ok - this comment really belongs on today's reading (the 16th)
When Jesus says, "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him" is he talking about his present time? or the future (our time) or is he talking inclusively of those people in the Old Testament who really did know God and talked with God and argued with God? And yesterday he said how difficult it would be to follow him, but today's readings say his yoke is easy and his burden is light. What am I missing here???
Jude, these are great questions. I will answer them separately.
1. To whom is Christ and the Father revealed? Christ is referring to all people for all time, who are genuine followers.
2. What about the OT saints? How could Christ be revealed to them? Followers in the OT were those who put their faith and trust in God, but in relation to what was revealed to them. God was revealed to Adam and Eve, therefore their children had knowledge. Remember the curse, Genesis 3: the Seed of the woman (the Messiah) would battle and defeat the seed of the serpent, the devil. They knew that God would come in the flesh one day. And He came as a poor baby. And He went to the cross, 4,000 years after Adam and Eve, to forgive sin and make us free. They knew a Savior was coming way back in Genesis 3. Noah knew it; Abraham knew it. But having knowledge does not mean they put their faith and trust in Him. More knowledge of God was revealed by Moses and then the prophets; see Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Christ, predicting one would come and die for the sins of His people. More was revealed by Christ Himself and the Apostles. The NT Scriptures represents His last will and testament. Nothing should be added or taken away from it. It is holy. Harsh penalties will be given to those who add or subtract from the revealed Word of God. Revelation is complete. One last thought: Everyone has knowledge of God in two ways: 1. By having a conscience, a sense of right and wrong, and 2. By the creation itself, See Romans 1:20. The question is, what does man do with this knowledge? Answer: He either turns to God or turns to self (idols)?
3. How hard is it to follow Christ? It's not just difficult to follow Him; it's impossible. Today, no one can follow Christ without the Holy Spirit living in him. The Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome sin. We do not have that power in ourselves. In my opinion, the most important thing about following Christ is to rest in Him, and we do this by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to trade our heavy yokes and burdens for His, which are light and easy.
It's IMPOSSIBLE to follow Christ? Am I missing something in the meaning of the word "follow"??? OK - yes, I get the Holy Spirit thing, but I DON't get that we do not have the power in us...and like I said, yesterday he said it was difficult to follow, today he said it was easy, and you say it's impossible. Doesn't follow mean follow his ways, God's ways, and know the Holy Spirit will....help us out? If we're trying? ummmmm....(confused here, folks.)
We have no power to follow Him at all. In fact, our inclination is to go in the other direction, away from Him, Romans 3:10-18. The Sermon on the Mount was an exposition of His high and holy standards, and we cannot follow His standards on our own. For example, He said, "Therefore, be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect," Matthew 5:48. He didn't say be almost perfect, or do a good job, but be perfect. No one can do that. The Ten Commandments from Moses were also impossible. They were given to show men that they could not follow, or obey the Law. So what was man to do? Fall on his face before God and ask for mercy. We are the same. When we see the impossibility of following Christ, we are to fall on our faces and ask for mercy. And He will give it gladly. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spiirt, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew 5:3. When we realize our bankrupt state spiritually, we can only beg for mercy. And He gives it gladly.
He didn't say it was easy to follow Him. He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Only in the power of the Holy Spirit can we follow Him and trade our yokes and burdens for His.
6 comments:
Nate,
Your insights and pictures are so good!
I still enjoy thinking about the Light at the beginning of creation and the Light in the New Jerusalem being the same.
Have you posted the list of readings for the next two weeks?
Margaret
Hello Margaret,
I will post the list of readings today. Take care.
ok - this comment really belongs on today's reading (the 16th)
When Jesus says, "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him" is he talking about his present time? or the future (our time) or is he talking inclusively of those people in the Old Testament who really did know God and talked with God and argued with God? And yesterday he said how difficult it would be to follow him, but today's readings say his yoke is easy and his burden is light. What am I missing here???
Jude, these are great questions. I will answer them separately.
1. To whom is Christ and the Father revealed? Christ is referring to all people for all time, who are genuine followers.
2. What about the OT saints? How could Christ be revealed to them? Followers in the OT were those who put their faith and trust in God, but in relation to what was revealed to them. God was revealed to Adam and Eve, therefore their children had knowledge. Remember the curse, Genesis 3: the Seed of the woman (the Messiah) would battle and defeat the seed of the serpent, the devil. They knew that God would come in the flesh one day. And He came as a poor baby. And He went to the cross, 4,000 years after Adam and Eve, to forgive sin and make us free. They knew a Savior was coming way back in Genesis 3. Noah knew it; Abraham knew it. But having knowledge does not mean they put their faith and trust in Him. More knowledge of God was revealed by Moses and then the prophets; see Isaiah 53, written 700 years before Christ, predicting one would come and die for the sins of His people. More was revealed by Christ Himself and the Apostles. The NT Scriptures represents His last will and testament. Nothing should be added or taken away from it. It is holy. Harsh penalties will be given to those who add or subtract from the revealed Word of God. Revelation is complete. One last thought: Everyone has knowledge of God in two ways: 1. By having a conscience, a sense of right and wrong, and 2. By the creation itself, See Romans 1:20. The question is, what does man do with this knowledge? Answer: He either turns to God or turns to self (idols)?
3. How hard is it to follow Christ? It's not just difficult to follow Him; it's impossible. Today, no one can follow Christ without the Holy Spirit living in him. The Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome sin. We do not have that power in ourselves. In my opinion, the most important thing about following Christ is to rest in Him, and we do this by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to trade our heavy yokes and burdens for His, which are light and easy.
It's IMPOSSIBLE to follow Christ? Am I missing something in the meaning of the word "follow"??? OK - yes, I get the Holy Spirit thing, but I DON't get that we do not have the power in us...and like I said, yesterday he said it was difficult to follow, today he said it was easy, and you say it's impossible.
Doesn't follow mean follow his ways, God's ways, and know the Holy Spirit will....help us out? If we're trying? ummmmm....(confused here, folks.)
We have no power to follow Him at all. In fact, our inclination is to go in the other direction, away from Him, Romans 3:10-18. The Sermon on the Mount was an exposition of His high and holy standards, and we cannot follow His standards on our own. For example, He said, "Therefore, be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect," Matthew 5:48. He didn't say be almost perfect, or do a good job, but be perfect. No one can do that. The Ten Commandments from Moses were also impossible. They were given to show men that they could not follow, or obey the Law. So what was man to do? Fall on his face before God and ask for mercy. We are the same. When we see the impossibility of following Christ, we are to fall on our faces and ask for mercy. And He will give it gladly. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spiirt, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew 5:3. When we realize our bankrupt state spiritually, we can only beg for mercy. And He gives it gladly.
He didn't say it was easy to follow Him. He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Only in the power of the Holy Spirit can we follow Him and trade our yokes and burdens for His.
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