Simplicity of Christ (Part 2)
We witness in the world many opinions, teachings, and philosophical views that build a foundation of different denominational church’s with different name signs over their doors. Shouldn’t these be in agreement rather than divided. It must be that the spiritual God given teaching is a very complicated issue among the masses of people. Yet, the Apostle Paul makes an astounding statement:
2nd Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through His subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Everyday in the news we hear of problems with no solutions. We hear of doomsday prophets telling us that the sky is falling, and many other such things. Yes, there is a legitimate reason for our concern. Until we realize that this world has been obtained by default, we will never claim the peace of mind offered to us through the pages of the Bible. Why default? Because Adam and Eve willfully turned their backs in the Garden of Eden on the Lord God who created them by taking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil while neglecting to take of the Tree of Life. Taking the Tree of Life as God commanded would have filled them inwardly as nourishing food with God’s Life, His eternal life, thereby, rejecting God’s governmental authority and accepting Satan as their authority, who, by the way, never created anything but division. Because God is The Creator, He has reserved His right to intervene in man’s affairs to fulfill His purpose whenever necessary.
We read of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden, and in the story of the Tower of Babel where there were those who wanted to make a name for themselves, Genesis 11:4, meaning, their being independent of God. Noah’s flood accomplished at least two things. 1st, the destroying the Nephilim or Giants we read about in Genesis 6, and 2nd, the son’s of Noah, like their Father, who after the flood, spread righteousness to the then populated world during their day, Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 10:32. Verse 25 of this same chapter tells of the the earth being divided. This division can only be the work of Satan. If the populated world didn’t hear Noah’s sons, then why were they building a tower to heaven? This is the same as any individual seeking his salvation without being dependent upon God. Evidently, Abram must have heard the righteousness of God through the work of Noah’s sons because he responded to God’s calling, Hebrews 11:8; and it was reckoned as righteousness, Romans 4:3.
God will never put a burden upon anyone. He is a heart knower, 1st Samuel 16:7. He will not call anyone unless He is sure of a person’s calling. It is a matter of the heart and love toward God, which will trigger His intervention into our live. It would be helpful to read Solomon’s prayer of dedication in 1st Kings 8: 22-53. God honored Solomon’s prayer and He will honor ours as well.
Many people have opened their Bibles only to learn that they will never understand its contents. They need help. Its true that God does sent teachers, Ephesians 4:11; 1st Corinthians 12:28, but we need to be very careful because of what the Apostle Peter says:
2nd Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2, And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”
When we read of these prophets and false teachers written to lead God’s people astray we might say to ourselves, why even try? Because God is calling us, we will not be able to resist. Why?
John 6:44, ” No man can come to me, except the Father Which hath sent Me draw him: And I will raise him up at the last day.”
The word draw is a very forceful word. God puts a lot of effort in those to whom He will call. Many teachers of God’s word are divided among themselves on the meaning of certain passages within the pages of the Bible. Thats the reason that there are so many denominations calling themselves by different names. They all have some portent of truth but in many cases lack understanding.
1st Corinthians 14:20, “Brethren be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
God wills that all those He calls get understanding of what He is doing and expects us, His called ones, to understand our part in it.
1st Timothy 1:7, “Desiring to be teachers of the law, understand neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”
Some Bible teachers are raised up by church organizations and teach a different gospel.
2nd Corinthians 11:4, “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Bear with him means to listen to what he has to say, hear him out, but be careful to what and how you hear and act on,1st John 4:1. We’re expected to use common sense.
The Simplicity of Christ
Matthew 5:8, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
To have a blessed heart is to have a pure heart meaning a heart without mixture. The Tree of Life was a pure tree, not like the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is a mixture. Once we turn our attention on other people, other matters or activities, immediately our heart becomes corrupted like Eve’s heart. The Lord’s interest must be a priority to us.
Matthew 10:37, ” He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”
Our heart should be turned toward God first without some outside influence to turn our hearts to distract us from Him. Then, shall the blessings we receive from God be shared with our family or friends. We need to settle in our mind our focus on Jesus, as the Seed of promise, Genesis 3:15, Who became God’s Anointed, as our Lord and Saviour.
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