What we draw near to God,
He reveals Himself to us.
God does not hide
Himself from the seeking heart.
Our relationship with the living God is grown
through the
word of God, scripture, through reading
That is where he is first found,
then we grow in understanding of his thought process,
each time we read and apply the Bible in context,
it comes through studying doctrine.
The result and purpose for Studying sound doctrine is to know God
and have a relationship with him.
That’s the only way to grow a relationship with God.
The Word is God. He’s not a lost, distant man
in the sky that can’t be found, he’s illuminated in the good book.
And once we do understand his nature and will,
we can live according to his will, so that his will is fulfilled.
We will know what to do and how to respond.
We won’t be seeking or lost, we have the answers.
We can not speak things into existence, we discover what exists.
Studying the Bible is your relationship with Christ,
which is how we interpret and apply the message
So that we can then pray spoken words and recognize
his work and nature. When we recognize his work and deeds, we
can praise and glorify him accordingly. If we aren’t doing that,
then we aren’t recognizing it, and can't know what we don’t see.
That is the growing spiritual seed,
it begins with faith, and grows and evolves into developing an
understanding the whole Word of God in unison
through
reading and applying., and recognizing what that is.
It’s like laying down a foundation of bricks,
reading, digesting, and applying.
Contemplating and discovering.
Knowing “what” “words” are, can only develops into
existence when they are
applied through living experience.
God is The Word. That is his manifestation and relationship.
That is where we go to seek, knock, and find.
That is the only way to understand God, and the
only way to draw near to him.
In his letter to the church in Rome,
Paul quotes an astonishing statement from the Psalms:
“There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God”
(Romans 3:11).
How can Paul, and David before him, make such a sweeping declaration?
Of all who have ever lived, not even one person has really sought after God?
There’s no question that billions of people have sought after a god,
but they have not always sought after the true God.
This fact ties directly to Adam and Eve’s sin
prompted by Satan’s deception.
Throughout the history of mankind, the treachery promulgated
by Satan has been so thorough that the
natural man can perceive only bits and pieces of
the
real truth about God.
As a result, our conceptions about God are blurred.
It’s only when God chooses to reveal Himself to us that the
pieces begin to fall together as our eyes are opened to truth.
Then, truly seeking God becomes possible.
Jesus tells us in John 17:3,
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
Here Jesus is telling us that our continuing to seek God, desiring to know Him more, is the essence of true life, eternal life. The most important thoughts our minds can entertain are thoughts of God, because they will determine the quality and direction of life. Seeking God, then,
is an ongoing responsibility and privilege for all Christians.
But we also know that seeking God is not always an easy thing to do, not because God is elusive, but because our minds are saturated with misconceptions and deceits planted by Satan and reinforced by the culture, not to mention the sinful nature of our own hearts and the general deceitfulness of sin (Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:13–15). But the good news is that these mistaken beliefs are done away with through coming to know God and growing in our relationship with Him. This starts when we turn to Him for salvation and put our trust in Jesus Christ. When we are saved, we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit who helps us to know God and even transforms our hearts to want to seek Him (Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6; 2:12–13; Romans 8:26–30).
Romans 12:2counsels, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We learn the truth about God and seek Him through reading His Word (the Bible). We seek God also through prayer and in times of worship. We seek God both individually and corporately. Spending time with other believers in Jesus who are also seeking God is important to help us continue to seek Him
(Hebrews 10:24–25).
Second Chronicles 15:2–4 is instructive for us. This passage was written over two thousand years ago to a people like us: “[Azariah the prophet] went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.’”
Their instructions were simple: when they sincerely sought God, things went well, but when their desire to seek Him waned and eventually ceased altogether, their world came apart. Sin increased, morality declined, and contact with God ceased. The admonitions to the children of God of that time are clear to us today: “If you seek him, he will be found by you.”
This profound principle is repeated throughout Scripture
(Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7; Acts 17:27; James 4:8).
The idea is that,
when we draw near to God,
He reveals Himself to us.
God does not hide
Himself from the seeking heart.
