Luke 21:16-18 KJV
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
The Jews were conditioned to hear a prophet speak of things that bare future so to hear Christ speak of future events in Jerusalem was par for their understanding of the ministry of the prophet/preacher. We are so conditioned today after hearing two thousand years of Bible preaching, to expect passages like this one.
But this passage is startling to say the least. Jesus said in practically the same breath that they would be killed and that not a hair from their head should perish.
• Was Jesus confused?
• Was He speaking out of both sides of His mouth like some politician? or
• Did Jesus say exactly what He meant to say?
I take number three. And I take it to mean that perishing is something other than and even after death. We must never forget that. The message of the Bible, though set in this world and having benefit to this world, is a message about what happens after death. It addresses the other world. People like today's Joel Osteen deceive their congregations. They lull their followers into a false sense of spiritual security by filling their minds with self help fluff while omitting the weightier and much more important topics. Honestly, given the fact that Christ Himself preached of both heaven and hell do we really want our best life now? So what if a person is able to manipulate himself into thirty or forty years of earthly wonder? (I am supposing an adult who gets hold of an Osteen type book and is successful in obtaining that best life now. Suppose that he is thirty when he succeeds in obtaining that life and lives his average seventy years.) What would those few years be worth if in all of eternal life, His life is less? Suppose there is forty years of blessing followed by eternal hell? Suppose he is saved, but His focus on his best life now means in heaven he is saved yet so as by fire? Would you really want heaven to be worse than forty years of health and prosperity? Jesus mocked those who already have their reward. No true Christian could seek such a thing.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
The Jews were conditioned to hear a prophet speak of things that bare future so to hear Christ speak of future events in Jerusalem was par for their understanding of the ministry of the prophet/preacher. We are so conditioned today after hearing two thousand years of Bible preaching, to expect passages like this one.
But this passage is startling to say the least. Jesus said in practically the same breath that they would be killed and that not a hair from their head should perish.
• Was Jesus confused?
• Was He speaking out of both sides of His mouth like some politician? or
• Did Jesus say exactly what He meant to say?
I take number three. And I take it to mean that perishing is something other than and even after death. We must never forget that. The message of the Bible, though set in this world and having benefit to this world, is a message about what happens after death. It addresses the other world. People like today's Joel Osteen deceive their congregations. They lull their followers into a false sense of spiritual security by filling their minds with self help fluff while omitting the weightier and much more important topics. Honestly, given the fact that Christ Himself preached of both heaven and hell do we really want our best life now? So what if a person is able to manipulate himself into thirty or forty years of earthly wonder? (I am supposing an adult who gets hold of an Osteen type book and is successful in obtaining that best life now. Suppose that he is thirty when he succeeds in obtaining that life and lives his average seventy years.) What would those few years be worth if in all of eternal life, His life is less? Suppose there is forty years of blessing followed by eternal hell? Suppose he is saved, but His focus on his best life now means in heaven he is saved yet so as by fire? Would you really want heaven to be worse than forty years of health and prosperity? Jesus mocked those who already have their reward. No true Christian could seek such a thing.
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