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Author
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Topic: I am recommending a book to read.
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becauseHElives
Advanced Member
Member # 87
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posted
Good morning TEXASGRANDMA,
I just wanted you to know that overall I think Tony Evans is a good bible teacher,
and the book you recommended is probable a good book to read.
My only point is against Salvation and no discipline. I take opposition with any one that teaches this.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
The Nature of Discipleship
Follow me. Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.
Love not the world, nor the things in the world.
The Fate of Disciples
Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
Conditions of Discipleship
If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.
The Cost of Discipleship
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.'
Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace.
So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
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Luke 14:25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and
sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
At this point in his ministry, great crowds traveled along with Jesus wherever he went. There was something exiting and magnetic about this Jesus of Nazareth. The authority with which he taught and the power of God at his beck and call, drew multitudes to him. But on this particular day, like any other day, not everyone traveling with Jesus was there for the same reason. Some were hoping for healing. Some were political activists looking for a liberator. Some were merely curious, as people tend to be when some new movement arises.
But some, some considered themselves Jesus’ followers, his disciples. I’m not speaking here about the Twelve disciples that Jesus had chosen. I’m speaking about a much larger group outside of the Twelve (See, for example, Luke 6:13,17,20). Exactly what they believed about Jesus is not clear. But in some sense they had committed themselves to being students and followers of Jesus. They considered themselves disciples. Still others in the great crowds that followed Jesus on this day were thinking about becoming his disciples.
So Jesus turned to these great crowds and told them, in no uncertain terms, what being his disciple involves. He did this with three conditional “cannot” statements.
• “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
• “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
• “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
From the time Jesus first spoke these words until now, they have been considered among the “hard” sayings of Jesus: those difficult to understand. When they have heard or read these words of Jesus, many Christians have just ignored them, because they don’t know what to do with them.
On the surface, in these three statements, it seems that Jesus is going out of his way to repel disciples, not make them. “If you don’t hate your family and yourself, you can’t be my disciple.” “If you don’t carry your cross like a condemned criminal you can’t be disciple.” “If you don’t give up all your possessions, you can’t be my disciple.” This doesn’t sound like a winning formula for church growth. What is Jesus up to here with these words that seem to defy common sense? Why does he say this and what does it mean for us? Let’s look more closely at the text to get to the bottom of it.
First, Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” How shocking this must have been to those who first heard him. How shocking to us.
From the time of the Sixteenth Century Reformation, there has been an important rule of Biblical interpretation that “Scripture interprets Scripture.” In other words, when you come upon a difficult-to-understand passage, before you turn to a learned commentary or your own reason, you look for another passage that treats the same subject, but one that is clearer, and use it to interpret the difficult-to-understand one. Scripture interprets Scripture assumes, by the way, that the Bible is a unified whole, because it has one divine author, the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Bible cannot contradict itself, even if it appears to.
How does “Scripture interprets Scripture” help us here? This way: If Jesus truly means for us to “hate” our families and selves in the conventional sense, then it contradicts many other clear teachings of Scripture about hate. Such as 1 John 3:15, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” Such as 1 John 4:20, “If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” In addition, this hate saying of Jesus would contradict the many commands to love, such as, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) and “"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44). So unless Scripture contradicts itself, Jesus cannot mean “hate” in the conventional sense.
Fortunately, there is another passage in which Jesus speaks on the same subject, and clarifies this hate passage. In Matthew 10 our Lord says: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (10:37-38). When Jesus says whoever does not hate his family and self cannot be my disciple, he doesn’t mean that we should not love them in any sense. Of course we are to love them! Marriage and family are good gifts of God! He means that we should never love our relatives or ourselves more than Him; For then we would loving the creature rather than the Creator and committing idolatry. For those who would be disciples of Jesus Christ, love for Jesus must come first. Loyalty to Jesus must come first. Obedience to Jesus must come first. So when even the dearest family wants you to something that is the opposite of what Jesus wants for you, you must remain faithful to Jesus, not the family member.
So what Jesus is doing here in Luke 14, is warning those who want to be his disciples, telling them that the life of a disciple will be difficult. They will be put in situations where their own flesh and blood will oppose their faith or tempt them to disobey Jesus. As Jesus says elsewhere, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (Luke 12:51-53). Indeed, it will get even worse, as the end draws near: “And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death” (Mark 13:12).
To have one’s own family or one’s own flesh oppose our faith is one of the severest trials. At such a time the temptation is great to compromise our faith in order to make our family happy. But to do this is to love our families more than Jesus. And one cannot be a disciple if one does such a thing.
