"Whenever we don't obey, it's always because we are not trusting some promise."
That was an eye-opening statement for me, found on the Living By Faith Blog.
The blog features the opportunity to subscribe to a weekly newsletter filled with spiritual growth resources. I subscribe. It's pretty great, and I encourage you to subscribe also. This has been one of the most reliable and helpful resources that I've come across in a long time.
May our Lord Jesus bless you.
October 21, 2013
October 15, 2013
1st Corinthians 6:11 (NASB) wallpaper
Here is a Scripture wallpaper based on 1st Corinthians 6:11 (NASB), reminding believers of who we were -- and who we are -- in Christ Jesus.
Download this wallpaper here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/WY5aRTJww25i9hkz5
View all of the Scripture wallpapers and images and download for free: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kLbvK5TJZaqYUA447
January 22, 2013
Believers suffer (Discipleship part 3)
Dear believers,
Recently I have experienced a measure of suffering in my life, which has caused me to consider how I should respond to that suffering.
Some teach that all suffering is evil and there is no reason for a believer in Jesus to suffer. If we suffer, they say, we must be doing something wrong. Probably there is sin in our lives that we are being punished for, or maybe we don't pray enough, they say. If we just have faith, we should never suffer, they assert.
But, is this a Biblical view of suffering in the life of a believer? I don't think it is.
A few days ago, the Lord graciously led me to make a discovery with respect to suffering, simply by studying the different ways that one Greek word in the New Testament was translated.
It turns out that the Greek word translated "witness" is the same word translated elsewhere in the New Testament as "martyr." The King James Version translates this word as "witness" 29 times, as "martyr" 3 times, and as "record" twice.
However, modern translations such as the New King James Version translate those two occurrences of "record" as "witness" (my guess is that "record" is an archaic way of referring to a specific type of witness). So we end up with 31 occurrences of "witness" and only 3 occurrences of "martyr."
So, there is no difference between the Greek word used to mean "witness," which is generally defined as someone who sees an event take place (for example, Jesus' resurrection), and the word used to mean "martyr," which means someone who is killed for his or her beliefs (for example, that Jesus Christ is Lord and the Son of God). "Witness" and "martyr" are the same word in Greek.
What is the significance of this discovery?
Let's look at the three occurrences where the word is translated "martyr" and try to find out.
If you like, you can also go here to view the page I was looking at for this study.
Here are the three passages, from the New King James Version:
And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. (Acts 22:20 NKJV)
I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne [is]. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas [was] My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Rev. 2:13 NKJV)
I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (Rev. 17:6 NKJV)
In the first passage, the Apostle Paul is praying to Jesus. He is acknowledging that he consented to Stephen's death and that he guarded the clothes of those who stoned him to death.
Now, Stephen was a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, described as being "full of the Holy Spirit" even just prior to being murdered (see Acts 7).
Stephen's faithfulness to Jesus was evidenced by the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ opened Stephen's view into heaven and allowed Stephen to see Him just before he was murdered!
Even while being violently stoned, Stephen prayed to Jesus, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."
Therefore, Stephen was not suffering for anything spiritually amiss in his life. On the contrary, he was a faithful and honored follower of Jesus, one who was privileged to see His Lord before he departed this earth. That is an awesome honor indeed.
In the next passage (Rev. 2:13 NKJV), the Lord Jesus Christ Himself spoke, after His resurrection, to one of His churches. Here it is again:
I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne [is]. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas [was] My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Rev. 2:13 NKJV)
Here, Jesus called a man named Antipas "My faithful martyr" and acknowledged that he was killed among them, where Satan dwelt. In this time of great persecution, the Lord Jesus Christ commended these believers for holding fast to Jesus' name and their refusal to deny His faith.
Antipas was called Jesus' "faithful martyr" and was killed in a place where Satan dwelt. If believers are not to suffer, how is it that the Lord Jesus would refer to Antipas as being faithful even in his death?
The third passage (Rev. 17:6 NKJV) is from the perspective of John (I believe he is the Apostle John who wrote the other books named after John). Here it is again:
I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (Rev. 17:6 NKJV)
This passage refers to a woman, who is identified in the following passages:
"So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast [which was] full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name [was] written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Rev. 17:3-5 NKJV)
"And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." (Rev. 17:18 NKJV)
This woman, then, is described as being "drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (from Rev. 17:6 NKJV). It is clear then, that this woman, this city which reigns over the kings of the earth, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth, was in a very strong way connected to the deaths, the murders, of believers in Jesus.
What I get from all of this is primarily one thought. That is:
Not only do believers suffer, but suffering could be considered the expected, or normal, state for a believer.
