J.A. Matteson
Truly did the Lord Jesus speak just a short time earlier that it is imperative his followers watch and pray, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Mk. 14:38). For it was not long afterwords Peter's ears heard the accusing words, "This man is one of them" (Mk. 14:69) and he denied his Lord, later being restored to ministry after the resurrection (Jn. 21). After Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter would again be tested to the point if death, enduring his own cross. Church tradition holds he pleaded to be crucified upside down, as he proclaimed he was unworthy to die as his Lord did. As redemption history continues to unfold and the forces of evil increasingly seek the slaughter of the elect, it is essential God's children be diligent to watch and pray. Watch with sobriety of mind and spirit and be on your guard against the fallen rebellious world system, your own sinful flesh that temps you to sin, and the devil who daily accuses you. Prayerfully consider and pray now how you will respond if the time comes, for one day your physical life may be on the line and you may hear the words "This man is one of them." Recently twenty one Egyptian Christians heard those words of association resulting in their condemnation and murder on the Mediterranean shores of Libya at the hands of Islamic terrorists associated with ISIS. Reportedly, their final words while on their knees, seconds before the cold steel of a knife slit their throats, were, "Jesus, help us!" Had they in the final moments denied their Lord to save their heads they would have forfeited their souls. Behold the grace of God upon his children appointed to martyrdom. They neither flake nor flag, but entrust themselves to him who is just, knowing that one day he will avenge their demise. Apart from the grace of the Holy Spirit it would not be possible to withstand the instinct of the flesh toward self-preservation. Consider the Lord Jesus who endured not only public humiliation along with the awful physical pain of flogging and crucifixion, but the indescribable horror of drinking the cup of wrath of God for the sin of the world. When the Lord Jesus stated that "the one who endures to the end, he will be saved" (Matt. 24:13), he was not suggesting that a persons endurance under persecution was a means of attaining righteousness unto salvation, but that the righteoushess by grace through faith will, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, endure unto the end (death). While you would do well to decide beforehand how you might respond to the words of ultimatum, "That man is one of them", you need not worry about how you might muster the strength to endure what may follow, for God is faithful and will supply all the grace needed so that you will endure to the end, if in fact, God in his wisdom has appointed martyrdom for you.
Copyright (c) 2015 Immutable Word Ministries ("...the word of our God stands forever."). Isa. 40:8
Hi Jim.... received this post after it was read from where I posted it at Aletheou... Thanks... Tim H
ReplyDeleteThanks for this message Tim, it is something very much at the forefront of my mind at the moment. I suppose it hammers home to me how easy it is to forget the reality of our own position of being utterly reliant upon the grace of God for all our salvation.
So often we are encouraged to bolster ourselves with examples of the "heroes of the faith" we read of in the Bible,but the truth is their is only ONE hero and that is Christ! We as they all have our weaknesses to which we shall undoubtedly succumb apart from the grace of God. We all have our Bathsheba that we will flee to, or our desire for self preservation, or our hunger for riches, or pride in our achievements etc., or fill in your own vice right here. The truth is you WILL gladly surrender to it in a heartbeat given the opportunity. Hence the words in the Lord's prayer..."lead us not into temptation."
What is wonderful though, and this is red hot in my own mind right now, as long as you live and breathe, the Gospel remains alive and able to rescue you from every hopeless and helpless situation you may find yourself. Especially when you KNOW that the reason you are there is entirely down to YOU. Cry out to the Lord and He WILL save you once again without any hesitation or conditions. In fact, the very reason you are in that place of crying out to Him is of His own doing. So cry out!
If there's one thing I've learned recently it's this: You show me a hero of the faith in Scripture, and I will show you someone whose life went utterly pear shaped because of their sinful flesh. And it was only the grace of God that covered over that sin, rescuing their lives once again, and their reputation tp be recorded with favour for all time. If you are His and He is yours, never doubt that He will forgive you and rescue you regardless of your weakness, and swiftness to run into peril. But also know that when that time of temptation is crucial to your eternal salvation. That time when the cold knife is against your throat at the hands of the enemy. You WILL stand just as Peter did, and every other Christian martyr throughout time, and all through no strength of your own. For in that moment it is Christ who stands, not you. Praise God!