Just like you can’t be a little bit pregnant, you can’t pick and choose what commandments and what truths Jesus spoke that you’ll follow.
Video Transcript
Hi there! Welcome back to Daily Bible Promises with a Twist. And today, as always, we’re going to start off by reading one verse in the New International Version. John 8:31, “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching you really are my disciples.'”
So, let’s put that into context.And we’re going to read from the Message Bible today because I like the conversational tone that the Message chooses to use in this particular passage. Jesus was not being confronted by the group of Jews who were asking him questions. They were simply asking him questions, they weren’t questioning him. And in return, Jesus was sharing with them but not in a confrontational way. So we’re going to be reading. John 8, verse 28 to 32, in the Message translation.
“‘When you raise up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am, that I’m not making this up but I’m speaking only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me stays with me. He doesn’t abandon me. He sees how much joy I take in pleasing him.’ When he put it in these terms. Many people decided to believe. Then Jesus turned to the Jews who claimed to believe in him. ‘If you stick with this living out what I tell you. you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourself the truth. And the truth will free you.'”
You’ve probably run across a few people, and perhaps you’re one of those few people, who really like some of the teachings of Jesus. You think His teachings on love and compassion and not judging really are wonderful things and if the Christian church would just get their act together and forget about all the other stuff that Jesus said that sounds a little bit judgmental then maybe you would follow Christ.
In the same way that it’s impossible to be a little bit pregnant, it is impossible to be an “I’ll just pick whatever I want to choose to believe in” follower of Jesus. It’s all or nothing. You are either His disciple and you are obeying the things that He taught you, or you’re not His disciple. You may really admire Jesus. What a swell guy. Gee, He said some good things. Ah, He said a few things that I totally disagree with so we’ll just brush those under the carpet and pretend that Jesus never said those things. No that will not work.
If you want to experience true freedom and complete freedom, and live an abundant life; body, soul, and spirit then you need to decide to believe Jesus. Take Him at His word. Follow His teachings and obey His teachings, and I guarantee you that you will find freedom in your heart and in your emotions that you have never experienced before.
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©2018 Katherine Walden
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