2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Because it is so illustrative of the point of works done in the flesh we will expand on the example of ministers preaching in the flesh. I want you to notice in the above quoted passage of scripture that the apostle Paul taught Timothy that the minister, who does not rightly divide the word of truth, will eventually be ashamed. So when will that minister eventually be ashamed of what he has taught? He will be ashamed when he stands before the Lord Jesus on that day and our Lord reveals to him that what he taught the church did not line up with God’s word. A wise minister of the gospel once said that he only taught what he knew, and if he found a verse of scripture that he did not understand then he left that scripture alone until God showed him what it meant. As mentioned by the apostle Paul, that approach requires the minister to study God’s word for themselves, relying on the Holy Spirit to teach them to rightly divide the word of truth. Rather than study the word for themselves however, too many ministers rely on what other men teach at bible seminaries, etc, where more often than not that which is taught are the traditions of men and fleshly wisdom and not the bible at all. Many of these ministers will stand ashamed before the Lord Jesus on that day, when they discover that their works of ministry were done in the flesh and not in the spirit. In the same manner many saints will stand ashamed before the Lord Jesus on that day when it is revealed to them how their lives were lived in pursuit of their own selfish ambitions i.e. the flesh, and how very little they accomplished being led by the Spirit.
Mark 7:6-9 “He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'this people honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (7) and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' (8) For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-- the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." (9) He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”
In the passage of scripture quoted above our Lord Jesus exposed the problem that had arisen in Israel, in that man’s traditions were being taught as doctrine instead of God’s word. Sadly the problem highlighted by the Lord Jesus is not only applicable to the Jews however, for that same problem is also applicable in many parts of the church. There are many traditions of men taught in the church today that reject the word of God thus making the word of God of no effect, and there are many born-again ministers in the church that refuse to give up their traditions, even when confronted with the truth of God’s word on the subject. All of those traditions and errors taught will be burned up on that day. And so even though the ministers that teach such errors in the church will be saved on that day, their works will nevertheless be burned up and they will suffer eternal loss. This problem is not limited to ministers of the gospel however, for many of the Lord’s saints prefer their traditions over God’s word, and even when confronted with the truth of God’s word rather hold onto the practicing of their traditions. All such works will be burned up on that day, thus impacting on the eternal inheritance of the saints.
Michael E.B. Maher
Yorumlar