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Give thanks and worship to God for His lovingkindness. In the assembly of the righteous, in the midst of the saints let the testimony of Jesus be lifted up. On the first day of the week He arose and confirmed our gospel with power. Praise YAH.
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Here in Luke 17 we read the story about the healing of the ten lepers. Often the physical miracles of Jesus pointed to a far greater miracle, that of salvation. I believe a closer look at this story points to our duties as a Christian after becoming saved by grace.
Notice as example and instruction Jesus points to the one man who according to verse 16; "fell at His feet, giving Him thanks". Note the zeal and posture of the man, he was sprawled out on the ground giving thanks to our LORD. What does this indicate to you? How thankful and in awe of God's grace should one be? How does one follow up on thankfulness as well? Also note that the man was a Samaritan; this indicated that he probably did not have a long history of being close to God's Word as perhaps the others did; yet, although perhaps not as firmiliar he was so much more zealous; firmiliarity should not breed content. Because we are saved by grace does not mean we don't have to make any additional efforts in striving to do God's will; on the contrary, it should be evidence that we are striving all the more to do good.
We've all heard the expression "works gospel" and almost always the term is used to point to a bad or false gospel. While this is true if it is a gospel centered around words such as "I, me and myself", a real Christian "works gospel" is not a false gospel but a true gospel because it is the works of Christ being evidenced in the believer. If good works are not evidenced in a person's life it may be an indication that they are not saved, but don't take my word for it, let's look at the words of Jesus:
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:15-21).
This parable has everything to do with good works and how they serve as an evidence to other Christians that one is a true believer and not a false prophet. Good works are testimony of the LORD working in the believer:
"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. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:12-15).
The cleansed leper gave thanks and glory to God. This should be done every time we pray, even in times when we come in prayer with sorrow and requests. It may be difficult for some to be thankful in times of suffering but nevertheless we are instructed to give thanks continually and pray without ceasing. Although "pray without ceasing" may seem a bit of a vague term to some perhaps a good place to begin is to pray at least three times a day and always give thanks in each prayer. This should serve as a good starting point or suggestion; in Psalm 55 we read:
"As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God." (Psalm 55:16-19).
Getting back to the cleansed leper, notice in verse 19 of Luke 17, Jesus tells Him "go thy way". Now note what Jesus told the lawyer who challenged Him in Luke 10. Jesus uses the little word "go", the same one He uses in chapter 17 and Matthew 28. After teaching the parable of the Good samaritan Jesus said "go and do the same".
"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? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." (Luke 10:25-37).
So it is apparent that words such as "do" and "go" although very small, hold very important meanings and are used by our LORD in many well known gospel verses. After being saved by the grace of Christ, where and what are some of the things believers are to go and do? One biblical evidence of salvation is that a person will hold the Bible alone and in its entirety as their guide for what to "do". And it is also the Bible which we are to take as the good news to mankind and "go" into all the world with to encourage our fellow Christians and to reach others as faith comes by hearing and hearing from God's word. Anyone who claims to be a Christian yet does not feel obligated to share the gospel or forbids others from doing so are deceived by false doctrine. They may string together some obscure verses and attempt to call this doctrine, but it has no place in the gospel as we are "not to receive the grace of God in vain .... now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION" -- (2 Corinthians 6:1,2). The free offer of God's mercy is found in His word and God tells us in no uncertain terms that when we send out the gospel, it will not return void and this is an EVERLASTING promise:
"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:6-13).
When we are given the gift of being healed spiritually, namely salvation, this gift is evidenced in our lives by where we "go" from there. True believers have been given the bread of life, they will always have this bread and being satisfied, will want to share it with others. Normally one thinks of mission work right away, and although this is a major part of the sharing of the gospel, perhaps it should not be the first thing we think of or that we "especially" think of:
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:9,10).
As we go deeper into these last days, the Bible informs true believers that many hearts will wax cold. Fellowship among believers will be so much more important, almost taking on a whole new dimension as local congregations fall like dominoes and a spiritual famine ensues at the same time to the point where there is little desire to hear truth. Many will go "to and fro" only to be confused or concerned by the parables of Jesus which of course is why He spoke in parables.
"And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it." (Amos 8:3,11-12).
Outside of Christ, there will be a great spiritual famine, however, Christians will have the bread of life and should not be misers with it. Unbelievers will not want the bread, but, Christians are still commanded by God to share things in togetherness such as material things, one anothers sufferings, the gospel ministry, gospel privlieges and the mysteries of the gospel:
"We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." (2 Corinthians 6:1-10).
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:9-12).
"And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do." (Galatians 2:9,10).
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:3-5).
"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9).
In closing, hopefully some thoughts will focus on the little words "go" and "do" because they are essential keys to the new birth, the new life in Christ; they are in fact according to God's word evidence of it:
"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:8-15).
"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 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." (1 John 2:3-6).
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