"FOR DO I NOW PERSUADE MEN, OR GOD? OR DO I SEEK TO PLEASE MEN? For if I still pleased men, I would NOT be a bondservant of Christ."
Galatians 1:10 (NKJV)
• You should not allow sentiment because you want to please men.
THE work of ministry should be done the way you have been instructed by God: "who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, AS MOSES WAS DIVINELY INSTRUCTED when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He [God] said, “SEE THAT YOU MAKE ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN" (Hebrews 8:5).
- If what someone holds on to, is heretic and NOT sound biblically, do not allow such a person (Titus 3:9-11).
- Whoever is heretic can pollute your work (1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 John 10,11).
AND being sentimental about such a thing would not help the person of you as a leader, neither would it help your Ministry, and would also NOT help the people under your leadership (1 Timothy 4:16). - When Peter was not straightforward, he, being hypocritical about the issue of associating or eating with the Gentiles, Paul had to confront him openly (Galatians 2:11-14).
THE step had to be taken, so the work they [Paul and Barnabas] have built over a period of time would NOT be crumbled or scattered.
Paul was not sentimental about it at all!
• For your work which you have labour to build NOT to be crumbled, you have to be proactive, challenge whoever wants to introduce heresy, the doctrine or teaching that is NOT in line with the Bible.
- Those who would not want to be persecuted or criticized would not mind to compromise their stand, when it comes to doctrinal issues: "These men who are always urging you to be circumcised—what are they after? THEY WANT TO PRESENT A PLEASING FRONT TO THE WORLD AND THEY WANT TO AVOID BEING PERSECUTED FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST" (Galatians 6:12 Phillips).
- Whatever is being introduced by someone, that is contrary to the Bible, SHOULD be rejected completely (2 John 9-10).
IF you want to compromise the Word of God, that other people might accept you; YOU will miss God Big time.
• A Young Man
- A young Man from Muslim home gave his life to Christ, but wanted to conceal it, would practice Christianity in the School but still practicing Islam at home.
When IN the School, he would be a Christian and TAKE an active part in the campus fellowship, but back at home, he was still a practicing Muslim.
HE kept his new-found faith from his parents and Family! - Unfortunately, he died shortly after he graduated from School. SOME of his school mates who went for the burial said he was buried according to the Muslim rites. THAT his parents and all the family members did not know anything about his being a Christian.
- Now, WHY did he do that? He did not want to be PERSECUTED and be rejected or disowned by his parents and the family.
• Those who left Judaism and would not want to be PERSECUTED, chose to still be practicing Judaism alongside with Christianity.
THOSE who do such a thing are the people who would not want to be PERSECUTED: THEY WANT TO PRESENT A PLEASING FRONT TO THE WORLD AND THEY WANT TO AVOID BEING PERSECUTED FOR THE CROSS OF CHRIST" (Galatians 6:12 Phillips).
- The Book of Hebrews was written to those who left Judaism for CHRIST and were contemplating of going back into Judaism because of severe PERSECUTION AND OSTRACISM.
- The author wrote to encourage them by comparing Judaism and CHRIST, telling them there is more to be gained in Christ than to be lost in Judaism.
HE encourages them to go on to perfection, that is, maturity (Hebrews 6:1). - He talks about the superiority of Christ over the Judaic system. THAT Christ is better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4-9). He is better than Moses (Hebrews 3:3-6). He is better than Aaronic priesthood (Hebrews 5:5-11; 7:20-28). And He is better than the Law (Hebrews 7:11-19).
- The author told them unequivocally or plainly that those who left Judaism for CHRIST have nothing to lose:
7 But what things were gain to me, THESE I HAVE COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things LOSS for the EXCELLENCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, for whom I have SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, and count them as rubbish, THAT I MAY GAIN CHRIST 9 and be found in Him, NOT having my own RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is from the LAW, but that which is through FAITH IN CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS FROM GOD BY FAITH" (Philippians 3:7-9).
• Whatever you have left or forsaken to embrace Christ cannot be compared with what you will gain in Christ (2 Corinthians 4:17).
- Whatever you left to follow Jesus would be given back to you in HUNDREDFOLD, however, with PERSECUTION: "29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, THERE IS NO ONE WHO HAS LEFT house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, FOR MY SAKE AND THE GOSPEL'S, 30 WHO SHALL NOT RECEIVE A HUNDREDFOLD NOW IN THIS TIME—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, WITH PERSECUTIONS—and in the age to come, ETERNAL LIFE" (Mark 10:29,30).
- Whoever wants to follow Christ must be ready to forsake all he or she has, and be ready to suffer persecution: "YES, AND ALL WHO DESIRE TO LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION" (2 Timothy 3:12).
READ: Mark 8:35
• If you left any other religion to embrace Christ, I want to admonish you NOT to consider going back to your former religion.
- The Christ Jesus whom you have embraced is far more than anything you left behind.
- There are some who has done the same, who left their old religion to embrace Christ, but compromised their FAITH, and are not faithful.
SUCH people might be counseling you to apply WISDOM, that you do not need to declare your stand fully and should not make your faith known—that you should play along with your family and should not let them know you are fully for Christ. - The truth is, putting one leg in Christ and another one leg in the religion of your parents and Family could be dangerous and calamitous.
- The young Man I shared his story in this piece thought he could fool the devil, that he would later sit up and declare his stand for Christ Jesus, but the devil cornered him, got rid of him before he could straighten up—he died prematurely.
IT is saddened that NO one knows whether he still has the the confession of Christ in his mouth when he died.
25 [Moses] CHOOSING RATHER TO BE MISTREATED WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26 HE CONSIDERED THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER WEALTH THAN THE TREASURES OF EGYPT, for he was looking to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, FOR HE ENDURED AS SEEING HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE."
Hebrews 11:24-27 (NKJV)
READ: Hebrews 10:23,35-39
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!