Weekly Devotional 7-29-74 Take Courage
Have you noticed that the Bible, the self-acclaimed Word of God, is being attacked increasingly in our day? Some say that it is a document of the past with little relevancy to today’s world. Some say that it is just one of several revelations of God about Himself and what He wants of man. Some hold that it is a book of mysticism (fantasies of the imagination). Some say that it is indeed God’s Word, but that it is open to different interpretation, while others hold that it is a closed book to the general populace of the church (the laity), needing to be explained by those of the clergy. It carries then that we, who stand firm holding that it is as relevant today as it was when written (in original language), that it is the only true Word of God, that it is indeed God’s Word not mysticism (a book of fantasies), that God said what He meant and meant what He said (not with different meanings), and that it is not a closed book but open to all, will also come under attack.
Many of the people described by the aforementioned positions often times become quite indignant when a “born again Christian” stands firm by holding that the Bible is the only true word of God, that it is God’s clear message to mankind with the intent of revealing Himself to them (us) and of exposing man’s fallen nature. Natural man (the unredeemed man) does not want to truthfully consider that the Bible is in fact God’s Word and that He meant (means) what He said (says). In avoidance of this, they will not accept that God has spoken in clear unclouded words about their sin and their separation from Him. By not accepting the Bible, they reject all stated consequences. For instance, Jesus said; “16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18).
Literally translated Jesus said, if a person believes in Him, they will not be condemned, but if they do not believe in Him, they are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s only begotten Son.
Or consider what John the Apostle wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him”(John 3:36)
Both passages are unequivocal; there is no veiled message in either of them. The problem for the unredeemed, the natural man, is that to believe in the Son is not just believing certain facts about Him but believing to the point of total commitment to Him, of trusting Him for the saving of their souls. When one truthfully believes, a work of God the Holy Spirit, he (or she) is changed within and willfully gives up things of the flesh. Natural man does not want to be changed, and is resistant to the Holy Spirit, or anyone who carries such a message. Is there any wonder then that we who represent Him, who have turned away from the desires of our old natures to serve Him, will come under attack?
Whether understood or not, when a person rejects our message, whether it be by our spoken testimony or by our conduct of life, they are not rejecting us, but God Himself. God said as much when Israel rejected Samuel’s attestation that God wanted judges to rule among them rather than kings. “And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them’” (1st Samuel 8:7).
We, therefore, should take courage and continue fighting the good fight unto which we have been called.
Stevelampman.com / Transforming Power; the Work of God on Behalf of Man