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
Every Christian recognizes that there are important stages in the Christian life. Just as we are physically born, go through school, and get a job, so spiritually we are born again in Christ, grow in holiness through the Holy Spirit, and go to be with God forever. The terms Christians use to describe these important moments are justification, sanctification, and glorification. These three words are used to describe the Christian journey from new birth to resurrection.
First, we should remember what these words mean. Here are some definitions:
• Justification is “an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ.” We are justified, or declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation.
• Sanctification is “the process by which Christians are set apart for God from the rest of the world, or the process by which Christians are made holy.” Progressive, or experiential, sanctification, as it is sometimes called, is the effect of obedience to the Word of God in one’s life. It is the same as growing in the Lord (2 Peter 3:18) or spiritual maturity.
• Glorification is “God’s final removal of sin from the life of the saints so that they stand faultless before Him in glory in eternity” (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17). At Christ’s coming, the glory of God (Romans 5:2)—His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; we will have direct and unhindered access to God’s presence, and we will enjoy holy communion with Him throughout eternity.
As mentioned above, these three words describe the full process of salvation. As Christians, we were justifiedwhen we confessed Christ and believed (Romans 10:9), we are sanctified as we grow in holiness through the work of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:11–32; Galatians 5:16–24), and we will someday be glorified when we are resurrected into eternal life (Colossians 3:4). Justification is a one-time event, sanctification is a process, and glorification is a future event.
If you are a Christian, you are guaranteed all three steps (see Romans 8:29–30). You are forever justified, you are being sanctified, and you will for sure be glorified (1 Corinthians 6:11). All three of these amazing things are from God’s grace, not because of anything you have done or will do to earn them (Ephesians 2:8–9). You cannot earn your justification, you cannot achieve your sanctification, and you cannot merit your glorification. God makes all these things happen out of His love for you, by His grace alone (Romans 3:24; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 2:13; Titus 2:11). If you are trying to achieve any of these three things by your own power, you will inevitably fail. Instead, ask God for His grace, rely on His power, and walk by the Spirit.
If you are not a Christian, then you may be trying to have these things by your own merit. You may be trying to feel righteous before God, be good in your life, and leave a lasting legacy after you die. But you cannot do it on your own (Romans 3:10–20)! God does not want you to “try harder,” but to come to Him in faith. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Have you had your sins forgiven? Have you accepted God’s gracious gift of eternal life? If not, why not start today?
The way of salvation is simple, and it is only through Jesus Christ. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:9–13).
The Bible has a great deal to say about servanthood because the central theme of the Bible is the Servant of all—Jesus Christ. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When we give Jesus Christ His rightful place as Lord of our lives, His lordship will be expressed in the way we serve others (Mark 9:35; 1 Peter 4:10; John 15:12-13). How can we demonstrate love for God? Our love for God will be expressed in our love for others. “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5).
True leadership is servanthood, and the greatest leader of all time is Jesus Christ. Servanthood is an attitude exemplified by Christ “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7). The five words in the New Testament translated “ministry” generally refer to servanthood or service given in love. Serving others is the very essence of ministry. All believers are called to ministry (Matthew 28:18-20), and, therefore, we are all called to be servants for the glory of God. Living is giving; all else is selfishness and boredom.
It has been rightly stated, “Rank is given you to enable you to better serve those above and below you. It is not given for you to practice your idiosyncrasies” (General Bruce C. Clarke, USA, Ret). Let’s serve others by serving Christ (Colossians 3:23-24). God the Father has served us by sacrificing Christ on the cross for our sins, and we should serve others by giving the gospel and our lives to them (1 Thessalonians 1:5-6). Those who desire to be great in God’s kingdom must be the servant of all
(Matthew 20:26).
In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 and then makes a statement concerning all believers: “We have the mind of Christ.” Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that all believers possess.
Having the mind of Christ means we understand God’s plan
in the world—to bring glory to Himself, restore creation to its original splendor, and provide salvation for sinners. It means we identify with Christ’s purpose “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).
It means we share Jesus’ perspective of humility and obedience (Philippians 2:5-8), compassion (Matthew 9:36),
and prayerful dependence on God (Luke 5:16).
