LOVE NOT THE WORLD (Part 4)

Posted on by BETH

UntitledAccording to 1 John 2:15, what happens if I love the world?  The love of the Father is not in me!  One man was proud to announce that he loved the world and things of the world, and another immediately finished quoting the scripture to him saying, “Then the love of the Father is not in you.”  The first man declared “That scripture does not mean that!”

If God does not say what he means, how can you know what He means?  1 John 2:16 tells why we should not love the world.  He names the things of the world.  “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”  He names the things of the world.  Desires of flesh and eyes are not of the Father.  This includes words that march, dance and sing as they become Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton or Frost!  Do you know anyone who does not love at least some of the things around them?

  • And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Eph. 2:1-3).

Foods may taste good, but we should not love them.  What should be our motivation when we eat?  We need to eat for strength and not for drunkenness (Ecc. 10:17).  “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph. 2:3).  How does Satan appeal?  He appeals to us through the desires (lust is the same Greek word) of the flesh and mind.  What do the nations of the world do?  They love and enjoy this world—this cosmos or universe.  What are they according to the last part of this verse? They are children of wrath.

LOVE NOT THE WORLD (part 3)

Posted on by BETH

UntitledDo you know any scripture that contradicts this command which says we can love the material things of the world but are not to love “worldliness” or the “evil” things which are in the world?  At first glance Colossians 2:20-22 appears to give permission to love the material things in the world, but let’s see if it does.

  • Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men (Col. 2:20-22)?

In Colossians 2:20-22, what are we dead to?  We obviously are dead to the old man (Rom. 6:6) and the things of the old man which would include the rudiments of the world that the Gentiles seek after (Matt. 6:32).  Yes, we are to leave the rudiments and principles of this world.  So what are the rules the world has?  What do we touch?  We touch material things.  What do we taste?  We taste the material things.  What do we handle?  Again it is material things.  What will happen to all material in Colossians 2:22?  Is this not the same command as in 1 John 2:15, because all these things will perish (1 John 2:17).  Who gives commandments regarding these material things?  God commands Christians not to love these things, but men make new laws which say do not eat it or touch it.  God does not command us not to eat or touch it; he says not to love it.  What should we do?  How can we not love these material things?  We must focus on and love eternal things.  If we love the world and then die, our chief love is gone.  What if we love purity, holiness and goodness?  We can carry that with us and not suffer any loss at all.  What does he want us to love?  Will it be the physical man or the spiritual man, which is renewed day by day?

  • While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18).

What is Paul not looking toward?  Did he go around with his eyes covered?  What does he mean?  Those earthly things were not valuable to him.  He was not concerned with the outward things.  Did he love them?  They are neither eternal nor important to him.  Is there any command that tells us to love the material of the world?  Jesus did nothing without specific authority from his Father (John 5:19, 30) and we should follow his example.  How much did Jesus have when he died?  We know that Jesus was satisfied with food and clothing (1 Tim. 6:7-8).

LOVE NOT THE WORLD (part 1)

Posted on by BETH

Love Not The World When I was a girl, I had an old, stone-faced English teacher who made me fall in love with words.  In her mouth they marched, danced and sang as they became Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton or Frost.  I saw multitudes of Technicolor scenes unfold before me while she addressed the class in a barely audible voice.  There were others like the home economics teacher who encouraged me to love homemaking and to create beautiful apparel from fabric and thread and the science teacher who helped me to see the wonders of the nature all around me.  College music teachers bragged up my ability as a singer while lofty Epicurean types inspired me to become more and more aware of my five senses.  In the first three years of college, I took 21 hours each semester.  My appetite for learning was insatiable.  As I sought to embrace life and live it to the full, all these and more appealed to my intellect and to my foolish pride.

Years later I met someone who helped me to love God and His word, and my mind and heart began a metamorphosis.  The transition has not been easy, since the lure of life in the world still calls from every direction.  Yet the true “life” (John 17:3) had so much greater call that it has made all the difference.  Because of God’s word, choices are already made.  Like the Philippians, we are bought and redeemed, but we are still working out our own salvation from day to day (Phil. 2:12).

Having known brethren who grew up in the church, who would not humble themselves to serve the one who created them, I have wondered if they too found the things of the world more appealing than the things of eternity.  Their reasoning could be quite simple.  Maybe not with words, but with their lives they were saying, “To me, the world is in Technicolor, while religion is in black and white.”

Having actually heard such a statement from one I love still sends chills down my spine and breaks my heart.  So why is the world in Technicolor?  Obviously comparing Technicolor to black and white provides the contrast some need to express their feelings about how flat and valueless religion is to them.  They mean that the world and the things of the world appeal to them like glittering jewels calling on every hand.  Do they understand they cannot serve two masters?  Apparently they do, and we also should understand that principle (Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13) but make the better choice.  Either we live to satisfy our fleshly desires that bring pleasure on earth, or we live to sow to and bear the fruit of the spirit while building treasure in heaven.  Some know enough not to try to serve two masters, but they often choose the wrong one.

  • Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:15-17).

Why is this commandment unacceptable to most people?  Almost everyone I know changes the words in this passage to say: do not love the evil in the world.  Is that what it says?  Is this talking about the people?  Who is in the world?  We have neighbors, friends, enemies and brethren.  We are commanded to love our neighbor.  We also are commanded to love our brethren, enemies and friends.  Who else is there in the world?  Is this a contradiction in the Bible?  Is He talking about souls or things?

(to be continued)

THE FOUNDATION AND COST OF BEING CHRIST’S DISCIPLE

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The Definition of a Disciple:

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

There Is A Cost To Being A True Christian (Luke 14:25‑35).

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

We Must Love the Souls of All Men (John 13:34).

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

But We Must Hate All Others as a Master (Luke 16:13‑15).

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

We Must “Bear Our Cross.” This Means We Must Die to Ourselves (Mark 8:34‑37).

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

The Cross Is an Instrument of Death. When We “Take Up Our Cross,” We Are “Losing Our Life.”  We Must Live This Way Every Day (Luke 9:23‑24)!

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

The Old Paul Was No Longer Alive. It Was Christ Living in Paul. We Must Be Like That (Gal. 2:20).

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:1‑3).

We Must “Forsake All That We Have.” Before Becoming a Christian, We Live to Do Our Own Will, Pleasures, Or Desires (Eph. 2:2‑3).

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But We Must Become Like Christ, by Forsaking Our Own Will (John 6:38).

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

We Must Not Do Anything of Ourselves to the Point Of Dying, if We Must (John 8:28‑29).

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do ALWAYS those things that please him.

We Can See That It Is Not Good Enough to Give God a “Share” or “Portion” or Just a Part Of Our Lives. We Must Not Live For Ourselves Any More At All, But, Rather, For Christ and Him Only (2 Cor. 5:14‑15).

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him ONLY shalt thou serve (Matt. 4:10).

This Includes Every Thought We Think . . . (2 Cor. 10:5).

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ;

This Also Includes Every Word That We Say And Every Deed That We Do (Col. 3:17).

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

We Must “Continue In Christ’s Word” To Be a True Disciple (John 8:31).

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

We Will See That Continuing In Christ Will Cause Us To Bear Fruit (John 15:1‑2, 8).

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  

8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

We Must Bear Much Fruit to Be Christ’s Disciple.  If We Don’t, We Will Be Taken Away From The Vine.

How Do We Bear Fruit (Col. 1:10)?

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Though “bearing fruit” is often associated with converting someone to Christ, we see that doing any good work causes us to bear fruit. Evangelizing is one kind of good work. Obeying any command of God is a good work. Therefore, we can bear fruit any time we obey a command of god. Continuing in Christ’s word will cause us to bear much fruit, which will make us a true disciple (Luke 6:40).

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

The End Goal of the Disciple Is to Be Perfect (Complete) Like Christ (1 John 2:4‑6).

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

The only way to fulfill our purpose as a disciple is to continue in (keep) all of Christ’s word!

ARE YOU A DISCIPLE OF JESUS?

Posted on by BETH

“Go therefore and teach (make disciples of) all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20).

The above statement was made by Jesus to His apostles shortly before He ascended to heaven. Commonly called “The Great Commission,” notice the main thought of Jesus’ command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” To “make disciples,” therefore, is the GOAL of evangelizing the world for Christ.

Are you a disciple of Jesus? More than likely you believe in Jesus. You might even be one to attend church services regularly. But is that what it means to be His disciple?

The purpose in this study is to make clear what is involved in being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. To begin, let’s define the word “disciple.”  The word “disciple” literally means A LEARNER, according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. It denotes “one who follows another’s teaching.” But a disciple was not only a learner, he was also AN ADHERENT. For this reason disciples were spoken of as IMITATORS of their teachers.

So what is the goal in being a disciple?  As stated by Jesus himself: discipleship is to be like the teacher (Luke 6:40). “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.”  To be Christ’s disciple, then, is to strive to be like Him!

According to the apostle Paul, this coincides with God’s goal in the redemption of mankind, that they be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Do you have a strong desire to follow Jesus and become like Him? Unless you have that goal, it cannot be said that you are truly His disciple! There are also some “identifying marks” of discipleship given by Jesus which can help us to further identify a true disciple of Jesus.

What are the marks of a disciple? A disciple is “one who abides in Jesus’ words” (John 8:31).  This would imply being a diligent student of the teachings of Christ. It also requires one to be a “doer” of the Word (Matt. 7:21-27; James 1:21-25). In view of this, a true disciple would not fail to study the Bible diligently or willingly refrain from opportunities to study with others (e.g. Bible classes, church services, gospel meetings).

