Parables...a purpose and a priveledge
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
There can be no doubt about the intent of the parables of Jesus in preparing us for the very age that we now live in. I don't even have to troll through specific parables to relate how each one of these comparisons to the Kingdom of Heaven draws directly to the behavior and responsibilities that we are being shown in today's social structures.
The bibles message was written in it's entirety for the benefit of those who already have professed Christ as their savior...it is not written for those in this world to tear apart and misuse in the ways they have. It should be directly linked to our obedience and reaction to God through faith in His Holy Spirit. For a very long time in history now we have seen the continued efforts of men to some how turn the word of God into a tool that can be used much like the Jews have used the law of Moses and the commandments of God to point fingers away from what was clearly written for them first. We do much the same thing today with the bible in that we never really turn those scriptures toward self the way they were intended to be read. We have gotten very good at deflecting the truth toward others when in fact it is the church to which the word of God is written. Because of that very fact unless we can find a way to use this word to change and challenge our own lives we will do very little in reaching our supposed intended audience of the world around us.
It is not a speculation, but a fact that those to whom we say we want to share the Good news the only reason for response is to be found in how well we believe in what we are saying to them. It is quite easy for anyone to pick our a hypocrite in this age who verbally stands for one thing while they privately practice a different thing. That becomes the soft chewy center of the controversy we face with our faith and testimony in Christ. The parables we study reveal many of those flaws very well to us if we will only view them with a spiritual eye. For us to say that we cannot relate to the very simple nature of comparison between analogies is more of a cop out than an excuse. It would be much better to say " I just don't want to deal with it" and be truthful. I think , however that many Christians have lost the ability to be that "Candid" with their assessment of their faith in Christ for if we were we would not find it so easy to find a hole to hide in through our doctrines and creeds when the truth came calling. I believe the parables are there to make us uncomfortable in many ways...just like the laws are put there to simply convict the heart of sin. The law was not meant to push us into fixing something, but to reveal our state of heart, and the parables are meant to show those of us who claim Jesus Christ as our savior how to live a life that does testify to God's mercy and love toward us. It is only through our own commitment to Jesus and the word of truth brought to us that we are saved to even testify the good news...that is never through our condemnation of those outside of Christ but the representation of what life is like within the Kingdom, and frankly we have not done a very good job in that area. It does not mean that we cannot do a good job; and that is up to the ways we treat and react to one another in the eyes of this world. It becomes then not just our task to live so...but our privilege to share what we should have in abundance through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let's begin to push forward again in the studies...may you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
There can be no doubt about the intent of the parables of Jesus in preparing us for the very age that we now live in. I don't even have to troll through specific parables to relate how each one of these comparisons to the Kingdom of Heaven draws directly to the behavior and responsibilities that we are being shown in today's social structures.
The bibles message was written in it's entirety for the benefit of those who already have professed Christ as their savior...it is not written for those in this world to tear apart and misuse in the ways they have. It should be directly linked to our obedience and reaction to God through faith in His Holy Spirit. For a very long time in history now we have seen the continued efforts of men to some how turn the word of God into a tool that can be used much like the Jews have used the law of Moses and the commandments of God to point fingers away from what was clearly written for them first. We do much the same thing today with the bible in that we never really turn those scriptures toward self the way they were intended to be read. We have gotten very good at deflecting the truth toward others when in fact it is the church to which the word of God is written. Because of that very fact unless we can find a way to use this word to change and challenge our own lives we will do very little in reaching our supposed intended audience of the world around us.
It is not a speculation, but a fact that those to whom we say we want to share the Good news the only reason for response is to be found in how well we believe in what we are saying to them. It is quite easy for anyone to pick our a hypocrite in this age who verbally stands for one thing while they privately practice a different thing. That becomes the soft chewy center of the controversy we face with our faith and testimony in Christ. The parables we study reveal many of those flaws very well to us if we will only view them with a spiritual eye. For us to say that we cannot relate to the very simple nature of comparison between analogies is more of a cop out than an excuse. It would be much better to say " I just don't want to deal with it" and be truthful. I think , however that many Christians have lost the ability to be that "Candid" with their assessment of their faith in Christ for if we were we would not find it so easy to find a hole to hide in through our doctrines and creeds when the truth came calling. I believe the parables are there to make us uncomfortable in many ways...just like the laws are put there to simply convict the heart of sin. The law was not meant to push us into fixing something, but to reveal our state of heart, and the parables are meant to show those of us who claim Jesus Christ as our savior how to live a life that does testify to God's mercy and love toward us. It is only through our own commitment to Jesus and the word of truth brought to us that we are saved to even testify the good news...that is never through our condemnation of those outside of Christ but the representation of what life is like within the Kingdom, and frankly we have not done a very good job in that area. It does not mean that we cannot do a good job; and that is up to the ways we treat and react to one another in the eyes of this world. It becomes then not just our task to live so...but our privilege to share what we should have in abundance through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let's begin to push forward again in the studies...may you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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