Second, Jesus says, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” This also must have shocked the great crowds. After all, unlike us, many of them may have witnessed what Jesus here described: a condemned criminal bearing his own cross through the streets of a town out to the place of crucifixion. Only the most vile felons were had to carry their crosses. Why on earth would Jesus say that they too had to do this?
But of course, Jesus didn’t mean that each of them must carry a literal cross to a literal crucifixion. Here the word “cross” takes on a new meaning. It means “suffering.” To “bear one’s own cross” means to be willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus.
For many who followed Jesus, they sensed that a new age was dawning. The kingdom of God was at hand. But they wrongly understood that to mean that victory, peace, and prosperity would be theirs. Some new Christians make the same mistake today.
Here Jesus sets them straight. He is saying, “You do not understand. The life of a disciple is a life of suffering. It will be difficult. And if you are not prepared for this you will fall away. You will be persecuted because of me, and suffer loss because of me (See Luke 8:13; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:12). At that point you will have a choice. You can remain faithful to me or you can be unfaithful to make the cross go away. You can shut up rather than openly share your faith, be silent rather than speak of Jesus, go along with the crowd, rather than obey Jesus. You can compromise the truth instead of standing up for the truth of God’s Word. To do any of these things, to compromise or become silent or go along with the crowd rather than confess, speak, and live the life Christ has called us to, is to drop the cross instead up carrying it. But if you refuse to carry the cross of suffering you cannot be my disciple.”
Third, our Lord says, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” It is well known that many Christians have chosen to take this literally. They have taken vows of poverty and have entered monasteries or convents. But a crass literal understanding of this passage would contradict other passages in God’s Word.
For example, when Zacchaeus gave half of his possessions to the poor, Jesus did not rebuke him and command him to give all his possessions away. Jesus rejoiced and called him a son of Abraham (Luke 19). There were wealthy people among the first Christians and the apostles never commanded them to give all of their wealth away. Instead they say, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” (1 Tim 6:17-18). It is not money that is evil, but the “love of money that is a root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). It is the love of money and mammon, loving it more than Jesus, that Jesus warns about here in the severest of terms.
When Jesus says that we cannot be his disciples unless we give up our possessions, he means we must be willing to give up all our possessions if need be; or if it comes down to a choice between being faithful to Jesus, on the one hand, or keeping our possessions, on the other, disciples must give up the possessions. Otherwise they commit idolatry and cease to be disciples.
So why did Jesus utter these three hard sayings, so shocking to ancient and modern listeners? He intended, in the strongest possible terms, to prepare his disciples. Prepare them for what? To prepare them for the reality that a being a disciple of Jesus will be difficult--and they will be tempted to give up.
The two parables that Jesus tells in our texts emphasizes this need for disciples to prepare. The man who wants to build a tower must count the cost to make sure he has enough to finish the job. The king who is going to war must first count his troops and resources to make sure he can win the battle. In both parables the message is clear: Those who begin a major endeavor need to be prepared to see it through to the finish. Our Lord is telling us that being a disciple is a major endeavor. Disciples need to be prepared to see it through to the finish.
Throughout our lives we will be tempted to quit when suffering threatens us. Throughout our lives as disciples we will have to choose. Will I choose what Jesus wants even it means suffering and rejection? Or will I side with my unbelieving family in order to escape suffering and rejection? Will I remain faithful to Jesus only when times are good? Or will I remain a faithful disciple, when people reject or hate or shun me because of what I believe? Will I carry the cross when called to do so? Or will I drop it?
Jesus knew that he needed to prepare his disciples, for he knows what is in man. He knows that every one of us has a powerful inborn desire to be liked and loved by everyone; to be happy and prosperous; to enjoy pleasure, rest, fun. Because of this we have the tendency to avoid anything that might make people dislike us, to drop the cross and run away from suffering, and to be faithful to Jesus unless such faithfulness results in some sort of loss--loss of reputation or possessions of family.
But why must the life of discipleship be so difficult? Why so many temptations, trials, and traps? First, because Satan is, as Scripture says, the god of this world (2 Co 4:4); and the entire unbelieving world lies in his power (1 John 5:19). As Revelation 12 says,
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
Satan knows his fate. That he is already conquered by the death and resurrection of Christ. He knows that his time is short until Christ returns. Therefore, in his intense anger, his goal is to keep as many people from becoming disciples as possible, and causing those who are disciples to become unfaithful and lose their saving faith in Jesus.
Victory comes, says this text in Revelation, in two ways. First disciples conquered Satan “by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” In other words, they remained faithful. They didn’t love their lives even unto death. They put Jesus first, even if meant that family disliked them, enemies persecuted them, and loss of property and even death pursued them.
