Spirit of Prophecy
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered
into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Coffee Commentary on Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God,
Paul looks upon himself as a SERVANT who is called to be
an apostle. I visited a coffee house on the net recently where a man was introduced as the CHIEF apostle. What did Jesus say about those who wanted to be great?
“You know that those being accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be thus among you. Instead, whoever desires to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever desires to become first among you will be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
For Those with Children
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
From Matthew 18
A small Child
The hardest part of understanding this chapter is that it is blessed around the word brother.
Jesus uses a small child to make his parable.
He teaches that unless we are like a child we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
What is the Lord meaning?
I will do my best, but it will not come close to what the full meaning is.
There is no order in the list here but the little one sums up well.
First, a new believer in Christ.
That is the most challenging time for a born-again saint because of the pure joy they have in what God has done for them.
But satan is going to try to frighten them, distract them and confuse them.
They have enough trouble coming without a saint adding to it.
Putting a stumbling block in any way at them brings a woe from God.
Jesus is very clear and there is nothing confusing about it at all.
Causing a new Christian grief or problems is so bad in the eyes of our Father that there are angels in Heaven in the presence of our Father about this.
Each one has one it seems.
Jesus uses a millstone to give the example of the punishment that is deserved for it and a millstone is pretty big.
The second would be a small child.
Period.
Because they are innocent.
Hurting them in any way can cause them to not come to Jesus in an honest clean way.
How many abused children have become young adults and older people who wonder why anyone could be so evil as to have harmed them?
I am one.
I know how hard it is to trust.
Third can be people who are disabled who cannot understand the Gospel or the cross.
Harming them is as evil as harming a child.
They cannot understand who God is like we do.
But God loves them.
I do not believe they are lost if they cannot hear or see or understand who Jesus is.
The Lord meant them.
Finally, just our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Putting anything in a saints way when we know they have a weakness in faith is condemned.
It should be.
Paul took that one up by using food.
If you or I have liberty to do something that will spiritually harm a brother in Christ, we should not do it because it is hurting them.
It includes frightening them about works as well as their behaviors.
Many church leaders scare new converts into giving money or doing things to please God and mess them up badly.
Grace is reduced and fear replaces it.
Asking for the Holy Spirit is a true prayer to God and our Father will never refuse that!
Teaching a saint to wait or worse causing them to think the Holy Spirit is not in them is wrong.
Nobody “chases down “the Holy Spirit.
He is God!
Peter asks a good question at that point.
And this is where the error comes in.
He asks how many times he should forgive a brother…or sister…who sins against him.
The Lord is clear.
Unlimited!
70 times seven.
Meaning the perfect complete number God uses in scripture times infinite!!!
Because God sent His son when we were enemies.
But where is error?
The brother part.
Brother means brother.
A saint.
Not a person who is unsaved.
If they as unbelievers want forgiveness the Holy Spirit is dealing with them and we should never refuse them.
If they do not ask or try?
The Word says to have no fellowship with them because of their evil hearts.
Look at Paul’s letters and this runs through them all.
Have no fellowship with the world or darkness.
Meaning God haters.
But we can keep from having battles with them.
Lastly, Jesus gives the parable about parts of your body being plucked out or cast out if they offend.
Another confusing saying to many.
But it is simple.
If looking at something is going to cause harm to you or another do not look.
If walking somewhere is going to cause trouble for someone do not walk there.
On it goes.
It is clear that Jesus preached that if anyone causes problems for us by deliberately doing things that hurt us, especially when we are weak, It angers God.
We should keep these things in mind at all times because as we do, we will grow in caring for others more than ourselves.
As Jesus did.
This is not works without faith.
It is works from faith.
It is a very simple chapter but the enemy of man and God has twisted it and caused many problems.
It is up to us to look and see to be certain that these people are safe and allowed to walk in the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ
In Christ Jesus.
Amen.