THE PASTOR'S PEN
by Stephen
Benton
Let's go back to the scripture in
Luke 14:28-33" For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
In this segment Jesus makes it clear that discipleship requires some careful forethought. I have a problem with preachers who try to convince someone to get saved the first time they meet the person. My philosophy is let them come for a few Sundays and give them time to make up their minds about following Christ. It is not a frivolous decision or one to be entered into lightly. Salvation is free. You can come without money but if you expect to lay hold to eternal life, it will cost you. What is heaven worth? What is it worth not to ever grow old? What is it worth to not ever have another pain, hurt or sorrow? What is it worth to be in the presence of God forever?
This morning I expect to go into the book of Philippians and focus on the following verse unless the Holy Ghost dictates otherwise.
"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:14
This entire contest, starting at verse one, picks up the theme of the bible class regarding the flesh and the saw. The Church has always been plagued with those who preach legalism as an addition to salvation and as I pointed out in the class in Galatians, that the children of the bondwoman (the law) always persecute the children of the free woman (promise.) When they unleash their persecution on you, you can always count on them to point out something external about you that they consider to be a violation, usually in accordance with their own personal law. The merging of legalism with salvation by faith negates the message of salvation by grace through faith. Either Jesus paid the full price of redemption or else we have been left with a balance that we must work off through fleshly effort. Salvation by grace does not give one a license to sin. It should motivate one to put off the sins of the flesh because of the unmerited favor of God's bestowal of righteousness without works based solely on one's faith.
We cannot trust the works of the flesh with one iota of our salvation because the flesh has been proven to be untrustworthy. Paul states that fact clearly in verse three:
"For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
God himself made a definitive statement about flesh in Genesis, chapter six.
"And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh."
Man being flesh was reason enough for God to destroy him because the flesh cannot be rehabilitated, perfected, improved or anything else positive. God determined to drown all flesh the first time and the next time he destroys it the job will be done with fire. Don't expect the flesh to cooperate with the Holy Ghost within you. We are engaged in a trench warfare; hand to hand combat, the Spirit warring against the flesh.
Paul told us that he was in the business of pressing toward the mark, bearing down on the goal, pursuing on for the prize of the call from above of God which is in Christ Jesus. May God clearly elucidate this truth to you from His word this morning.
Written by Pastor Stephen Benton in
THE WEEKLY
WORD OF THE HOUSE OF GOOD NEWS
To
read more current revelations from Pastor Steve, check out his book published
September of 2017 on Amazon.com
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