Yet far more importantly than their faithfulness was the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. The disciples “conquered him by the blood of the Lamb.” The Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world by shedding his blood at Golgotha’s cross. It is this that defeated Satan. For by that shed blood, all sins and failings are forgiven to those who believe the Gospel. Including the sin of unfaithfulness. Including failing to love Jesus more than family or self; including the failure to willingly carry the cross of suffering, or the failure put Jesus before our possessions.
Yet this sweet forgiveness through the blood of the Lamb should not inspire laziness and lukewarmness. It should inspire us to strive more than ever to put faithful to Jesus above and ahead of everything and everyone else; even if it means rejection; even if it means suffering; even if it means loss. Amen.
Everyone talks about the thief on the cross and what Yeshua said to him,
But we also need to think on the word Yeshua spoke to the rich young ruler
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Gary Oswald
Community Member
Member # 4648
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posted
I think that sometimes I need a nudge from God, and others I need a swift kick in the back side. I think it is a great thing to recomend books for other Christians to read. We should learn as much as we can. We should also keep in mind that these books are for the most part the thoughts and ideas of man. I do believe that God can direct the study that goes into them, but they are no replacement for the bible.
If we keep that in mind, and we continue to study the bible, then we will know what truth is and can see it in the things that we read. We can also see the lack of truth as well.
Everything that we read and hear should be tested aginst the truth in scripture.
In Christ,
Gary
Posts: 13 | From: Wichita, KS | Registered: May 2005
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TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
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posted
Thanks Gary,
I honestly begin to wish I had never brought up the book. I had found it so helpful that I thought it would help others. At Bible Study, last night I prayed and asked God if I was doing something wrong in even posting about the book.
But after Church I found Linda's kind post and this morning yours and I feel much better.
I am 53 and I have been saved since I was 7. I think that sometimes people who have know God for most all their lives are more easily led from their first love. We begin to take God's love for granted. Kinda of like us folks who have been married 30 plus years. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves treating strangers better then we do our mate. We just them for granted.
Of course, as we live we go through tragedies and problems that can send us running from God instead of to God. I at least need a push sometimes, to see what is really truth and that is how very special God is to love me at all.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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Gary Oswald
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Member # 4648
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posted
Discipleship is an important part of the Christian walk. This is a supject I feel very strongly about, and it is one that I think the Church today is lacking. I would not go so far as to say that you can not get to heaven with out discipleship, the theif in the cross is a good example of this, but at the same time like James says, "Faith without works is dead."
You are right Betty, our relationship with Christ is just like anyother relationship. If we do not work at it, it will drift apart. If you want to stay close to God, then you have to work hard to do it.
If you are going to bring up the theif on the cross, as I have, then you also have to look at how long his Christian life lasted. I have know Christians that had be saved for twenty and more years that had never left the "baby-christian" level.
It should be our goal to grow each day more than the day before, and to alow God to perfect our salvation with in us.
I think this is the point that Tony Evens was trying to make in his book.
In Chist,
Gary
Posts: 13 | From: Wichita, KS | Registered: May 2005
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Member # 847
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posted
Maybe I am different than other people. Hubby sure thinks I am weird. But as I look back on my years of being a Christian, I have not always followed a straight path. Sometimes I walked close to God other times, I slipped off the path (still saved, but going on my own). I think living for Christ takes us on a journey where we all go at different speeds at different times.
Sometimes, I even fall back and had to catch up. I believe God is gracious and I know that He was with me, even when I moved away from him and started my own path.
I think that is the neat thing about the book, it teaches people how to get back to your First love with your relationship with Jesus.
Maybe it is kind of like marriage, sometimes, couples can drift apart and then come close again.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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helpforhomeschoolers
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Member # 15
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posted
quote:
This is a false statement.
You can not have Salvation without Discipleship.
Would you say that the discipleship of the theif on the cross was much different than the discipleship of say Paul?
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Member # 847
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posted
I have found the book helpful to me. I was just suggeting it as a good book to read. But, I am not telling anyone to read a book they do not want to read. Feel free to pick out your own books, if you find my suggestion unacceptable
thank you
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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becauseHElives
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Member # 87
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posted
I never implied there are not Baby Christians.
Everyone begins as a babe in Christ, even the Apostle Paul.
Some do mature faster than others, for all kinds of reasons.
The plant drawing the most nutriments will be the healthiest. Some plants are healthier than others. Some plants produce 30, some 60, some a 100 fold. Each produces according to the Faith they draw from the Vine.
But the branch that puts forth no fruit will be cut off and cast into the fire. That is what Yeshua said, not me. And He wasn’t just talking about the Jews either.
Accept a branch abides in the “Vine” (abides in Yeshua) it can bear no fruit.