Unlike the Apostles and early believers, we did not technically witness the risen Christ. But we are witnesses in the sense of being able to testify to the name of Jesus. We can tell and show others what He has done for us. We can acknowledge His presence in us and seek to do the things that honor His name.
And so, if we want to be witnesses for Jesus, we can expect to suffer with Him. Given the examples we have seen in Antipas and Stephen, it should not surprise us if we suffer. The more faithful we are to the name of Jesus, the more we should expect to suffer. Stephen and Antipas were highly commended by the Lord Jesus, and they were killed. They proved their faithfulness because they were willing to die for Jesus.
So when we suffer for His name, how do we respond? Are we angry? Fearful? Resentful? Do we feel that we have done something wrong when we suffer? Rather than being upset, we should rejoice. Our suffering, if it is for the name of Jesus, is something to be proud of!
What if we rarely, or never, suffer for Jesus' name? It might be because we are afraid to speak up for the name of Jesus. If that is so, we should repent. We should pray and ask for the strength and grace and wisdom to be bolder witnesses to the glory of our Savior.
Look at the words of Jesus Himself.
Then He said to [them] all,
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His [own] glory, and [in His] Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."
The Apostle Paul wrote:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected [it] in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Not only [that], but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for [it] with perseverance.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit [is], because He makes intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [can be] against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? [It is] God who justifies.
Who [is] he who condemns? [It is] Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [Shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And finally, it is written:
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Recently I have experienced a measure of suffering in my life, which has caused me to consider how I should respond to that suffering.
Some teach that all suffering is evil and there is no reason for a believer in Jesus to suffer. If we suffer, they say, we must be doing something wrong. Probably there is sin in our lives that we are being punished for, or maybe we don't pray enough, they say. If we just have faith, we should never suffer, they assert.
But, is this a Biblical view of suffering in the life of a believer? I don't think it is.
A few days ago, the Lord graciously led me to make a discovery with respect to suffering, simply by studying the different ways that one Greek word in the New Testament was translated.
It turns out that the Greek word translated "witness" is the same word translated elsewhere in the New Testament as "martyr." The King James Version translates this word as "witness" 29 times, as "martyr" 3 times, and as "record" twice.
However, modern translations such as the New King James Version translate those two occurrences of "record" as "witness" (my guess is that "record" is an archaic way of referring to a specific type of witness). So we end up with 31 occurrences of "witness" and only 3 occurrences of "martyr."
So, there is no difference between the Greek word used to mean "witness," which is generally defined as someone who sees an event take place (for example, Jesus' resurrection), and the word used to mean "martyr," which means someone who is killed for his or her beliefs (for example, that Jesus Christ is Lord and the Son of God). "Witness" and "martyr" are the same word in Greek.
What is the significance of this discovery?
Let's look at the three occurrences where the word is translated "martyr" and try to find out.
If you like, you can also go here to view the page I was looking at for this study.
Here are the three passages, from the New King James Version:
And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. (Acts 22:20 NKJV)
I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne [is]. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas [was] My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Rev. 2:13 NKJV)
I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (Rev. 17:6 NKJV)
In the first passage, the Apostle Paul is praying to Jesus. He is acknowledging that he consented to Stephen's death and that he guarded the clothes of those who stoned him to death.
Now, Stephen was a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, described as being "full of the Holy Spirit" even just prior to being murdered (see Acts 7).
Stephen's faithfulness to Jesus was evidenced by the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ opened Stephen's view into heaven and allowed Stephen to see Him just before he was murdered!
Even while being violently stoned, Stephen prayed to Jesus, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."
Therefore, Stephen was not suffering for anything spiritually amiss in his life. On the contrary, he was a faithful and honored follower of Jesus, one who was privileged to see His Lord before he departed this earth. That is an awesome honor indeed.
In the next passage (Rev. 2:13 NKJV), the Lord Jesus Christ Himself spoke, after His resurrection, to one of His churches. Here it is again:
I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne [is]. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas [was] My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (Rev. 2:13 NKJV)
Here, Jesus called a man named Antipas "My faithful martyr" and acknowledged that he was killed among them, where Satan dwelt. In this time of great persecution, the Lord Jesus Christ commended these believers for holding fast to Jesus' name and their refusal to deny His faith.
Antipas was called Jesus' "faithful martyr" and was killed in a place where Satan dwelt. If believers are not to suffer, how is it that the Lord Jesus would refer to Antipas as being faithful even in his death?
The third passage (Rev. 17:6 NKJV) is from the perspective of John (I believe he is the Apostle John who wrote the other books named after John). Here it is again:
I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (Rev. 17:6 NKJV)
This passage refers to a woman, who is identified in the following passages:
"So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast [which was] full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name [was] written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Rev. 17:3-5 NKJV)
"And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." (Rev. 17:18 NKJV)
This woman, then, is described as being "drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (from Rev. 17:6 NKJV). It is clear then, that this woman, this city which reigns over the kings of the earth, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth, was in a very strong way connected to the deaths, the murders, of believers in Jesus.
