Our paragraph topic is: (The doctrine of the cross) Part 4.
Christ continues to address his disciples and the crowd on the value of the soul. For Satan has attempted to turn Christ around through the fears of Simon Peter. Through fear Peter took Christ aside. Through fear Peter spoke to Christ about the coming sacrifice. And it was through fear that Satan entered into Peter to move him to speak to Christ in an attempt to persuade him to change. But Christ saw the fear in Peter and he saw Satan acting through Peter in an attempt to prevent the sacrifice that was necessary to save mankind. For without the sacrifice mankind could not be justified. Without the sacrifice man could not be saved. Without the sacrifice man would remain dead, without spiritual life, without a soul. And Satan wanted man to continue in death, without justification, without sanctification, without life.
Christ came that man would have life and have it more abundantly. He came to sacrifice himself that the punishment of death would be lifted from mankind and man would be restored to new life in him. For his death and resurrection was the gift that demonstrated to mankind that there was a God who would overcome and restore life to all who believed. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world? What does it profit a man to save his physical life if he looses his soul? And here is the central point of what Christ was teaching, "What is the value of the soul?" He asked his disciples: "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Will we forsake our souls for profit? Will we kill to get ahead? Will we lie and cheat to get a promotion? Will we forgo all morals and principles to make that big deal happen, to increase our income one hundredfold? Will we steal to get the money that will give us a taste of the good life today? Will we seek revenge so that we may have justice in our hearts today or will we forgive knowing that justice belongs to God? Are we aware of the value of our souls?
The battle is before us and yet we are not aware of the impending doom. For we live in a world that teaches us, trains us, entertains us based upon the principles that would separate us from our souls. We are given examples daily of how we should live, how we can live, how we are missing out on what we should have to live, if only we accept the principles that are before us and go for it. Wouldn't you like to have more than enough money to pay your bills, keep a roof over your head, food on the table, buy nice clothes, afford a racy car, attract the women, enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer? Or wouldn't you like to make enough money that would allow you to live a life of luxury? We all would! All you have to do is accept what greed has to offer and follow in the footsteps of those who would lead you to prosperity, to luxury, to happiness, to bliss. These are the lines that fill our daily lives everywhere we look, see, hear, and they become ingrained into our subconsciousness. From cradle to grave we are led to believe that all that we are, can be, or will be, is in this world. And yet the world is dying and taking us along with it.
What is more valuable than our souls? What can a man give that is of greater value than his soul? Can we give paper money? Can we give gold or silver or some other metal that we deem precious? Or can we give diamonds and jewels that sparkle and glitter to the eye? What can we give that is of greater value? And yet we desire life and desire it more abundantly.
Our greatest desire is for peace and happiness. Our strongest passion is for love. And our physical life seeks to provide that which is not possible for it to give. We have a choice to make in life. Live in the world or live in Christ. Seek the pleasures of the world or seek the blessings of Christ. Awake from the sleep of desire or drown in the passion of death. For death will come when least expected. Death will take away all hope. Death will bring full awareness of the life of our decisions.
Life will restore faith. Life will bring joy. Life in Christ will open the heart to the peace of who you are and where you belong. Life in Christ will give new meaning to living in the world and living in heaven. For with new life comes knowledge. With new life comes awareness. With new life we awaken to the truth of who we are in Christ and gain knowledge of the spirit that he will give to us. We are aliens in this world encased in the physical house where we reside. And death is not to be feared.
Death is joy and happines, peace and love. For with it and through it we go home to our father, no longer being separated from the place that we know that we belong. So, life is now, but a journey in the love that Christ has to offer. For the Holy Spirit becomes our guide, leading us through the day to day obstacles that the world puts in our path in an attempt to turn us away from who we know that we are. Come! Follow that path set before you. I do not lead. I merely point in the direction, a voice crying in the wilderness. Christ awaits you. The Holy Spirit greets you.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in!
Christ continues to address his disciples and the crowd on the value of the soul. For Satan has attempted to turn Christ around through the fears of Simon Peter. Through fear Peter took Christ aside. Through fear Peter spoke to Christ about the coming sacrifice. And it was through fear that Satan entered into Peter to move him to speak to Christ in an attempt to persuade him to change. But Christ saw the fear in Peter and he saw Satan acting through Peter in an attempt to prevent the sacrifice that was necessary to save mankind. For without the sacrifice mankind could not be justified. Without the sacrifice man could not be saved. Without the sacrifice man would remain dead, without spiritual life, without a soul. And Satan wanted man to continue in death, without justification, without sanctification, without life.
Christ came that man would have life and have it more abundantly. He came to sacrifice himself that the punishment of death would be lifted from mankind and man would be restored to new life in him. For his death and resurrection was the gift that demonstrated to mankind that there was a God who would overcome and restore life to all who believed. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world? What does it profit a man to save his physical life if he looses his soul? And here is the central point of what Christ was teaching, "What is the value of the soul?" He asked his disciples: "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Will we forsake our souls for profit? Will we kill to get ahead? Will we lie and cheat to get a promotion? Will we forgo all morals and principles to make that big deal happen, to increase our income one hundredfold? Will we steal to get the money that will give us a taste of the good life today? Will we seek revenge so that we may have justice in our hearts today or will we forgive knowing that justice belongs to God? Are we aware of the value of our souls?
The battle is before us and yet we are not aware of the impending doom. For we live in a world that teaches us, trains us, entertains us based upon the principles that would separate us from our souls. We are given examples daily of how we should live, how we can live, how we are missing out on what we should have to live, if only we accept the principles that are before us and go for it. Wouldn't you like to have more than enough money to pay your bills, keep a roof over your head, food on the table, buy nice clothes, afford a racy car, attract the women, enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer? Or wouldn't you like to make enough money that would allow you to live a life of luxury? We all would! All you have to do is accept what greed has to offer and follow in the footsteps of those who would lead you to prosperity, to luxury, to happiness, to bliss. These are the lines that fill our daily lives everywhere we look, see, hear, and they become ingrained into our subconsciousness. From cradle to grave we are led to believe that all that we are, can be, or will be, is in this world. And yet the world is dying and taking us along with it.
What is more valuable than our souls? What can a man give that is of greater value than his soul? Can we give paper money? Can we give gold or silver or some other metal that we deem precious? Or can we give diamonds and jewels that sparkle and glitter to the eye? What can we give that is of greater value? And yet we desire life and desire it more abundantly.
Our greatest desire is for peace and happiness. Our strongest passion is for love. And our physical life seeks to provide that which is not possible for it to give. We have a choice to make in life. Live in the world or live in Christ. Seek the pleasures of the world or seek the blessings of Christ. Awake from the sleep of desire or drown in the passion of death. For death will come when least expected. Death will take away all hope. Death will bring full awareness of the life of our decisions.
Life will restore faith. Life will bring joy. Life in Christ will open the heart to the peace of who you are and where you belong. Life in Christ will give new meaning to living in the world and living in heaven. For with new life comes knowledge. With new life comes awareness. With new life we awaken to the truth of who we are in Christ and gain knowledge of the spirit that he will give to us. We are aliens in this world encased in the physical house where we reside. And death is not to be feared.
Death is joy and happines, peace and love. For with it and through it we go home to our father, no longer being separated from the place that we know that we belong. So, life is now, but a journey in the love that Christ has to offer. For the Holy Spirit becomes our guide, leading us through the day to day obstacles that the world puts in our path in an attempt to turn us away from who we know that we are. Come! Follow that path set before you. I do not lead. I merely point in the direction, a voice crying in the wilderness. Christ awaits you. The Holy Spirit greets you.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in!
