Tags
1 Peter 1:18-21, 2 Timothy 2:19, Ephesians 1:3-4, Galatians 2:20, Isaiah 29:13-15, Jesus Alone!, John 14:6, John 17:21, John 17:24-25, John 8:53-56, Just Talking?, Matthew 16:24-27, Matthew 7:13-20, Matthew 7:13-21, Romans 5:1-8, Salvation, Taking Jesus, Trusting Jesus
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 18 Talking Or Taking???
I’m sure you’re wondering about the title today, but it’s one that came to me the other day, and I want to share it with you today. Being from the Gulf Coast, I love the water and enjoy spending time at the shore—or any body of water; and if you’ve been around the water very much you are familiar with life-jackets, the devices worn when in the boat, or just around the water by non-swimmers. There are also life-preservers on large ships of all kinds, the ones that the candy is named for (you know the little lifesavers candy rolls), and a unique thing that I’ve observed about both life-jackets and life-preservers, is that when they are needed, the person needing to be rescued (or kept safe before-hand) doesn’t ‘talk’ to the object, but he eagerly and gratefully puts it on for life! Well, my friends, it’s the same way with Jesus; you can talk about Him all day, you can attend every church service in your town, you can walk a hundred aisles, and be baptized a dozen times, but just talking “about” Jesus and doing seemingly “religious” things isn’t enough—it’s not about talk, it’s possession, salvation and transformation that are the evidence that we belong to Jesus—we have been made one with HIM. So, let’s peruse a few passages from God’s Word to learn what we can. Oh, to be One with HIM—not just a talker but a taker—having taken God’s gift of salvation—Jesus!
“That they all may be one;
as thou, Father,
art in me,
and I in thee,
that they also may be one
in us:
that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21
“Wherefore the Lord said,
Forasmuch as this people draw near me
with their mouth,
and with their lips
do honour me,
but have removed their heart
far from me,
and their fear toward me
is taught by the precept of men:
14 Therefore, behold,
I will proceed to do a marvellous work
among this people,
even a marvellous work
and a wonder:
for the wisdom of their wise men
shall perish,
and the understanding of their prudent men
shall be hid.
15 Woe unto them
that seek deep to hide their counsel
from the LORD,
and their works
are in the dark,
and they say,
Who seeth us?
and who knoweth us?” Isaiah 29:13-15
God identified the problem of Isaiah’s day—one much the same as in our day—that the people talked a great ‘talk’, but they didn’t truly know the God whom they “professed”! As we sometimes here today in regard to “walking the walk, not just talking the talk”! Jesus encountered this same kind of thing among the religious leaders of his day.
“Art thou greater
than our father Abraham,
which is dead?
and the prophets
are dead:
whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered,
If I honour myself,
my honour is nothing:
it is my Father
that honoureth me;
of whom ye say,
that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him;
but I know him:
and if I should say, I know him not,
I shall be a liar
like unto you:
but I know him,
and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see my day:
and he saw it,
and was glad.” John 8:53-56
Yet Jesus also talked about the cost of following Him, and the cost isn’t just in words! Saying so doesn’t make it so; but taking hold of that ‘life-preserver’ and clinging to it for salvation, deliverance from sin’s penalty, and the “joy of The Lord” which is our strength is more than amazing; and well worth the price!
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,
If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross,
and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life
for my sake
shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited,
if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?
or what shall a man give
in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come
in the glory of his Father
with his angels;
and then he shall reward
every man
according to his works.” Matthew 16:24-27
Jesus makes it clear that when we come to Him in repentance and faith (knowing that I am a sinner, and I can’t fix it, and believing that Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection have paid the price for my sin—believing it and knowing HE IS the only “life-preserver” worth clinging to for eternal, abundant “life”!) we are to take up HIS cross daily—identify with HIM, and who He is—
God in the flesh—
The Son of Man—
The Son of God—
The Savior of the world—
The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—
The Way, The Truth, The Life—
And while we could go on, I want us to see is that just talking about Jesus, going to church, or any other thing that we think can make us right with God isn’t what salvation is. Faith in Jesus alone, in His sacrifice, will make us right with God. Jesus actually refers to those who only ‘say so’ without possessing Jesus/being possessed of HIM!
“Enter ye in at the strait gate:
for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be
which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life,
and few there be
that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets,
which come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them
by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit
is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:13-20
Jesus said “we” would know people by their actions, but He didn’t say we’d always be right; yet God is always right–the ultimate judge; and even when people misjudge, God always knows truth—The Truth, Jesus, and what we—you and I– have done with HIM!! As Jesus told the disciples in John 14:6:
“Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way,
the truth,
and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.”
Jesus IS the only real life-preserver, so let’s go back to Matthew 7; Jesus makes it clear that being HIS child is more than ‘talk’, and being HIS follower, HIS very own, will become evident. He does know His own. How about you?
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal,
The Lord knoweth them that are his.
And, Let every one
that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
“21 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.
22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you:
depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:13-21
We need to understand that God’s way isn’t our way—Jesus IS the only way to God, because HE was, is and always has been God’s perfect provision for our salvation! Only Jesus—only, ever!
“Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me:
for thou lovedst me
before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father,
the world hath not known thee:
but I have known thee,
and these have known
that thou hast sent me.” John 17:24-25
Paul writes:
“Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places
in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us
in him
before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy
and without blame
before him in love:” Ephesians 1:3-4
Peter also gave us another reminder of HIS eternal being.
“Forasmuch as ye know
that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things,
as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation
received by tradition
from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest
in these last times
for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God,
that raised him up
from the dead,
and gave him glory;
that your faith
and hope
might be in God.” 1 Peter 1:18-21
I don’t want to hear “I never knew you” from The Lord Jesus! How about you? Jesus said that He ‘never’ knew them; not He knew them and forgot, or that He knew them, but they slipped, or even that He knew them, and they missed the boat; but Jesus clearly declared that He “never knew” them! These who boasted of what “they” had done for Jesus, not one word of what HE had done through them (much like the name it-claim it folks who say if we _____, then God must____! NOT then, not now!) Are you just talking about Jesus or are you being a reflection of HIS glory in you—the presence of HIS precious Holy Spirit in us—Jesus has given to us “peace with God”, that which HE bought with His own blood! What are you clinging to? The blood of Jesus, or your own ways? Are you just talking about Jesus, or are you truly clinging to Him in total trust and dependence for every step of the way?
“Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access
by faith
into this grace
wherein we stand,
and rejoice in hope
of the glory of God…
..5 And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God
is shed abroad
in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet
without strength,
in due time
Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man
will one die:
yet peradventure for a good man
some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love
toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.” Romans 5:1-2 & 5-8
All because Jesus loves you and me! I implore you to join me in clinging to the One who loves you and gave Himself for you and me. If you don’t know Him, I invite you to call upon Him today. If you do know HIM, then I invite you to join me in seeking HIS face in all our ways. Are you talking about Him or taking Him unto yourself? (Or in other words, do you talk about HIM or to HIM?)
“I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live;
yet not I,
but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live
in the flesh
I live by the faith
of the Son of God,
who loved me,
and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Amen and Amen!