by David Brenneman
"As Newborn Babes Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." 1 Peter 2:1-12.
"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25.
It's oh so easy to go with the flow of the world. To seek retribution. To seek our thoughts on what constitutes justice. To stand up for self before we defend or stand up for others. To leave others behind for sake of self.
Jesus did none of these things.
It's easy to to consider those in our lives as this or that, yet we don't question the truthfulness and the spiritual integrity of those on the web or television. False teachers are found more easily on supposed Christian networks just as they are in the buildings we walk into. Not going to name names here. Suffice to say God will demand an accounting of such men and especially women who have mislead millions.
We, in Christ, have a responsibility to set aside our own personal thoughts and feelings and ideas on what the Christian life is supposed to be about.
All too often those opening comments to 1 Peter 2 are prevalent in the mouths of supposed Believers in Christ Jesus. Malice, slander, bitterness, anger that stays beyond the sun going down. The abandonment of what covenant relationships that the Lord Jesus Christ says are true and important. The making optional a life in Christ. The justification of self.
"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25.
Let's put that in bold so it stands out better. (Sorry to those on Facebook because it doesn't allow formatting.)
Yesterday I shared with many on Facebook what Dr. Charles Stanley said in his Life Principles Daily Bible on the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
We are immersed in a society that is moving ever more quickly towards that tipping point of the fullness of the Gentiles that Paul spoke about. Selfish people who are pretty much experts on doing whatever is right in their own eyes. Canceling those who disagree. Canceling those who have done them wrong.
Hate to break it to everyone but canceling people is a sin.
The will of God for all in Christ Jesus is our sanctification. That's also what we just read a second time. Our purpose is to live as an example of Jesus Christ.
What are you doing in your life, in your desires, your dreams, that are not in alignment with growing in Christ Jesus?
What are you doing that isn't preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?
What are you doing to live out the purpose for which you were born in this here this now?
We are to know people by their fruits. Are your fruits spoiled fruit? Selfish living is a spoiled fruit. It tops the list of what people will be like. Lovers of self. Forget everything and everyone else as long as I get what I want.
We are to know people by their fruits, but we are not to cast them aside. Jesus didn't and we shouldn't. We shouldn't be setting ourselves up as judge, jury and executioner. Jesus is the only Righteous Judge. We do not have the right or position to decide who is or isn't going to Heaven. The overarching theme of the New Testament is to Love God, love people. No excuses or exceptions. No list of reasons why this person or that deserves this or that from us.
We are not suggested, we are commanded to love one another as Christ loved us.
Period.
We are told to not take what others say at face value, but to compare it with the Word of God to see if it is so. The only truth is the truth of God's word. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We are not.
My Dear Reader when your thoughts flow, when words form and come from your mouth, do they reflect a life in Christ or is it laced with bitterness, anger, strife, course jesting, malice, or anything else listed in Scripture that we aren't to be party to in Christ? There are no excuses acceptable in the Word of God for embracing such behavior. Those are the deeds of our old self. Paul wrote to put off that old self and put on Christ.
Obey Christ Jesus and leave the consequences to Him. No excuses or exceptions. Just as Jesus did while He was on this Earth when His Father sent Him here.
No if's and's or but's. We are to take up our own cross and follow Him. We are crucified with Christ.
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20.
In Thessalonians we are warned about false teachers, false prophets. People who have influenced and infiltrated the Church of God. People who are certainly wolves in sheep’s clothing. Both women and men. Deception is rampant on social media, cable, satellite, the internet concerning what a life is supposed to be lived like. This won't be popular but there are no Apostles anywhere anymore. There are no women preachers. To support such things is not to hold to the God of the Bible. Read it for yourself. Dig into the Word of God and you will see for yourself. Study it, go back to the original language. Take God's word for it and not mine.
What are you filling your mind and heart with? If it isn't God's will for you then you're wasting the time on this Earth that you were given.
Let go of the pains, the hurts, of this life. Leaving them at the feet of Jesus to deal with. Trust the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself. No if's, and's or but's. No room for I can't's. Jesus did, we can.
Jesus keeps no account of wrong's to those who ask for forgiveness. We should not either. Jesus loves us at our best and at our worst. We should go and do likewise.
Our example is Christ.
You who claim to be saved in Christ Jesus, do you sound like Jesus in your speech, love and your conduct?
If Jesus is your Savior and Lord you are sinning if you are intentionally living in any other way. We all sin in other ways, but to be intentional makes it worse. We WILL be asked by Jesus why we were intentionally living contrary to His teaching and purpose for us.
Live your life as God intended for you.
You who are in Christ are to show Christ to a fallen world. People look at you they should see the hope, the grace, the mercy of Jesus Christ.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation
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