every sin. All make me incapable of receiving and perceiving the truth. May I humble myself continually, acknowledging my infinite limitations, and my finite understanding so that I may receive truth and therefore grow in Christ.
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