Loyal
John 19:30; Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
When Jesus died on the cross a lot of things were finished. Satan was no ruler the ruler of this world.
We no longer had to have earthly priests sacrifice animals to atone for our sins. We no longer had to be
under the law. We no longer had to do this walk on our own power but have access to the Holy Spirit to
help us.
Jesus definitely finished His part.
But there is a part we are supposed to play also. There is a journey we have to walk. There are obstacles
we have to overcome. There are risks we have to take.
Rarely (if anywhere) did anyone in the Bible suddenly become a Christian and have it all figured out.
It's easy for us to look back at people in the Bible and laugh at their mistakes and say to ourselves...
"well if I would have been there I wouldn't have done that".. but how many times have you made your
own mistakes since you became a Christian?
Early in Paul's ministry he didn't consider himself "already in heaven" or "already perfect" or even "already
saved".
Php 3:10; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
Php 3:11; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Php 3:12; Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on [h]so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13; Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
Php 3:14; I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
We are saved by grace... "through" faith. Without the faith, we aren't saved even though God has grace.
But faith has to be tested and tried and proven.
Paul tells the Corinthian church, you may be believers... but you still have some things you need to take care of.
1 Cor 3:1; And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
1 Cor 3:2; I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
1 Cor 3:3; for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
He says you might be "men" in the flesh, but you are mere infants in Christ. You are supposed to be growing
and maturing. I had to give you "milk" instead of solid food because you aren't ready for it yet.
He says ... "even now".. you still aren't able.
1 Cor 14:20; Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
We need to "grow up". Grow in our faith. We can be innocent children in the ways of evil, but we need
to be spiritually mature.
There is this idea in some churches.. that because God doesn't have to live inside the rules of time, neither do we. This is a false teaching. God created this physical world, with it's physical laws of nature and physics, (including time) that we have to live in during this current life. Time may not apply to God, but it certainly applies to us. It takes time to grow. If you don't believe it, watch grass grow.. or corn, or wheat or just about anything.
John also speaks about the levels of spiritual maturity.
1 Jn 2:12; I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.
1 Jn 2:13; I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
1 Jn 2:14; I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Little children are just people who's sins have been forgiven and know who Jesus is.
Young men are Christians who "the word of God abides in" and they have overcome the evil one.
They may not be perfect, but they now have the strength (through the Holy Spirit) to resist the evil one.
If you've never had the strength to resist sin... most likely you are still an infant.
Fathers are those who have persevered.. they have been tested, they have run the race. They have passed
the tests.
Much later on in Paul's ministry... he speaks differently about himself. Paul has been in the ministry at least fourteen years by the time he is writing the letters to Timothy. This is what he says about himself.
2 Tim 4:6; For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2 Tim 4:7; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
2 Tim 4:8; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
I have fought the good fight, I have run the good race. I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.
Wow!! What a testimony. He says "in the future" (not now already) I will be rewarded on
"that day". It seems "that day" had not already happened in Paul's life yet.
How long have you been a Christian? Are you an infant, a young man, or a father? Or you drinking
spiritual milk, or are you ready for solid food yet?
When Jesus died on the cross a lot of things were finished. Satan was no ruler the ruler of this world.
We no longer had to have earthly priests sacrifice animals to atone for our sins. We no longer had to be
under the law. We no longer had to do this walk on our own power but have access to the Holy Spirit to
help us.
Jesus definitely finished His part.
But there is a part we are supposed to play also. There is a journey we have to walk. There are obstacles
we have to overcome. There are risks we have to take.
Rarely (if anywhere) did anyone in the Bible suddenly become a Christian and have it all figured out.
It's easy for us to look back at people in the Bible and laugh at their mistakes and say to ourselves...
"well if I would have been there I wouldn't have done that".. but how many times have you made your
own mistakes since you became a Christian?
Early in Paul's ministry he didn't consider himself "already in heaven" or "already perfect" or even "already
saved".
Php 3:10; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
Php 3:11; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Php 3:12; Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on [h]so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13; Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
Php 3:14; I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
We are saved by grace... "through" faith. Without the faith, we aren't saved even though God has grace.
But faith has to be tested and tried and proven.
Paul tells the Corinthian church, you may be believers... but you still have some things you need to take care of.
1 Cor 3:1; And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
1 Cor 3:2; I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
1 Cor 3:3; for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
He says you might be "men" in the flesh, but you are mere infants in Christ. You are supposed to be growing
and maturing. I had to give you "milk" instead of solid food because you aren't ready for it yet.
He says ... "even now".. you still aren't able.
1 Cor 14:20; Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
We need to "grow up". Grow in our faith. We can be innocent children in the ways of evil, but we need
to be spiritually mature.
There is this idea in some churches.. that because God doesn't have to live inside the rules of time, neither do we. This is a false teaching. God created this physical world, with it's physical laws of nature and physics, (including time) that we have to live in during this current life. Time may not apply to God, but it certainly applies to us. It takes time to grow. If you don't believe it, watch grass grow.. or corn, or wheat or just about anything.
John also speaks about the levels of spiritual maturity.
1 Jn 2:12; I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.
1 Jn 2:13; I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
1 Jn 2:14; I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Little children are just people who's sins have been forgiven and know who Jesus is.
Young men are Christians who "the word of God abides in" and they have overcome the evil one.
They may not be perfect, but they now have the strength (through the Holy Spirit) to resist the evil one.
If you've never had the strength to resist sin... most likely you are still an infant.
Fathers are those who have persevered.. they have been tested, they have run the race. They have passed
the tests.
Much later on in Paul's ministry... he speaks differently about himself. Paul has been in the ministry at least fourteen years by the time he is writing the letters to Timothy. This is what he says about himself.
2 Tim 4:6; For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2 Tim 4:7; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
2 Tim 4:8; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
I have fought the good fight, I have run the good race. I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.
Wow!! What a testimony. He says "in the future" (not now already) I will be rewarded on
"that day". It seems "that day" had not already happened in Paul's life yet.
How long have you been a Christian? Are you an infant, a young man, or a father? Or you drinking
spiritual milk, or are you ready for solid food yet?
