Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Offended? – Part 2

  

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

 

Pastor Kyle continued that the second of four unavoidable realities on this issue of disputes is (2) that God’s Number One goal is always for Believers to pursue mutual understanding, forgiveness and (if possible) reconciliation. We fail to grasp just how far humanity fell because of original sin and the effect on the flesh and soul of the natural man. It is explained in John 1:9-14 that the Word [Jesus] “was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

 

We live in a fallen in sin world. All hell is breaking loose and people cannot even agree to disagree. James 4:4explains why, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” The children of God, followers of Christ, are “in the world” but not “of the world”. Galatians 5:24-25 explains why, because “those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” The indwelling Holy Spirit is given to all born-again Believers at their transformational regeneration. Romans 6:23 further explains, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, God has been graciously working His plan of redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ’s atoning, substitutionary sacrificial death on the Cross to pay our wages of sin. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

 

 It has always been God’s intent to restore fallen mankind back to an upright position and the vehicle to that salvation and restoration is God’s grace and our faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Ephesians 2:8 explains,“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” But like any gift given, the recipient must receive and accept the gift, and not reject it. Jesus is the gift, the Word, the Way, the Narrow Gate. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus tells us, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Even though Romans 3:21-24explains, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”, not many will choose to believe the Gospel and be saved. Men loved darkness rather than light, and because the world did not know Him and His own did not receive Him.

 

In the Gospel message, disciples will have saved and unsaved family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and co-workers co-existing in this world. So, as Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” To find common ground and have ability to talk with all factually and sensibly. Jesus gave the commandment of the Great Commission to his disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and 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”, because salvation and restoration is the reason that He came and the mission goal and purpose. Hence, all Christians are called disciples, as they profess to follow, learn and receive and adhere to His doctrines and precepts, trust, obey and emulate the Lord and Master, teacher and instructor, Jesus Christ, which includes reaching out to the lost in sin, listening to their thoughts and concerns, standing on the Word of God, giving the Gospel message of forgiveness and salvation, while speaking the truth in love. Love the sinner, but hate the sin enough to expose it for what it truly is and point to the Cross. Remember who is influencing who and why.

 

Tolerate others, but communicate and demonstrate the kingdom of God as an Ambassador through the Gospel light, without accepting or affirming that which is sin in the eyes of the Lord (as revealed in the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Redemptive kingdom work begins with building friendships on a common level in order to prove the opportunities to caringly share God’s love, grace and truth. Be able to talk and listen, discuss and debate why each feels the way that they do, shed some light and find mutual understanding of where they are coming from, even if it only leads to differing views, philosophies and ideologies. Ephesians 2:1 tells us that the fact is God has the power and desire to make alive, those who were dead in trespasses and sins. That salvation and restoration should be the Christian’s desire also. There is no harmony or peace in sin, just chaos and death. 1 John 3:4 tells us, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”


Is it loving or unloving to take the action to save someone from certain death and spending eternity in Hell? Is it loving or unloving desire eternal life in Heaven for someone when they pass from this life, and lasting love, joy, peace and contentment in their soul now? Even if it is not possible to be at peace with all, it should always be the goal. You may just win another soul for Christ in the process. 

 

The third of four unavoidable realities on this issue of disputes is (4) that when God’s Number One goal is not possible, then put on the “full armor of God” and stand. The Hebrew word “Satan” means "an accuser, an adversary, one who resists." The word “devil” is the descriptive name of Satan in the Christian Greek Scriptures, which means “Slanderer.” Satan was given the name Devil because he is the chief and foremost slanderer and false accuser of Jehovah, His good word, and His holy name. 

Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on "who is offending who" in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

No comments: