Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10 (KJV)
It was about one hundred years after Jesus had taught the Sermon on the Mount and a Christian businessman was struggling with following Christ’s way and being successful in his business. There were certain things that he needed to do in order to make money that conflicted with being a Christian. He approached one of the great church father’s named Tertullian and explained this conflict of interest. At the end of his explanation he asked,
“What am I to do? I must live.”
Tertullian replied, “Must you?”
When it came to choosing this life or Christ there was no choice to this great man of God. You must choose Christ!
Unfortunately today as the church becomes more and more like the world we have lost the voices of greatness such as His. Compromise seems to be the order of the day as long as it makes our lives easier. We avoid conflict and persecution at all costs.
Avoiding conflict is easy. All we must do is accept the world’s morals and values so as not to offend anyone. We live like the world lives, laugh at its humor, immerse ourselves in its entertainment, duck our heads when God is mocked, act like all religions are equal and converge in the same place, don’t make any moral judgments, never ever mention hell, and hardly ever mention heaven, take no stand on moral/political issues, don’t speak of the resurrection or coming of Christ, and most importantly, never share the gospel of Jesus Christ. This allows the Christian to blend into the fabric of society and avoid the road less travelled.
Choosing the wide road seems appealing with the promise of riches, acceptance, popularity, and ease. There is no reason to stir up those around us by making the righteous choice after all aren’t Christians suppose to love everyone. Doesn’t that mean being friends with everyone and not causing trouble?
A little later in this same discourse Jesus spoke these words,
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.” (Matthew 7:13-17)
Following Jesus will lead us to the narrow way. There will be many who teach that the narrow way is out dated and no longer necessary. False teachers will present a new revelation, an easy way, broad and appealing to the masses. They preach a feel good way that attracts multitudes who never repent of their sins, never turn from the ways of this world, and never lay down their life for the Master. Be assured that this way is not a new way but it is a very, very old way. It was first presented in a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden by the father of those that teach it today. He convinced a man and woman that they didn’t need to listen to God, there was another way, a broad way, an easy way, to gain what only God can give. They died for their choice that day. Sin took its toll and it is still taking its toll on those that choose the comfort and ease of this life over the persecution of the narrow way.
Grapes don’t grow on thorns and figs on thistles. Christian living doesn’t spring from compromise or worldliness. We are called to “come out from among them and be separate.” When the choice is yours and you must answer the question posed nearly two thousand years ago, “What am I to do? I must live.”
Choose Christ!
It was about one hundred years after Jesus had taught the Sermon on the Mount and a Christian businessman was struggling with following Christ’s way and being successful in his business. There were certain things that he needed to do in order to make money that conflicted with being a Christian. He approached one of the great church father’s named Tertullian and explained this conflict of interest. At the end of his explanation he asked,
“What am I to do? I must live.”
Tertullian replied, “Must you?”
When it came to choosing this life or Christ there was no choice to this great man of God. You must choose Christ!
Unfortunately today as the church becomes more and more like the world we have lost the voices of greatness such as His. Compromise seems to be the order of the day as long as it makes our lives easier. We avoid conflict and persecution at all costs.
Avoiding conflict is easy. All we must do is accept the world’s morals and values so as not to offend anyone. We live like the world lives, laugh at its humor, immerse ourselves in its entertainment, duck our heads when God is mocked, act like all religions are equal and converge in the same place, don’t make any moral judgments, never ever mention hell, and hardly ever mention heaven, take no stand on moral/political issues, don’t speak of the resurrection or coming of Christ, and most importantly, never share the gospel of Jesus Christ. This allows the Christian to blend into the fabric of society and avoid the road less travelled.
Choosing the wide road seems appealing with the promise of riches, acceptance, popularity, and ease. There is no reason to stir up those around us by making the righteous choice after all aren’t Christians suppose to love everyone. Doesn’t that mean being friends with everyone and not causing trouble?
A little later in this same discourse Jesus spoke these words,
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.” (Matthew 7:13-17)
Following Jesus will lead us to the narrow way. There will be many who teach that the narrow way is out dated and no longer necessary. False teachers will present a new revelation, an easy way, broad and appealing to the masses. They preach a feel good way that attracts multitudes who never repent of their sins, never turn from the ways of this world, and never lay down their life for the Master. Be assured that this way is not a new way but it is a very, very old way. It was first presented in a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden by the father of those that teach it today. He convinced a man and woman that they didn’t need to listen to God, there was another way, a broad way, an easy way, to gain what only God can give. They died for their choice that day. Sin took its toll and it is still taking its toll on those that choose the comfort and ease of this life over the persecution of the narrow way.
Grapes don’t grow on thorns and figs on thistles. Christian living doesn’t spring from compromise or worldliness. We are called to “come out from among them and be separate.” When the choice is yours and you must answer the question posed nearly two thousand years ago, “What am I to do? I must live.”
Choose Christ!
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