If someone asked you today what you think is the most urgent message in Christianity?What would your answer be?
Considering the rise in atrocities that currently exist in the world: terrorism, mass shootings, voilence, lawlessness, perversiveness, etc. One can say it is a clear sign that the end times are indeed near. Therefore, the message should be to repent and receive Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.
Another, in line with the first, would be to prepare for Rapture. Gird one’s loins, so to speak. For the coming of Christ is near.
Both of these messages are relevant, and urgent.
There’s another message that I find to be very urgent at this time.
STRIVE TO BECOME COMPLETELY FOOLISH!
Yes! It is of a great urgency, and a high priority, that we Christians should beg God to make us fools!
Christians/Believers need to come before the Throne of Grace, and ask the Lord to wipe away every shred of wisdom and intelligence that we have acquired about Him that is not from Him, and that is not focused SOLELY on Him! We are to earnestly ask Jesus to rid us, remove from us, totally empty us of any, and all knowledge, wisdom, learnedness, intelligence, savvy, pomp, and absolute certainty of any and everything that we have come to believe/trust/place our faith in. Erase it all. Then, replace it with HIM and ONLY HIM.
Not the knowledge of Christ. Christ Himself. His very nature. His very disposition.
This is a prayer that we should be screaming, whispering, groaning, weeping, pleading, begging, fasting, worshipping 24/7. It is that urgent!
If you question is “What is the difference between the knowldge of Christ, and Christ Himself, the answer can be found in John 5: 39-40
And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
The Jews, had read the scriptures. They had a knowledge of who their Messiah was, and how he was supposed to come. Based on their interpretation of the scriptures. Yet, here was the Messiah standing in their midst, and they RECOGNIZED him not. They ‘believed’ that they had a knowledge of Christ. However, they were full of their own vision. Their own understanding. Which had nothing to do with Christ Himself or what He represented.
Twenty people can read the same bible passage and have twenty different interpretations. Especially when it comes to the aspect of the Christian. How is that possible if there is only one Christ? Christ did not misrepresent Himself in the bible. That means it is we who are misrepresenting Him. Because we interpret the scripture according to our understanding. Therefore, if we are interested in being Christians, do we not want Christ to be the one revealing Himself to us? Not our belief of Him (which could be influenced), not our understanding of Him (which is subjective), not our knowledge of Him (which could be flawed). But, we want Him. His nature; His Disposition; His Spirit; dwelling in us, and guiding us.
In 1 Corinthians 3, the Apostle Paul is reprimanding the Corinthians over the disputes that he has heard were prevalent amonst the people. These disputes were over the teaching of Paul versus the teaching of Apollos. It was causing a huge divide amongst the Christians. This was happening because people were adding to their ‘belief’ elements and interpretations that had nothing to do with Christ, but based on their association with the preaching of one preacher versus the other. So, Paul, quite displeased said:
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Paul was urging the people to stay away from the deviation that carnality causes. What is this carnality? “Our” way. “Our” wisdom, “Our” associations, “Our” preferences, “Our” rationalization, “Our” understanding, “Our” experiences, “Our” creeds, “Our” doctrines…
Everything that is “authoritatively us”, and nothing that is the Spirit of Christ.
The Apostle then goes farther to warn them of the dangers of this “building”, this “adding”. This placing as the “Essence of Redemption” things that are not! The externals, the disciplines, the personal “valuables” of our understanding and misinterpretation of scripture. He says:
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
The foundation is Jesus Christ. The “Essence of Redemption” is Jesus Christ crucified. The Atonement. The Propitiation. (Romans 10:8-10 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.)
It is only the Spirit of Christ who can bring us into that Essence. We don’t learn it, we become it. We become one with Christ when His nature replaces our nature.
Paul said if we add anything to this and make that our belief, we should be warned that this belief will be tested! It is this testing that will reveal to the Believers whether we have stayed in line, or where we have erred. I specified “Believers” because verse 15 says “ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” A true Believer will never be lost ( All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. John 6:37-39) But, we WILL be refined until we are brought into perfect alignment with Jesus Christ.
When the Bible tells us that God will make foolish the wisdom of the wise, we like to think He is talking to the pagans and unbelievers. Though this does apply to them in a general sense, this instance in 1 Corinthians 3 was not being addressed to the unbelievers. Paul was speaking to the Believers. The Christians! Who were now applying carnal wisdom and intelligence to matters of the Redemption.
This is what Satan does. He injects the right amount of deceit, in the right measure, at the right time, under the right circumstances amongst the right set of people, who by the time they are fully entrenched in vain disagreements over every irrelevant thing, will be fully convinced that they are debating matters of Christ. When in reality, they have drifted miles away. The whole time, never even realizing when they strayed from the path.
He isn’t called the Deceiver for nothing, brethren.
“ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; and again,“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” 1 Cor. 3:18-23.
So, if your indignation rose when I said earlier that it was urgent for Christians to strive for foolishness, hopefully you will now climb back down, and lead your brethren to the foot of the cross.
That we may surrender our way for His Way. Our will for His Will.
That we may come, and ask, and receive, His Spirit, that He has promised to give to us.
If only we would desire it.
If only we would ask.
Now to Him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
In Christ.
The handmaid at His feet
The handmaid at His feet 