The gospel presented in our day by smooth talking preachers is often designed to candy-coat the real hurdles, challenges, and the battles which must be fought within the domain of the human heart. This is often done by minimizing the real dangers, and threats posed, not only by the adversary of souls, but also the greatest enemy, ourselves, for in too many instances we find that we are in agreement with the enemy of all righteousness.
Several cute sentiments have therefore been coined to make the straight and narrow path seem to be a breeze. For example: “Only believe”, which on the surface may seem to suggest that victory is attained by merely believing. While it is true that believing is the starting point, no one ever came to love their enemies by just believing.
To love one’s enemies will require persons to swim upstream, against the natural current of our fallen nature. It will include experiences where we have been treated wrongfully and despitefully, and then faced with the prospect of forgiving and loving the sinner who did us wrong. This is not natural or easy for any person to do, for it is not a part of who we are at the core, and therefore, must originate from outside of ourselves, even from Christ.
Every step of advance the Christian may attempt to make will be vigorously contested by the evil one. Character building is a work likened unto swimming upstream, for we will find ourselves going against our own natural grain whenever we try to do right. Those who are really desirous of gaining the victory over food will have a food fight on their hands, for it will be much easier to eat candy than salad.
Those who seek victory over impulsiveness, anger, and the urge to retaliate, will have to be patient in tribulation. It is not natural for us to render good for evil, and therefore, we will have to swim upstream through deliberate choice, coupled with the grace of Christ in order that the mind of Christ to be fully formed within.
Again, those who have difficulty in controlling their spending will have to find ways to restrict the habit of window shopping, for it is easier to spend than to save. Those who are addicted to their phones and electronic gadgets, to the point where the hour of prayer has lost its appeal, will have to put away the favorite gadgets for certain periods, so that study of the Bible, and prayer can have room to flourish.
It’s much easier to surf the internet, or watch your favorite game than to pray, for the natural man is not prone to do the right thing on his own. All those who must gain the victory over sexual sins will need to practice stern self-denial, for it’s easier to yield to feelings of euphoria than resist the urge to merge.
And those who are battling pride will have to go through some humiliating circumstances in order to reverse the natural impulse of serving self. But one thing is certain, every noble trait of character must be developed in the heat of the furnace, because a godly character can only be matured by swimming upstream. This is what Christ presented to the folks of His day, and this is what he is saying to us living in Laodicea.
Christianity without stern self-denial is like a bread without flour, for it is a delusion to believe that the easy way offered by the adversary will bring lasting results. When Christ faced the prospect of eating bread in the wilderness of temptation, the craving of natural human nature would have been easier to follow, than to continue languishing for the want of food.
But He set us the example by choosing the path of self-denial, a path that must be decided upon, and deliberately and consistently chosen if one desires to wear the crown of victory. Thus, as He was about to end the sermon on the mount, Christ warned us against accepting a Christianity that’s easy-going or cute, for this is serpent theology at best. Let’s read:
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
In other words, there ain’t no easy way to develop a Christlike character. Severe conflicts must be waged against cultivated, and hereditary tendencies to evil which are likened unto a military campaign against oneself. At every step of advance, we not only have satan to fend off, but we have our own selves as our greatest enemy, which is more often than not, in sync with evil. Let’s read:
Romans 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
This leads us to the core of our study, for all of the disciples, just like ourselves had to battle self in a plethora of ways and circumstances, in which they often found themselves agreeing with serpentine philosophies and suggestions. Their seeking for the highest place, the disposition to retaliate when their feelings got hurt, and the tendency to fight fire with fire were all derivatives from the adversary of souls. Let’s read:
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
At first glance it may seem as if Peter was looking out for Christ’s interests, but when we dig a little deeper we discover that all of the disciples had a longing for a first place in the kingdom, and all that they hoped it would entail. Now if Jesus was to be killed, as He had predicted, that would dash their hopes and dreams of worldly greatness to pieces, and in Peter’s mind, he would have none of it.