What I get from all of this is primarily one thought. That is:
Not only do believers suffer, but suffering could be considered the expected, or normal, state for a believer.
Unlike the Apostles and early believers, we did not technically witness the risen Christ. But we are witnesses in the sense of being able to testify to the name of Jesus. We can tell and show others what He has done for us. We can acknowledge His presence in us and seek to do the things that honor His name.
And so, if we want to be witnesses for Jesus, we can expect to suffer with Him. Given the examples we have seen in Antipas and Stephen, it should not surprise us if we suffer. The more faithful we are to the name of Jesus, the more we should expect to suffer. Stephen and Antipas were highly commended by the Lord Jesus, and they were killed. They proved their faithfulness because they were willing to die for Jesus.
So when we suffer for His name, how do we respond? Are we angry? Fearful? Resentful? Do we feel that we have done something wrong when we suffer? Rather than being upset, we should rejoice. Our suffering, if it is for the name of Jesus, is something to be proud of!
What if we rarely, or never, suffer for Jesus' name? It might be because we are afraid to speak up for the name of Jesus. If that is so, we should repent. We should pray and ask for the strength and grace and wisdom to be bolder witnesses to the glory of our Savior.
Look at the words of Jesus Himself.
Then He said to [them] all,
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His [own] glory, and [in His] Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."
(Luke 9:23-27 NKJV)
The Apostle Paul wrote:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected [it] in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Not only [that], but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for [it] with perseverance.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit [is], because He makes intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [can be] against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? [It is] God who justifies.
Who [is] he who condemns? [It is] Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [Shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:16-39 NKJV)
And finally, it is written:
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
(Acts 5:40-42 NKJV)
Lord Jesus, help we who believe in You and trust in Your Name to be bold witnesses and even, if You will, martyrs for Your Name. Amen.
April 9, 2012
Psalm 131
Life is frantic and difficult, isn't it?
Those of us who believe in Jesus have access to God's glorious throne. And our Lord, Jesus, told us not to worry (Matthew 6).
So let's take a few moments to pray...
Those of us who believe in Jesus have access to God's glorious throne. And our Lord, Jesus, told us not to worry (Matthew 6).
So let's take a few moments to pray...
LORD, my heart is not haughty,Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child [is] my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever.
(Psalm 131 NKJV)
January 17, 2012
Abide in Jesus (Discipleship part 2)
2012 began not long ago, and many of us are thinking of and committing to resolutions for the next year. Generally, these are things we would like to improve on, things that we would like to accomplish. Or, to put them in Biblical terms, we could call them 'good works.'
However, I would like to suggest that for we who believe in Jesus, the most important thing is not to do works for our Lord, but that we maintain fellowship with Him. Our fellowship -- our sharing in common -- is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (See a previous post on this topic here.)
I'm not saying that we should not be busy and actively engaging in ministry and other works. Jesus Himself was very active, especially during His years of major ministry. However, there's a distinction between frantic workaholism and calm, trusting, peaceful, properly balanced work, done in obedience to the Lord.
I think the following short passage gives a good illustration of the difference.
Luke 10:38-42
Our works, no matter how great, can't qualify us for the kingdom of God and Christ. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash away our sins. God's righteousness is freely given to those who have faith in Jesus. Jesus alone earned our righteousness, and it would be an insult to Jesus and His Father to reject the Son of God's completed work.
As the Apostle Paul wrote so clearly,
And later, He continues on to describe our relationship with Him:
John 15:1-17
Only by sharing in the nourishment that flows forth from being in Jesus' presence and humbly listening to His word that we can bear fruit that He is pleased with. Otherwise, our works will be considered as 'lawlessness' by the Lord.
It is interesting that Jesus uses the symbolism of a vine to represent Himself, and we as the branches. Well, I have heard many believers use the term 'seasons of life' to describe the different phases of life we go through. I'm no farmer, but I do know that there are times of the year when fruit is planted, times when it grows, and times when it becomes ripe and is ready to be plucked and enjoyed.
If we consider this in terms of our relationship with Jesus, we should realize that every part of life is not meant to be the same. Some parts are for 'planting'... others are for 'growing'... and during others, we may be rapidly producing large quantities of fruit. But there is no such thing as us producing fruit apart from Jesus. There is no 'season' in which the branch needs not abide in the vine.
If we don't abide in Jesus, 'we can do nothing'. Therefore, let us obey Him. Let us sit at His feet. Let us hear and obey His Word. Let us trust Him for our salvation and our daily needs. And let us praise Him when we are able to bear fruit that glorifies His Name.