In the verses leading up to 1 Corinthians 2:16, we note some
truths concerning the mind of Christ:
1) The mind of Christ stands in sharp contrast to the
wisdom of man (verses 5-6).
2) The mind of Christ involves wisdom from God,
once hidden but now revealed (verse 7).
3) The mind of Christ is given to believers through the
Spirit of God (verses 10-12).
4) The mind of Christ cannot be understood by those
without the Spirit (verse 14).
5) The mind of Christ gives believers discernment
in spiritual matters (verse 15).
In order to have the mind of Christ,
one must first
have saving faith in Christ
(John 1:12; 1 John 5:12).
After salvation, the believer lives a life under God’s influence. The Holy Spirit indwells and enlightens the believer, infusing him with wisdom—the mind of Christ. The believer bears a responsibility to yield to the Spirit’s leading (Ephesians 4:30) and to allow the Spirit to transform and renew his mind (Romans 12:1-2).
In many places in the New Testament, the apostle Paul refers to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” (e.g., Romans 1:1; Colossians 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6). The Lord’s half-brother Jude refers to himself in the same way (Jude 1:1). Rather than capitalize on his close relationship to Jesus, Jude relegated himself to the status of a servant. Jesus’ family, friends, and chosen apostles refer to themselves as His servants, the plain implication being that Jesus is Lord.
“Servant” is a translation of the Greek word doulos, which means more literally “a slave or bondservant, someone who sets aside all rights of his own to serve another.” Because the word slave carries such a negative connotation to our modern sensitivities, we often choose the word servant instead. However, servant does not quite capture the real meaning of doulos. Paul said he was a “slave” to Christ.
In ancient times, slaves were purchased or born into a slave family and served the master until they died or until the master decided to free them. Some slaves had developed such a close and loving relationship with the master’s family that they wanted to continue serving, even when they could go free. That’s the idea Paul and others were conveying when they referred to themselves as servants of Christ. The Lord has bought us with a high price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and those who come to know Him desire to abandon all rights to Him and choose to serve Him faithfully.
A servant of Christ knows who is the King. A servant of Christ is one who has voluntarily set aside his or her personal rights in order to love, serve, and obey the will of God in Christ Jesus. Servants of Christ die daily to sin and fleshly desires, allowing Christ’s life to flow through them (Galatians 2:20).
To be a servant of Christ is to seek His will in all things. Our primary desire every day, as servants of Christ, is to honor and glorify the One who bought our freedom from sin (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means we must die to ourselves (Luke 9:23), renounce our right to direct our own lives (Luke 6:46), and seek ways to bring our Master pleasure (Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 11:20). Just as a master in ancient times took on the responsibility of caring for his bondservants, so our Lord says that He will provide all we need when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19).
Our Master, Jesus, has given us instructions in His Word and expects those who profess His name to know them. As we learn more, we do better. Servants of Christ put into practice all they learn about pleasing their Lord. While He has specific jobs for each of us according
to the gifts and opportunities He provides,
some requirements are universal for anyone
called to be a servant of Christ:
• Continue in faith.
• Destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.
• Take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
• Pursue holy living (1 Peter 1:14–16).
• Daily crucify the lusts of the flesh (Romans 6:1–6).
• Love brothers and sisters in the faith (1 John 3:14–15).
• Store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).
• Eagerly await the Master’s return (Revelation 22:20; 2 Timothy 4:8).
Servants of Christ do their work humbly and selflessly,
desiring only to please their benevolent Master. There’s no pretension, no self-importance, no compensation-seeking in true servanthood. Jesus reminds us of the lowly place a servant occupies: “You also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10, ESV).
Servants of Christ consider their lives on earth as a brief time of preparation for eternity. The hardships and struggles we must face while in the flesh will be far outmatched by the glory and reward awaiting us (2 Corinthians 4:17). Just as a servant who loves his master lives for the master’s approval, so servants of Christ live for the moment He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master!” (Matthew 25:21, 23)
The Christian life is never easy, but the difficulties do not negate the joy. We consider Jesus, who “for the joy set before him . . . endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). God has set us free from the slavery to sin. The victory is ours (2 Corinthians 2:14). Through the Holy Spirit, believers receive encouragement, strength to persevere, and reminders of their adoption into the family of God. We know that our “present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed” (Romans 8:18).
