|
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. - Psalm 5:3-10
|
|
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"
None of the great prophets or kings throughout Old Testament history
were blessed as were these apostles. For the most part they were
chosen out of the lower ranking blue collar jobs to build the kingdom
and begin proclaiming the gospel. The apostles are spiritual portraits
of true belivers; the word apostle meaning "one sent forth". We too
are comissioned to go forth with the gospel and in comparison with the
apostles we too have the New Testament complete and in its entirety
which the kings, prophets and Old Testament Israel looked forward to.
It should be noted here that a lawyer asks Jesus the question: "what
shall I do to inherit eternal life?".
From Jesus' response we can conclude that the answer to the lawyers'
question can be found in the Holy Scriptures: "He said unto him, What
is written in the law?".
Jesus also asked the lawyer: "how readest thou?" as if to say: you
should know if you were reading them with a sincere heart:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite
heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." - Psalm 51:17.
Salvation is based upon keeping the entire law of God and no person
can do that, so Jesus paid an enormous price and died on the cross for
His people to cleanse them from sin and give them a home in heaven for
eternity. Only those who identify with Christ will receive His mercy
and rewards. Man is only made righteous by the gift of the faith of
Christ working in them:
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of
the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." -
Galatians 2:16.
"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure." - Philippians 2:12,13.
Only the LORD Jesus Christ is perfect; therfore we must be made
perfect in Him and this was done from the foundation of the world:
"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come and follow me." - Matthew 19:21.
"Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and
might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?" - 1 Thessalonians
3:10.
"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom
are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author
of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and
those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He
is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR
NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR
PRAISE." " - Hebrews 2:10-12 nas.
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very
image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." -
Hebrews 10:1.
"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deed." - James 1:25.
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day
of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no
fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath
torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him,
because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:17-19.
"But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part
shall be done away." - 1 Corinthians 13:10.
The happy results of salvation in Christ is seen in the fruits His
children bear for Him. I do not believe one can say they love Christ
yet sit home alone without fellowshipping with their neighbor. This
issue cannot be walked away from by asking: "who is my neighbor"? A
true evidence of salvation will be shown in a persons desire to share
the good news which is the gospel of Christ in truth. Truth will ever
gain while error loses in honorable Christian discussion. If we bring
truth, we ought likewise to be walking in it to the glory of God;
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in
health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the
brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou
walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my
children walk in truth. Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou
doest to the brethren, and to strangers" - 3 John 2-5.
|