Today I will just be answering some questions about this subject.
I understand to put God number 1 in my life but will I be judged over not giving up my Job ? I am confused here! Are you trying to say that I have to pay a penalty when I get to heaven for the things that I do in the world that I should give up, when its apart of survival?
Let me answer the second question first. We need to realize first of all that there are two different groups of people that we're talking about. Mainly when I write, I'm talking to people who are really saved and not to those who aren't. Unfortunately though there are a great many people who call themselves Christian and really don't have a clue what it means to be a Christian. I do write for them as well at times because I'm concerned that they discover the Truth and get themselves really saved.
For you personally, you are saved and you know it. Therefore your sins are all covered by Jesus and you will not be judged for any of your sins. Continuing to work at your job is not a sin. The only ways I can imagine it being a sin would be if the Lord specifically told you that He did not want you to work there, or if by working there you were having to act in a way that was not consistent with your faith.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
The above verses show us first that God expects us all to work. Now, before I get blasted by stay at home mom's, let me assure you that staying at home and caring for children and your husband is indeed work! I know, I did it too! God also tells us though that no matter who tells us to do or say something that if it contradicts God's Will for us then we are to obey Him and not the person who gave us the contradictory order regardless of who they are or what position they hold in society or in our lives.
for the things that I do in the world that I should give up, when its apart of survival?
First of all the Lord would not ask you to give up something that you need for survival as you say. Yes, He does ask some of us to give up a job at our place of employment sometimes. He may ask it because the place isn't good for us for some reason, or because He wants us to be someplace else, or for any number or reasons; but when He asks (commands) us to give up our job or leave a place of employment, it is not going to affect our survival. Why? Because He will make sure that we have whatever we need to survive--be it another job, or perhaps even being our provision financially Himself, or whatever. He loves us and His plans for us are good, so why would He ask you to do something that would ultimately hurt you? The trick is that when He does ask us to do something that we think is "bad", like giving up our job, we have to trust Him. We have to know that He will take care of us if we obey Him.
This is probably one of the hardest lessons I had to learn personally when I got hurt and became disabled. I loved my job! I wanted to work! I was horrified when the doctors insisted that I couldn't work any longer. In fact I even accused some of being in on some kind of scam with the insurance companies or something because I just "knew" that I could still work. Guess what? They were right and I was wrong. I begged and pleaded with God to let me work, and He simply kept saying "No". I applied for jobs anyway disobeying Him. Of course I used the excuse that "maybe I wasn't hearing Him correctly" or some drivel like that. I even got one finally. The man hired me on the spot. In that instant, I knew that I had to choose who/what I was going to follow. Would I do what "I wanted", or would I obey the Lord and not take the job? I had to obey the Lord. I felt totally humiliated but I admitted my sin to the gentleman who had just hired me and asked his forgiveness explaining that the Lord had said that I was not to work any more. Amazingly he understood and forgave me and I went back home.
There I confessed to the Lord and repented of my sin. I told Him how terribly scared I was because we needed money. He explained through His Word that I needed to trust Him, because He would be our provision. He reminded me that our pay checks and our jobs, our insurance, all those kinds of things, were not where our provision was really coming from. Instead we had to know that ultimately it came from Him and that the flow wouldn't stop just because my pay check wasn't going to be there anymore.
I didn't really understand, but I did know that I could trust Him. Since that day He has taken care of us just as He said He would. This year has been a reminder to me of that lesson because my husband got laid off work at the end of January and still hasn't found a job. Yet the Lord is still providing for us, and I know He always will. Again, I don't have a clue how He does it, just that whatever He does works and that's enough for me.
So after all that, are you holding on to something the Lord has asked you to give up because you think you need it for survival or did you somehow think that the Lord wanted everyone to give up their jobs for Him?
As far as getting penalties go, no there's no penalties, unless you would consider not getting a reward a penalty. Our sins are paid for so the only "judgment" we have coming is one where we will receive rewards for our work for Him. So if you didn't do something He asked you to do, then you wouldn't get the reward for it is all.
Mainly what I was trying to get across especially for those who are "Christians in name only" is that following Christ, being saved, involves sacrifice. That there is more to it then simply saying the sinners prayer and then continuing on with life as always.
How are we supposed to know what our cross is? Should it be known to us? Is it a single thing or multiple things?
Luke 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
I think maybe it would be helpful here to understand what the disciples understood when Jesus said to them that they had to pick up their cross daily or they couldn't be his disciples. Remember, He said this to them before His own execution so they didn't know at the time that He would be crucified.
It was understood in those days when the Roman Empire had people carry their crosses to the execution site, that it was done as a way of making the person admit that the Roman Empire was correct and right to sentence them to death. It was their way of publicly showing that Rome was right and they were wrong. Now, obviously Jesus was not saying that his disciples had to confess that Rome was right and they were wrong. Instead, He included the "and follow me" to show that they were to make a public admittance that He is right; that He is the way the truth and the life.
A cross in those days meant death period. People did not generally survive that experience. For Jesus to say to them to pick up their cross it meant that following Him could be very dangerous to their health for one thing. It also was a public display so Jesus was saying that they needed to be willing to let the world know who was first in their lives. It was a public admission and acknowledgment that you would follow Jesus wherever He led you, even to death if it was His Will.
For us, carrying our cross means daily identifying ourselves with Him, with all He did for us, and a total surrender to His Will for us. It means always remembering that we are not our own, we belong to Christ because He bought us with the precious price of His blood, His life, and because of that we totally submit to His authority and Lordship over our lives. We don't do what we want each day. We do what He wants. Our cross is giving up our lives and living only for Him.
We do often use the expression of carrying our cross and by that are usually referring to something specific the Lord has asked of us and usually that thing is perceived by the world to be "bad".
For example, you could say that one of my crosses to bear is living with chronic pain. Most people would agree that this isn't pleasant and they're right it's not. However, for those of us who do bear this cross, (or any other one) there is much joy in it too and I have to say that the joy far outweighs the physical pain.
So does that mean that all bad things in our lives are our crosses to bear. No, not really. Bad things happen all the time because of sin in the world and they're just that, bad things. A cross however is something specifically happening for or due to the Lord or our faith.
I think that one of the crosses we bear is the one of knowing just how vile we are and what the Lord had to go through for us. It's when we learn there is much more to "sin" then simply not breaking the 10 commandments. As we become more intimately involved with the Lord personally, as we get to know Him better, we see ourselves more clearly and it's usually not a very pleasant experience. When you read all the things Paul wrote, you can clearly see his experience of this.
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
and
1 Timothy 1:13-17 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Sometimes our cross can be our pride; pride in ourselves, our accomplishments, our knowledge, or even our pride in our Christian walk. It could be knowing that people are making fun of you for your faith or even lying about you. It might be having to give up getting or doing something that you really want because the Lord has said "no". It might be moving away from a home that you thought would always be yours because the Lord has told you to go elsewhere. The cross or crosses we bear can be multiple or single and we can know what they are. Obviously, if we are not in constant communion with Him, always talking to Him and listening to Him, then we won't even know when He has said "no" to something because we haven't asked. If we haven't asked, then how can we be living for Him? If anyone isn't aware of what their cross is, they need only to ask the Lord and He will explain it much better then I ever could.
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Colossians 1:9-11 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I hope I answered your questions Brad. If I misunderstood please feel free to let me know and I'll give it another try!
