Our paragraph topic is: (Opposition foretold) Part 4.
Christ has told his disciples that they are to beware of men. The disciples do not know the hearts of men the way that Christ does. They are not able to see into the hearts of men. The are not able to see the deep seated evil that lurks therein. They do not know the things that men conceive from the depths of their hearts. So Christ warns them to beware of men. He tells them that they will be delivered up. He tells them that men will scourge them in their synagogues and temples. And mostly men will have them brought before governors and kings as a witness to Christ.
Why will these things happen? Why do men do the things that they do? Fear rules in the hearts of men. They do not know how to accept the things that men of God will do. They are not able to accept the miracles that their eyes will witness. They are not able to listen to the words that the disciples will preach. They cannot open their hearts to the message that will be preached by the disciples of Christ. So they will bring them before the governors and kings for judgement. They will bring them before governors and kings for discernment. They will deliver them to kings and governors to determine the acceptance of the words that are contrary to the set beliefs established by the rulers.
This is the battle, the minds and hearts of men. This is the war. And the established rulers are the judges. They are the ones who will decide if this new teaching will be accepted by all. They are the ones who will judge the words of the disciples. They are the ones who have the final say in the matter of changes that will take place in the life of the common people. And they are the ones that the forces of darkness have established their rule with. This is a spiritual battle. The spirits of darkness rule the minds and hearts of men. The spirits of darkness have established their rule in the governors and kings and thereby over most of the people. There are those who do not follow the masses. There are those who adhere to the laws passed down by Moses. There are those who have the spark of life within their hearts and will accept the message of Christ. These are the lost sheep of the house of Israel. There are those that the seed of the word will fall upon fertile ground and produce fruit. But the battle will be won in the hearts and minds of the people as they are ruled by the kings and governors of the land.
Just as then, 2000 years ago, the same is true today. Men are delivered before the kings and governors to be judged. Rules are passed contrary to the preachings handed down by Christ. In the land of freedom, laws must be passed so that the freedoms of all peoples are protected, even the freedoms of the evil one. Therefore, one cannot pray in the schools because the evil one may be offended and the rights of those who do not practice prayer or those who do not believe in the one true God may be transgressed. Therefore, one cannot speak of the biblical teachings of marriage because the evil one may be offended and the rights of those who believe in a different marriage may be transgressed. The battle is in the minds and hearts of men and women and we must beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the rulers, the kings, the governors, the supervisors, the managers, the alpha dogs, the bully on the job, as a witness for the sake of Christ. For the evil one rules in the minds of men. Will you be afraid when you are delivered up for the sake of Christ?
Christ has told his disciples that they are to beware of men. The disciples do not know the hearts of men the way that Christ does. They are not able to see into the hearts of men. The are not able to see the deep seated evil that lurks therein. They do not know the things that men conceive from the depths of their hearts. So Christ warns them to beware of men. He tells them that they will be delivered up. He tells them that men will scourge them in their synagogues and temples. And mostly men will have them brought before governors and kings as a witness to Christ.
Why will these things happen? Why do men do the things that they do? Fear rules in the hearts of men. They do not know how to accept the things that men of God will do. They are not able to accept the miracles that their eyes will witness. They are not able to listen to the words that the disciples will preach. They cannot open their hearts to the message that will be preached by the disciples of Christ. So they will bring them before the governors and kings for judgement. They will bring them before governors and kings for discernment. They will deliver them to kings and governors to determine the acceptance of the words that are contrary to the set beliefs established by the rulers.
This is the battle, the minds and hearts of men. This is the war. And the established rulers are the judges. They are the ones who will decide if this new teaching will be accepted by all. They are the ones who will judge the words of the disciples. They are the ones who have the final say in the matter of changes that will take place in the life of the common people. And they are the ones that the forces of darkness have established their rule with. This is a spiritual battle. The spirits of darkness rule the minds and hearts of men. The spirits of darkness have established their rule in the governors and kings and thereby over most of the people. There are those who do not follow the masses. There are those who adhere to the laws passed down by Moses. There are those who have the spark of life within their hearts and will accept the message of Christ. These are the lost sheep of the house of Israel. There are those that the seed of the word will fall upon fertile ground and produce fruit. But the battle will be won in the hearts and minds of the people as they are ruled by the kings and governors of the land.
Just as then, 2000 years ago, the same is true today. Men are delivered before the kings and governors to be judged. Rules are passed contrary to the preachings handed down by Christ. In the land of freedom, laws must be passed so that the freedoms of all peoples are protected, even the freedoms of the evil one. Therefore, one cannot pray in the schools because the evil one may be offended and the rights of those who do not practice prayer or those who do not believe in the one true God may be transgressed. Therefore, one cannot speak of the biblical teachings of marriage because the evil one may be offended and the rights of those who believe in a different marriage may be transgressed. The battle is in the minds and hearts of men and women and we must beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the rulers, the kings, the governors, the supervisors, the managers, the alpha dogs, the bully on the job, as a witness for the sake of Christ. For the evil one rules in the minds of men. Will you be afraid when you are delivered up for the sake of Christ?