Yahweh is no respecter of persons. When we draw nigh to Him, He will draw near to us. The babe in Yeshua draws near to the Father by prayer. A healthy baby desires the sincere milk of the Word.
Prayer to the “New Creation” is like breathing air is to the natural body. Without prayer and without the Word, the “New Creation” will die.
It is true that there is no desire in any to come to Yahweh before the “New Birth’; it is Him that draws us to Himself by His Holy Spirit.
But after the New Birth, the life must be maintained by abiding in the Vine.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Those that follow Yeshua, follow His example…
Yeshua did not pick up His cross on the day of His physical death.
Yeshua took up His cross, the day He was born. (Yeshua said for this cause I was born)
If anyone is born again, it is for one reason and one reason only.
To bear the image of the heavenly, to be conformed to the image of the Son of Yahweh, Yeshua.
To do the will of the Heavenly father. That Yahweh may have many son and daughters exactly like His Son Yeshua. Obedient to the point of death.
Remember Yeshua said only a few will be saved, many will seek to enter but only a few will enter the Kingdom of Yahweh.
Yeshua continually died to His own will, His own desires, He continually accepted day by day the death of His flesh. And when the day came He laid His life down, no man took it.
No man can take the life of a child of Yahweh.
The true child of Yahweh is living the life of another. (It is no longer I that live but Yeshua that lives in me.)
I am sure there are many babes in Yeshua that have died and went to heaven.
But I am just as sure that many that started in the Faith, have departed from the Faith and will not be prt of the Kingdom of Yahweh.
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Perseverance of the Saints says that once you are truly saved, you will not (or cannot) depart from the faith. What does the Bible say?
Galatians 5:4 -- Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
(You can fall from grace if you accept a false gospel message!)
In the story of the Prodigal son, the Father said:
Luke 15:24 -- For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
('Dead' and 'lost' are words to describe an unsaved person, regardless of their affiliation with the Father (he was His son). The Father makes this statement twice!)
1 Corinthians 8:10-13
9: But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10: For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11: And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
(A brother - fellow Christian - can perish.)
2 Peter 2:15 -- Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
(You cannot go astray if you were never on the path.)
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Member # 847
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posted
I disagree. The moment you accept Jesus as Savior you are saved. Discipleship comes through years of waking with Jesus, not over night. Peter talks about babes in Christ. How some Christians are babies all their lives. We should strive to grow up in Christ, but nowhere does it say babes in Christ are not Christians.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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becauseHElives
Advanced Member
Member # 87
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posted
quote:
"Salvation is free. Discipleship is expensive.
This is a false statement.
You can not have Salvation without Discipleship.
Salvation is “free”, no one can do anything to earn Salvation. Salvation is by “Grace”. The problem is people do not know the definition of “Grace”.
"Grace" is Yahweh living in a human soul. Grace is Jeremiah 31:33. Grace is Yahweh's power and ability living in the hearts of those that love Yeshua, causing them to overcome sin.
Grace frees us from sin, Grace does not free us to sin.
Grace frees us so we can obey Yahweh's Will. Grace does not free us from His Will (His Commandments).
Don't cheapen Yahweh free gift, by excusing sin in the lives of tares.
Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Luke 3:7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Luke 20:34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh [NKJV: let your conduct be worthy of] the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
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;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
1 Thessalonians 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
John 14:21 (several versions)
One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him." WEB
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. ASV
He who has my laws and keeps them, he it is who has love for me: and he who has love for me will be loved by my Father, and I will have love for him and will let myself be seen clearly by him. BBE
He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me; but he that loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. DBY
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. KJV
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me, shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. WBS
He who has my commandments and obeys them--he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will clearly reveal myself to him." WEY
he who is having my commands, and is keeping them, that one it is who is loving me, and he who is loving me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.' YLT
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Member # 847
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posted
I am on Chapter 8
So far he has talked about
1. The Cancer of Carnality
How a Christian can leave her or his first love. How you can be a Christian and yet Jesus not be that important to you anymore. How a Christian can become to earthly minded.
One of the gems he says is: "Salvation is free. Discipleship is expensive. You can get to heaven for nothing, courtesy of the cross. But it cost a lot to get heaven down to you."
That for a Christian there is no standing still, if you are not going forward you are falling backwards.
He does a Chapter about the Corinthian Church and how it became infected with sin and that it had to be cut out of the Church like you would cancer.
Because if the sin is allowed to grow in the Church the Church would die.
I am really learning from the book. thanks, Linda for asking.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Member # 847
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posted
I got a book from the library called "Returning to your First Love", by Tony Evans.
I am on page 116 but so far I would recommend it to every Christian.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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