What did Jesus mean when He uttered the words of Matthew 10:34? Most theologians consider Jesus to be saying that the convicting truth of His Word is unsettling to the world, often to the extent that it will actually create strife between believers and unbelievers, even family members. (Luke 12:51-53)
Does this mean that we should welcome conflict with the world? To the contrary, conflict and strife with others should never be desired by God's people, but we are not to be surprised when His Truth is so disturbing to the lost and perishing that we will be shunned and often vilified. Obediently walking with Jesus is not the best way to win a cultural popularity contest. (Luke 21:12-13)
Godly love in the form of the crucifixion of His Son at Calvary is not a love the world can embrace. It says that we dirty, rotten, sinners, undeserving as we may be (Isaiah 64:6), are loved beyond measure by a righteous and exclusive God. (Romans 5:7-9)
We needed a savior, and God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ who defined Sonship through His steadfast obedience. He endured torture and ridicule unto death to please His Father, that we may have the same option, and a similar inheritance. (Galatians 3:18; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 1:12; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:8; 1 Peter 1:4)
Onward Christian soldiers!
Bob Benson
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from My Utmost For His Highest. . .
November 19
"When He Has Come"
Very few of us know anything about conviction of sin. We know the experience of being disturbed because we have done wrong things. But conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit blots out every relationship on earth and makes us aware of only one—"Against You, You only, have I sinned . . ." ( Psalm 51:4 ). When a person is convicted of sin in this way, he knows with every bit of his conscience that God would not dare to forgive him. If God did forgive him, then this person would have a stronger sense of justice than God. God does forgive, but it cost the breaking of His heart with grief in the death of Christ to enable Him to do so.
The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ alone that enables the divine nature to forgive and to remain true to itself in doing so. It is shallow nonsense to say that God forgives us because He is love. Once we have been convicted of sin, we will never say this again. The love of God means Calvary—nothing less! The love of God is spelled out on the Cross and nowhere else. The only basis for which God can forgive me is the Cross of Christ. It is there that His conscience is satisfied.
Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.
Amen!
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