A disciple is also “one who loves the brethren” (John 13:34-35) with a love patterned after the love of Jesus (“as I have loved you”). A disciple would love the brethren with a love that is visible to the world (“by this all will know”). Therefore, a true disciple would make every effort to get to know his brethren, take advantage of occasions to encourage and grow closer to them (e.g., attending services on Sunday and Wednesday nights). Remember, a disciple is one who wants to become like his teacher. Was Jesus willing to sacrifice time and effort for His brethren? Of course, and so will we… IF we are truly HIS disciples!

A true disciple is also “one who bears much fruit” (John 15:8). Notice the word “much” (also found in verse 5). Jesus is not talking about an occasional good deed, but a lifestyle which prompts people to glorify God! (Matt. 5:16). This is so important, that failure to bear much fruit will result in being severed from Christ (John 15:1-2). How can one be a disciple if he or she is cut off from Christ? The point should be clear: to be a disciple of Jesus Christ means more than just a casual church member. It requires COMMITMENT, especially in regards to: the teachings of Christ, the love of brethren and bearing fruit to the glory of God.

The kind of commitment involved is seen further when we consider the “high cost” of discipleship demanded by Jesus in (Luke 14:25-33). Jesus must come first (Luke 14:26). Jesus must come before anyone or anything else, including members of our own family (Matt. 10:34-37). Jesus must come first—before one’s own self. (Luke 9:23-25).

We must be willing to suffer for Christ. (Luke 14:27). Trying to live godly lives in an ungodly world, we may find that following Christ sometimes involves enduring ridicule and persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Even if we are blessed to escape such things, we must still be willing to expend time and effort in promoting the cause of Christ in positive ways.  Putting it simply, we must forsake all to follow Christ. (Luke 14:33). In other words, Jesus must be KING and LORD of our lives. Nothing can take precedent over Christ and His Will for us. This kind of “high cost” of discipleship demanded by Jesus caused many people to turn away from following Him. But Jesus wasn’t trying to attract large crowds, He wanted disciples!

Is the COST worth it? I believe so, for consider some of the REWARDS of discipleship. There is the promise of “future blessings.” We shall be saved from the wrath of God which is yet to come upon the world for its sins (Rom. 5:9). We can look forward with joyful anticipation of eternity with God, free from sorrow, pain and death (Rev. 21:1-8).

Not only do we have these to look forward to, but there are also “present blessings.” Jesus offers a PEACE the world cannot give to calm the troubled heart (John 14:27). His words inspire JOY to lift our spirits out of any depression (John 15:11). He also offers to those who follow Him the ABIDING LOVE OF GOD, which can cast out fear (John 15:9; 1 John 4:18). And he makes it possible for us to be members of the family of God, which is able, if need be, to replace our physical family (Mark 10:28-30). There are many other blessings we could mention that are enjoyed by disciples of Jesus; but these suffice to demonstrate that though discipleship is costly, the rewards far exceed the cost!

Now that we understand the nature of discipleship, its cost and rewards, I hope that we want to be true disciples of Jesus Christ. But how does one begin? For the answer we return to our beginning text—Matthew 28:19-20. According to Jesus, the beginning of a disciple involves baptism (Matt. 28:19).

Why baptism? Remember the goal of discipleship: to be like Jesus. He was holy and sinless, yet we are to be like Him. Fortunately, baptism is described as an act of faith which puts us in contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ so we can be forgiven (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4). It is also the means by which one “puts on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). So baptism is the logical starting place for true discipleship!

But what is baptism? It is an act of submission which must be preceded by faith in Jesus and repentance for our sins (Acts 2:36-38; 8:36-37). This precludes infant baptism, for infants are incapable of believing and repenting. It is also an act of submission which involves a burial in water, in which one then rises to walk in newness of life through the power of God (Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12). This precludes sprinkling or pouring as a mode of baptism, because neither of these involves a “burial” nor an immersion (which is the meaning of the Greek word “baptidzo”). When done according to the Word of God, baptism then becomes an act of faith on our part which results in a wonderful working of God in our lives! Our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16; Eph. 5:25-27). We are “regenerated” and “renewed” by the Spirit of God so we can now live for God! (Tit.3:5-6). It is truly a “rebirth” involving both water and the Spirit (John 3:5).

Baptism is only the beginning. Teaching and obedience must follow (Matt. 28:20). This brings us back to the very definition of discipleship, for Jesus clearly states that we are to be TAUGHT (that is, to be LEARNERS), and we are to OBSERVE (that is, to be ADHERENTS or DOERS). In this way we embark on a life devoted to learning and doing all that Jesus has commanded us to do.

In conclusion, we note that only those scripturally baptized and demonstrating the “marks” of discipleship, despite the “costs,” can truly be called disciples of Jesus! Only they can realistically look forward to the “rewards” of discipleship, and take consolation in the promise of Jesus: “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, then the prospects of “A Closer Walk With God” and more fruitful service as a disciple should be of great interest to you. My prayer is that this lesson will help spark that desire in you.