Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
We return to the implications of Revelation 17:14: “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” The division between the evil opponents of Jesus and His people is presented to us in stark, absolute terms. Either we “make war with the Lamb,” or we “are with Him.” Clearly, then, we must not blur this distinction. Some Christians are uncomfortable with the compassionate command of II Corinthians 6:17: “’Wherefore come out from among them [unbelievers – see verses 14-16], and be ye separate,’ saith the Lord, ‘and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.’” Does this imperative mean that we are to have nothing to do with non-Christians? How are we to show them the message of eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, God the Son? The key is a correct understanding of the command, “Be ye separate.” A literal rendering of the original Greek text is most helpful: “Set boundaries.” In our most profound relationships (including marriage, close friendships, business partnerships, church affiliations, and others), we must be exceedingly circumspect. We cannot permit the enemies of Jesus to have influence in our lives. He has called us to be “with Him”; there is no better place to be than on the right side of the boundary that Jesus has established.