HOW TO BE USEFUL TO THE LORD
CHAPTER FOUR
WEEK 2 - SUNDAY
Bible Reading: Mt 16:24; 7:13-14; Mk 8:34-35
Read and Pray: "Enter by the narrow gate (for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it), because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Mt 7:13-14)
THE EMPHASIS OF THE GOSPELS OF MATTHEW AND MARK: PAYING A PRICE
However, the Gospels include not only Luke and John but also Matthew and Mark. If we read the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, we will discover that it is not so easy to find passages about salvation by faith. These two Gospels speak of leaving everything we have, denying ourselves (Mt 16:24; Mk 8:34-35), entering by the narrow gate, and walking on the difficult way (Mt 7:13-14), and paying a considerably high price to follow the Lord Jesus.
Although, in some cases, these two Gospels also refer to faith, the faith they mention is not to receive salvation, but to walk in the way of the Lord. It is not the faith to receive life but for daily living. The faith for our salvation is the faith through which we receive the forgiveness of sins and the life of God. This is the faith revealed in Luke and John.
However, after being saved and receiving the life of God, we still need to walk in the way of the Lord and live a heavenly life. For this, we need the type of faith mentioned in Matthew and Mark.
Except for the passages that speak of this type of faith, it is difficult to find passages in Matthew and Mark that tell us that faith is for us to be saved and receive the life of God. Instead, we are told, seriously, numerous times, that we must abandon everything, deny ourselves, and take up the cross to follow the Lord. This shows us the Word of God in its fullness, with its full meaning.
IT IS NECESSARY TO PAY THE PRICE AFTER BELIEVING
Faith itself is not enough for us to fully enjoy the salvation of God in its richness and extent. Therefore, after believing, we still need to pay a price to follow the Lord in order to enjoy such rich salvation.
Believing in the Lord is to receive Him, and following the Lord is to enjoy Him. By believing, we receive the forgiveness of sins and the life of God, and the Lord comes to us as the Spirit. By following the Lord after being saved, we enjoy Him, have His presence, and allow Him to be everything to us, including life and power every day.
Let’s use an illustration. When your friend gives you a beautiful gift, you just need to receive it, and thus you will have it. From the day you receive it, it is yours. However, if after receiving it, you set it aside and don’t take any time to enjoy it, even though you have received it and it is now yours, you will not enjoy it.
In the same way, we receive and have the salvation of God because we believe. Once we believe, our sins are forgiven, and we receive the life of God. Once we believe in the Lord, He comes to us. Furthermore, God and all He has become ours.
After believing, however, we still need to pay a price. We need to make a daily effort to enjoy what we have gained, receiving the Lord by eating and drinking Him in our spirit day after day. In this way, He can then become the inner element within us in reality. If we do not pay this price and make this effort, we will not be able to practically and fully enjoy the salvation we have received.
Appréciez davantage : Hymn 213
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