So what do we do? Tell the truth or lie? Speak what offends or what coddles? Speak life or death? Speak or remain silent? Jesus spoke the truth...that He was able to do more than those who tried to kill. He was able to destroy...take out evil altogether....and in the process save those who would believe in Him. But first He had to die and be risen again.
I am also reminded of the verse in Ephesians: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) Those who kill the body are flesh and blood, who live in the darkness of this age, who are great deceivers, those who would deny Christ and like the old serpent in Genesis, ask, "Did God really say...?" But there is One greater, who is truth, who can destroy those deceivers, if we just allow ourselves to listen to Him.
Jesus was hated by many people because His words of truth were offensive. You'll hear me say that often. Yet He spoke words that allow the soul to remain alive even after the body is gone. And He spoke them no matter what price. He trusted His Father over the men who despised Him and had the earthly power to kill Him. He allowed Himself to die in this trust. And we know what happened after they killed Him. He rose again in three days and now sits at the right hand of God. He is alive today to draw us to Him and eternal life.
One of the things we are called to do as believers is share the same message that Jesus did. It won't sit well with many. As Jesus was scoffed, so will we be. That comes with peculiar people territory! But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1Peter 2:9-10) It is a privilege to call myself peculiar...it comes with receiving Christ.
I once lived far away from God. I lived as I desired, did as I wished, pursued my own dreams, believed my accomplishments were just the start of things. All is vanity, a grasping for the wind, as Ecclesiastes tells us. Without God we keep striving for more because what we have is never enough.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. (Ecclesiastes 1:8-10)
That's not an easy message for anyone who puts their faith in self and all they do or accomplish...without God. What? I didn't work hard for this house, this car, this family? Who says? God does! There may be nothing new under the sun but all things become new under the Son.
Oh how we are changed when we meet Jesus Christ. When we meet Truth and He opens our eyes. He who saves the soul from those who want to kill it. The One we should fear over the one who kills the soul with deception. If we do not accept this the Bible says we are deceived. That deception is caused by a sin we are born into and need to have covered by the One who saves.
1John 1:8,10,9 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. BUT: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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