The apostle Paul’s singular ambition in life was to know Jesus Christ experientially. More than merely acquiring superficial head-knowledge, Paul wanted to connect with Jesus on the closest possible relational level: “My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10, HCSB).
Nothing else in life mattered to Paul. He was willing to lose every earthly possession and pursuit for the sake of intimately knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7). He considered “everything else worthless,” labeling it “garbage” compared to “the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” His supreme objective was to “gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). For Paul, to experience a relationship with Jesus in this way meant sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings, even if that meant death.
In Galatians 2:20, Paul reiterated his desire to share in a dynamic, all-in union with Jesus: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Paul taught believers that “the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:5, NLT).
The early apostles believed that participating in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering was part of our preparation for sharing in His future glory. To his student Timothy, Paul explained, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12, NLT). Peter urged believers not to “be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world”
(1 Peter 4:12–13, NLT).
In Philippians 2:5–11, Paul told believers to have the same attitude or mindset as Christ. Our preparation for heaven involves becoming like Christ, being conformed into His image (Romans 8:29; Philippians 3:21). Jesus embodied humility and obedience to God as He walked a path to death. The very purpose God sent His Son was to suffer and die for us that we might be saved (1 John 3:16; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). To be like Christ, we must enter the fellowship of His suffering and death “so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10, NLT). Paul informed Christians in Colossae, “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church”
(Colossians 1:24, NLT).
We should not be shocked to encounter trials in this life because following Jesus inevitably leads to the cross. One commentator urged, “We must be ready for—and we cannot hope to avoid—the downward path of the Crucified” (Motyer, J., The Message of Philippians, InterVarsity Press, 1984, p. 169). Jesus told His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me”
(Matthew 16:24, NLT).
Taking up our cross means being willing to surrender our lives and even die for the sake of following Christ. Jesus didn’t paint a rosy picture of discipleship. Instead, He said, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”
(Luke 9:24–25, NLT).
Just before Paul spoke of the “fellowship of His sufferings,” he said his goal was to know Christ “and the power of His resurrection.” As we share in hardship and persecution on our downward path to the cross, Jesus is our co-companion on the journey. He promises never to leave us alone (Matthew 28:20).
Christ is a living Savior who pledges to impart His resurrection power and give us the strength to endure and even overcome
(Romans 8:11; Philippians 3:10; John 16:33).
The short answer is that “glorification” is God’s final removal of sin from the life of the saints (i.e., everyone who is saved) in the eternal state (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17). At Christ’s coming, the glory of God (Romans 5:2)—His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; instead of being mortals burdened with sin nature, we will be changed into holy immortals with direct and unhindered access to God’s presence, and we will enjoy holy communion with Him throughout eternity. In considering glorification, we should focus on Christ, for He is every Christian’s “blessed hope”; also, we may consider final glorification as the culmination of sanctification.
Final glorification must await the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:14). Until He returns, we are burdened with sin, and our spiritual vision is distorted because of the curse. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Every day, we should be diligent by the Spirit to put to death
what is “fleshly” (sinful) in us (Romans 8:13).
How and when will we be finally glorified? At the last trumpet, when Jesus comes, the saints will undergo a fundamental, instant transformation (“we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” – 1 Corinthians 15:51); then the “perishable” will put on the “imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:53). Yet 2 Corinthians 3:18 clearly indicates that, in a mysterious sense, “we all,” in the present, “with unveiled face” are “beholding the glory of the Lord” and are being transformed into His image “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Lest anyone imagine that this beholding and transformation
(as part of sanctification)
is the work of especially saintly people, the Scripture adds the
following bit of information:
“For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
In other words, it is a blessing
bestowed on every believer.
This does not refer to our final glorification but to an
aspect of sanctification by
which the Spirit is transfiguring us right now.
