So what about the lawsuits? Yes, what about them? Surely trials make salvation difficult. Yes, they do, but as my previous two articles show, the actual act of being saved has nothing to do with us and nothing to do with trials, so it can’t be difficult.
This is where those of the Cainite-Judeo-Christian Religion confuse the act of salvation – the actual act of being saved, with the acts involved in following Yashua Messiah, after being saved. These are two completely different things. It’s a bit like a conscript signing up for military service; he signs the necessary papers and picks up his uniform and is now officially a member of the Armed Forces, a soldier. He is not yet trained, nor is he ready for active duty, but he is still a soldier and has the right to wear the uniform and collect his pay. He is just like the man who has fought on the battlefield in numerous campaigns, he does not have as much experience, but he is still the same. Also, this uniform, as long as you never desert, will never be taken from you.
As we can see from the analogy above, being called up is just the beginning, like picking up our uniforms, all relatively easy, but from here on out, Yashua Messiah’s ‘boot camp’ awaits and things start to get a little more difficult. . Actually, the military analogy, like all analogies, starts to fall apart here, because Our Messiah is certainly not a drill sergeant operating a ruthless regime on a tight schedule. He is much kinder, gentler and more tolerant than that and at the same time as tough as a drill sergeant, but with much more patience and understanding.
Matthew 16:24 (RSV) Then Jesus said to his disciples: If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Now this verse used to fill me with apprehension and, I hasten to add, tinged me with more than just a touch of fear. Is this how it affects you too, dear reader? If so, cheer up because you will not be alone. The question is, what did Messiah Yashua mean by that? Did he expect us to feel fear and what was he really saying if we are not meant to feel fear?
The Greek word for ‘deny’ here is ‘aparneomai’ which means ‘give up’ and the English definitions of ‘give up’ are 1) formally consent to delivery; Surrender; give up. two) repudiate; refuses to acknowledge; decline the association or renounce the relationship with. (The Concise Oxford Dictionary) The word ‘renounce’ is much more precise, stronger and more descriptive than ‘deny’. Indeed, I would suggest that ‘deny’ is a mistranslation.
then what do we do give up the relationship with or formally surrender? Our old lives and the way we used to think and then behave because of that way of thinking. As the new soldier, we have left our old lives behind: no more civilian street for the new recruit and no more old life and old way of thinking for the new disciple. We have renounced the relationship with the world – this age or the systems and ways of doing things of this world and we have started a new relationship with our Brother Yashua Messiah. Now we begin to put all our faith in Him and none of our faith in men, especially men of religion and men of politics.
As I explained in my previous articles, being called means that we begin to think differently as the Holy Spirit empowers us. Father God through His Spirit is now influencing the way we think by drawing us closer to His Son. This means that as Messiah Yashua (The Lord Jesus Christ) ‘thinks’, that is, His way of thinking, our minds are now transforming and have a mentality more akin to His mind and every day they will begin to think more like Messiah Yashua (The Lord Jesus Christ.) This is why like-mindedness with our brothers and sisters in Christ is so crucial. If we are not like-minded and at the same time follow Yashua Messiah, then there is something seriously wrong with their spiritual foundation, and why? They are following men of religion with their traditions and false teachings, not Yashua Messiah.
I’ve strayed a bit here, but a necessary digression. Ok, back to the main thread. The Holy Spirit is now empowering the new disciple, but not permanently. Disciples are not born again, so the Holy Spirit will come and go at will, just as it did with Peter when he was a disciple:
Matthew 16:16-17 (KJV) Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God 17 And Jesus answering said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonas, for flesh and blood have no faith. revealed it, but my Father who is in heaven.”
Peter had the spiritual power to tell Yashua Messiah who he thought He was, but later, when he denied knowing him three times, the Holy Spirit was not with him.
Once baptized only in the name of Yashua Messiah (not in the pagan Trinity) and having received the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit takes full time residence with a new son or daughter of God. If this miracle does not happen then we are not his:
Romans 8:9 (KJV) But you are not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.
Acts 2:17 (KJV) And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
Acts 2:38 (KJV) Then Peter said to them: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The new disciple once Baptized and Born of God (Born Again) must now take up – pick up or carry his cross and follow Yashua Messiah just as Yashua Messiah took up His cross. We now know that Yashua Messiah (The Lord Jesus Christ) was not speaking literally here, well not for most of us, because many faithful followers have died and still die in peace in old age, still believing. So what did he mean by taking up our crosses? What did he mean by us being ‘sheep to the slaughter’ every day, again in figurative language? All he meant was that we should:
1) always be willing to lay down our lives for Him and for our brothers and sisters if we are ever asked to do so:
2) Be prepared to be hated as He was hated, and to endure such persecution as He did:
3) And to count it all joy when we are faced with the trials and difficulties of life, sometimes these trials can be very serious, be it persecution, financial trials, or health trials, to name just a few.
However, usually these tests are only for a season and their severity may also depend on what we can endure and also what Yashua Messiah has prepared for us in the future, through great responsibilities and positions of high office and great energy. Make no mistake, there are some very high positions in His Kingdom that He longs to fill with us as His co-rulers. If you don’t believe me when I write these words, then believe Yashua Messiah:
John 14:2 2 (KJV) In my Father’s house there are many mansions; If it wasn’t so, I would have told you. I will prepare a place for you.
Paul then sums it all up when he says:
Romans 8:18 (KJV) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
So there we are the glory that will be revealed in us. This is our amazing future explained here for us, so take heart when you go through various tests.
I also know from personal experience that when the going gets tough and a test is severe, the Word of God can sound hackneyed and meaningless and brings us no relief. The thing to remember here is that no matter how bad our attitudes are, Messiah Yashua still loves us and will never stop loving us, nor leave us. Believe me when I say that I have been very angry with God in the past while going through certain trials. Job is one of my true Bible heroes. If you’re going through a test right now, feel free to email me at the address below to chime in and rant all you want. I probably won’t have any answers for you, because all the tests are tailored to us as individuals, but I promise to read your email and help and encourage you if I can. Always remember, one man’s judgment is a piece of cake for another man and vice versa.
Finally, yes, being saved initially isn’t hard because we just have to say “Lord, here I am” when the Father calls us, but from then on things get harder and I’ll deal with how hard it is. can be obtained in the articles that follow.