Folks, let’s not deceive ourselves! Our Savior Himself said that we cannot serve two masters! (Matt. 6:24) In His word we are commanded to choose “today” who we will serve! (Joshua 24:15). There is no middle ground. You must, and you will choose! Even if you say you won’t or haven’t, you already have! We all choose every day, many times a day, who we will serve and who we will deny at that moment, on each occasion and on each issue. Should we be so unstable in our faith in Christ and His word to flip flop on each issue and every circumstance, depending on the “peer” pressure at the time? Sad, huh? And we wonder why evil is so prevalent in our nation today.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke we find the account of Peter denying Christ on three different occasions. Although Peter was told by Christ in advance he would deny Him, and Peter vehemently denied that he would, he did anyway! But wait, let’s not be too hard on Peter. All the others denied Christ also. Even though they made the same vow as Peter. (Matt. 26:35 & vs. 56)
My question to each of us today is, why do we deny Him nearly every day depending on the occasions and circumstances? All the disciples were in fear for their lives! What are we afraid of? Being humiliated, offending people, making our friends and family angry with us, causing dissension and divisions, or perhaps losing our jobs, or perhaps even going to jail. Which one of these is important enough to deny our precious Savior, lose our fellowship with Him, or even damming ourselves to Hell? In Matt. 10:28-39 we are clearly “warned” that to deny Christ before men will cause Him to deny us before His Father. If Christ is not our advocate on the day of judgment there is no hope! (I John 2:1)
In our soft, lazy, apathetic and compromising society today, being accepted, popular and well-liked is more important than living by Christ’s Kingdom’s laws! We have traded Christian “convictions” for “Christian preferences”! In order to keep the “peace”, we have sold Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us, and the birthright He bought for us for a bowl of pottage. (Gen. 25:29-34) Anything, or anyone we place before Christ, and His Word is “our” bowl of pottage! If your ultimate desire is to be accepted and approved by men, you have denied Christ and damned your souls! (Luke 6:26) If you live for people’s acceptance, you will die for their rejection.
Perhaps we all need to read the following scriptures again, a little closer, and search out their complete meaning. (John 15:18-19, I John 2:15-17, James 4:4) It may prove very beneficial to look up the meaning of the word “world” in the Strong’s Concordance under numbers 2889 and 2865.
If you are truly a blood-bought, born again, Spirit-filled follower of Christ, you will cause a division in your life with friends and family! You have no choice! You will either stand for Christ and His Word, or you will accept the “world”, it’s laws and will! The choice is yours! Choose wisely! Or you could end up like Demas. (II Tim 4:10)
In Christ’s Service
© 2017 Butch Paugh – All Rights Reserved
E-Mail Butch Paugh: ctdm@hotmail.com