It’s worthy of note that satan was the author of the thought, and it was made audible through Peter, for the adversary had found a corresponding chord in his heart. In other words, the thoughts of the devil, and the thoughts of Peter were actually in sync at that moment, and thus, he was able to use Peter as his mouthpiece. Let’s read:
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
In swimming upstream, we will often need to take stock of ourselves to see if our thoughts are in sync with Christ or the serpent. Any thoughts of worldly grandeur and greatness do not emanate from the mind of Christ. In fact, the prosperity gospel that has become so popular in our day is a byproduct of serpentine philosophy and has nothing to do with the kingdom of God or His righteousness. Let’s read:
1st John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
The health/wealth prosperity gospel, which many Christians and evangelicals are subscribing to, will call for firm resistance from true Christians, since there is now a mad rush being made for riches, in high places and low. Health and wealth have been two of the most successful temptations, designed to cause us to lose focus and requires stern self-denial.
The issue of health was presented by satan in the wilderness of temptation to Christ, as His health suffered because of His hunger and long fast. Satan insinuated that a God of love would never leave His son to die of hunger; that there must be a better or more convenient way out of His predicament.
To turn stones into bread would have been easier than to starve, according to serpentine philosophy. But Christ showed us by His example that it is better to starve doing God’s will, than to take the broad road of eating bread, or any forbidden thing for that matter, contrary to God’s will. Let’s read:
Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
However, when this failed, the adversary finally turned to wealth, by presenting the kingdoms of this world in all their grandeur and riches. And just as it was in days gone by, so it is now, for a careful scrutiny will reveal that the bulk of advertisements on TV, radio, and on the internet have to do with health, wealth, and material things. The very same advertisements were also presented to Christ. Let’s read:
Matthew 4: 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
These very two concerns were at the forefront of the minds of the people in Christ’s day, and when it was discovered that Jesus had the power to supply both, multitudes began to follow. Even the disciples themselves were not immune to the health/wealth gospel, because the Messiah which they expected was often portrayed as coming to bless His people with power, wealth, and deliverance. Let’s read:
John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
We don’t know how Andrew, Peter’s brother knew exactly how many loaves and fishes were in the boy’s lunch bag, for to give a correct number one would have to do some counting. But let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. Suffice it to say that our focus in the kingdom of God should never be on the loaves and fishes, as is so often the case. Let’s read:
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
[The Desire of Ages. pp 377] That crowning act is the assurance that the long-looked-for Deliverer is among them. The hopes of the people rise higher and higher. This is He who will make Judea an earthly paradise, a land flowing with milk and honey. He can satisfy every desire. He can break the power of the hated Romans. He can deliver Judah and Jerusalem. He can heal the soldiers who are wounded in battle. He can supply whole armies with food. He can conquer the nations and give to Israel the long-sought dominion.
John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
Christians who desire to live victoriously in our day will have deliberate choices to make as it pertains to self-denial, an indispensable crucible incidental to following Christ. To go with the natural flow of human propensity and inclination will be a recipe for disaster and will cause those who subscribe to such teachings to end up in never land.
Grace, as well as supernatural power is promised to all who would seek them earnestly, but we must have a sense of our frailty, and inability to save our own selves. Whenever those inherited or cultivated tendencies to evil begin to tug at our heart strings, or wherever we may see ourselves prone to taking the broad easy way out, let us remember that the way of salvation was paved in self-denial.
It’s not enough for us to accept Christ nominally, for the kingdom of God within our hearts is to produce a new man, woman, boy, and girl. A study of God’s word everyday will give us an active reference point to discern between right and wrong, good and evil, and between truth and error.
But prayer and supplication to God will deliver the much needed grace and strength to help us in time of need and will aid us in the development of those habits, dispositions and attitudes which will become second nature over time. Thus, in closing we exhort everyone to take up his/her cross, following where Christ alone has led the way. Let’s read:
2nd Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1st Corinthians 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
God Bless!