---
All boldface emphases are mine.
Scripture references are from the New King James Version (NKJV).
Italicized words in the NKJV have been [bracketed] or omitted.
Some punctuation and Capitalization may have been altered from the NKJV text.
The NKJV, and many other translations, are freely available at http://www.biblegateway.com/
However, I would like to suggest that for we who believe in Jesus, the most important thing is not to do works for our Lord, but that we maintain fellowship with Him. Our fellowship -- our sharing in common -- is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (See a previous post on this topic here.)
I'm not saying that we should not be busy and actively engaging in ministry and other works. Jesus Himself was very active, especially during His years of major ministry. However, there's a distinction between frantic workaholism and calm, trusting, peaceful, properly balanced work, done in obedience to the Lord.
I think the following short passage gives a good illustration of the difference.
Luke 10:38-42
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
While Martha was indeed doing a good thing by serving Jesus, she neglected the more important thing, which was to simply sit at Jesus' feet and hear His word. Martha became so 'distracted', 'worried', and 'troubled' that she actually questioned Jesus' intentions and tried to tell Him what to do. Her desire to serve was not necessarily wrong, but she, in these moments, allowed her work to become more important than her Lord.
Jesus reminded her, though, that "one thing is needed," not the many things that Martha was occupied with. Mary, having "chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her" chose the wisest option.
Likewise, we today should remember that 'doing things for the Lord' is not as important as 'sitting at Jesus' feet and hearing His Word.'
On another occasion, Jesus spoke these chilling words:
Mattthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.Notice that these people's works were not as important as their relationship with Jesus. These people used the name of Jesus to do many great things, but Jesus never knew them. Despite their ostensibly 'wonderful' works done in His name, Jesus called their works 'lawlessness'!
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ "
Our works, no matter how great, can't qualify us for the kingdom of God and Christ. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash away our sins. God's righteousness is freely given to those who have faith in Jesus. Jesus alone earned our righteousness, and it would be an insult to Jesus and His Father to reject the Son of God's completed work.
As the Apostle Paul wrote so clearly,
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,
Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.(Romans 3:21-26)
God justifies those who have faith in Jesus. The blood of Christ Jesus is sufficient in God's sight for God to justify us, as long as we simply believe.
Now, shortly before He was arrested and led away to be crucified for our sins, Jesus fellowshipped with His disciples and had a personal, intimate conversation with them. The Apostle John recorded many of His words. Many of the things He said here apply to us.
John 14:19-28
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I [am] in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
He who has My Commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”This has been a calming and encouraging Scripture to me. Jesus gives us His peace. He has given us His Spirit. He tells us, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." He tells us that He loves us, and not only He, but His Father loves us as well. He tells us that we must keep His commandment, His Word. If we keep Jesus' Word, we are keeping the Father's Word as well.
Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the Word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming [back] to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I."
And later, He continues on to describe our relationship with Him:
John 15:1-17
God wants us to do good things in Jesus' name. That is what it means to 'bear fruit'. But the truth is that we cannot do this apart from Jesus. Branches alone are good for nothing but firewood. To bear fruit, they must be connected to the vine that they are a part of. Without Him, we can do nothing."I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
“I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and [that] your joy may be full.No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another."
Only by sharing in the nourishment that flows forth from being in Jesus' presence and humbly listening to His word that we can bear fruit that He is pleased with. Otherwise, our works will be considered as 'lawlessness' by the Lord.
It is interesting that Jesus uses the symbolism of a vine to represent Himself, and we as the branches. Well, I have heard many believers use the term 'seasons of life' to describe the different phases of life we go through. I'm no farmer, but I do know that there are times of the year when fruit is planted, times when it grows, and times when it becomes ripe and is ready to be plucked and enjoyed.
If we consider this in terms of our relationship with Jesus, we should realize that every part of life is not meant to be the same. Some parts are for 'planting'... others are for 'growing'... and during others, we may be rapidly producing large quantities of fruit. But there is no such thing as us producing fruit apart from Jesus. There is no 'season' in which the branch needs not abide in the vine.
If we don't abide in Jesus, 'we can do nothing'. Therefore, let us obey Him. Let us sit at His feet. Let us hear and obey His Word. Let us trust Him for our salvation and our daily needs. And let us praise Him when we are able to bear fruit that glorifies His Name.
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All boldface emphases are mine.
Scripture references are from the New King James Version (NKJV).
Italicized words in the NKJV have been [bracketed] or omitted.
Some punctuation and Capitalization may have been altered from the NKJV text.
The NKJV, and many other translations, are freely available at http://www.biblegateway.com/
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