To Him be the praise for
His work
in sanctifying us in the Spirit and in truth
(Jude 24-25; John 17:17; 4:23).
We should understand what Scripture teaches about the nature of glory—both God’s unsurpassed glory and our share in it at His coming. God’s glory refers not merely to the unapproachable light that the Lord inhabits (1 Timothy 6:15-16), but also to His honor (Luke 2:13) and holiness. The “You” referred to in Psalm 104:2 is the same God referenced in 1 Timothy 6:15-16; He is “clothed with splendor and majesty,” covering Himself “with light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:2; cf. 93:1; Job 37:22; 40:10). When the Lord Jesus returns in His great glory to execute judgment (Matthew 24:29-31; 25:31-35), He will do so as the only Sovereign, who alone has eternal dominion
(1 Timothy 6:14-16).
Created beings dare not gaze upon God’s awesome glory;
like Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 1:4-29)
and Simon Peter (Luke 5:8), Isaiah was devastated by self-loathing in the presence of the all-holy God. After the seraphim proclaimed,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Isaiah said,
“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my
eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
(Isaiah 6:4).
Even the seraphim showed that they were unworthy to
gaze upon the divine glory,
covering their faces with their wings.
God’s glory may be said to
be “heavy” or “weighty”;
the Hebrew word kabod literally means
“heavy or burdensome”;
Most often, the Scriptural usage of kabod is figurative
(e.g., “heavy with sin”),
from which we get the idea of the “weightiness” of a person who is
honorable, impressive, or worthy of respect.
When the Lord Jesus became incarnate, He revealed both the “weighty” holiness of God and the fullness of His grace and truth (“and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” [John 1:14; cf. 17:1–5]). The glory revealed by the incarnate Christ accompanies the ministry of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:7); it is unchanging and permanent (Isaiah 4:6-7; cf. Job 14:2; Psalm 102:11; 103:15; James 1:10). The previous manifestations of God’s glory were temporary, like the fading effluence of God’s glory from Moses’ face. Moses veiled his face so that the hard-hearted Israelites might not see that the glory was fading (1 Corinthians 3:12),
but in our case the veil has been removed through Christ,
and we reflect the glory
of the Lord and seek by the Spirit to be like Him.
In His high priestly prayer, the Lord Jesus requested that
God would sanctify us by His truth
(i.e., make us holy; John 17:17);
sanctification is necessary if we are to
see Jesus’ glory
and be with Him in eternal fellowship
(John 17:21-24).
“Father, I desire that they also, whom
you have given me,
may be with me where I am,
to see my glory that you have given me because
you loved me
before the foundation of the world”
(John 17:24).
If the glorification of the saints follows the pattern
revealed in Scripture,
it must entail our sharing in the glory
(i.e., the holiness) of God.
According to Philippians 3:20–21, our citizenship is in heaven,
and when our Savior returns He will transform our lowly bodies “to be like His glorious body.” Although it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, we know that, when He returns in great glory, we shall be like Him,
for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).
We will be perfectly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus
and be like Him in that our humanity will be free from
sin and its consequences.
Our blessed hope should spur us on to holiness,
the Spirit enabling us.
“Everyone who thus
hopes in Him
purifies himself as He is pure”
(1 John 3:3).
Jesus’ command to “take up your cross and follow Me”
is a call to self-abasement and self-sacrifice.
One must be willing to die in order to follow Jesus.
Dying to self is an absolute surrender to God.
After Jesus commanded cross-bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:25–26). Although the call to take up our cross is tough, the reward is matchless. Nothing in this world is worth passing up eternal life.
Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was often distorted. They thought the Christ would immediately usher in the restored kingdom (Luke 19:11). They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Some hoped He would continue to provide free lunches for everyone (John 6:26). Jesus’ statement that following Him requires taking up a cross made people think twice about their motivations and level of commitment.
In Luke 9:57–62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus pressed them, however, their commitment was shown to be half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None were willing to take up their cross and crucify upon it their own interests.
Jesus’ apparent attempts to dissuade people from following Him surely limited the number of false converts and insincere disciples (see John 6:66). But God seeks “true worshipers [who] will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Jesus’ call to “take up your cross and follow Me” serves to screen out the disingenuous, double-minded, and dissembling.
Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Jesus? Consider these questions:
– Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your closest friends?
– Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
– Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your reputation?
– Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
– Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?
In some places of the world, these consequences are a reality. But notice the phrasing of the questions: “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but the disciple of Christ must be willing to suffer loss. Are you willing to take up your cross? If faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?
Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, and even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Remember that, as Jesus called His disciples to “take up your cross and follow Me,” He, too, bore a cross.
Our Lord led the way.
Just as an anchor stops a ship from drifting with the winds and currents, keeping our eyes on the hope of heaven (2 Corinthians 4:16–18) and the “pioneer and perfector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), who is Jesus Christ, will prevent our souls from wavering and wandering in times of pressure and turmoil. God has “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been grieved by various trials”
(1 Peter 1:3–6, ESV).
As believers, we have “a living hope” and “hope as an anchor” that holds secure because it is tethered to the steadfast Word of God and the unchanging, reliable character of God. He is faithful, and His promises are true (Joshua 21:45; Psalm 33:4; Hebrews 10:23). One commentator imagines the anchor’s rope extending “from heaven’s heights back down to earth, where faithful people can ‘seize the hope set before us.’ Like rock climbers scaling an imposing height, Christians steady themselves by trusting God’s promises, holding on for dear life to this cord of hope” (Long, T., Hebrews, John Knox Press, 1997, p. 78).
With Jesus Christ as our anchor, no power of darkness and no earthly opposition can harm us (Romans 8:31–34).
We live with hope because we possess the Holy Spirit inside us as a guarantee of our redemption and full adoption as sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:23–25; Ephesians 1:11–14). When this “earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling . . . so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 5:1–5).
Calling on the name of the Lord is basic for salvation and presupposes faith in the Lord. God promises to save those who, in faith, call upon His name: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13; cf. Joel 2:32). Everyone who invokes the name of God for mercy and salvation, by or in the name of Jesus, shall be saved (Acts 2:21). “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NLT).
Using a person’s name expresses familiarity and helps connect one person to another. The first thing we do upon meeting someone is to extend a hand and introduce ourselves. This builds familiarity for future interactions. To call upon the name of the Lord is a sign of knowing Him and a way of connecting to Him. There is a difference between knowing about God and knowing Him personally. Calling on the name of the Lord indicates personal interaction and relationship. When we call upon the name of the Lord, as a form of worship, we recognize our dependence upon Him.
What saves a person is not the action, per se, of “calling upon” the name of Jesus; what saves is God’s grace in response to one’s personal faith in the Savior being called upon. Calling on the name of the Lord is more than a verbal expression; it is also shown in the heart and in deed through repentance. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19).
Calling on the name of the Lord is to be a lifelong pursuit
(Psalm 116:2).
God commands us to call on Him in times of trouble (Psalm 50:15). The one who “dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1) and has God’s promise of blessing: “‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him’” (verses 14–15).
Those who refuse to call upon the name of the Lord are also described in Scripture, along with the results of their disobedience: “Will the workers of iniquity never learn? . . . They refuse to call upon the Lord. There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear” (Psalm 14:4–5, BSB).
Even as rebellious or ignorant people neglect to call upon the name of the Lord, He is willing to hear them and accept them. God wants to be found; He is ready to be known: “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ to a nation that was not called by my name” (Isaiah 65:1, ESV; cf. Romans 10:20).
In 1 Corinthians 1:2, those who call upon the name of the Lord are identified as believers: “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.” Calling on the name of the Lord is one of the marks of a Christian.
In summary, those who call on the name of the Lord are those who recognize Him as Savior. Whether it is a first-time calling upon Jesus’ name for forgiveness of sins or a continuous calling as the relationship progresses and grows, giving Him lordship over our lives in surrender to His will, calling on the name of the Lord is vital to spiritual life. Ultimately, calling on the name of the Lord is a sign of humility and dependence on God our
Creator and Redeemer.
Matthew 21:22 - And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Romans 10:17 - So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.