Blessings are often thought by many in the modern western Church to be that for oneself to enjoy. However, that is only a half-truth, and is a very dangerous half-truth.
Many Christians think that having a new car, big house, or high income is a sign of God's favour to them. They think such is a blessing, and therefore for them to enjoy for themselves, and their own lives on earth. Such is an extremely self-centred, selfish and prideful mindset. It assumes that one has what one has because one deserves it, when all things are given by God's grace:
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).
Note how James 1:17 refers to good gifts, and not entitlements or rights. People may be obliged by God on their own part to treat people in the right way or conduct themselves in right way towards others. However, the good which comes from the righteousness of others in the way they a person is grace. Such goodness which results is not deserved at all by the person receiving such goodness. As such, it is not by right that such goodness is bestowed part of the recipient, but by grace. However, on part of the person from which such goodness is to come, it is by obligation, that is, the obligation to obey the Law of God which hinges on agape love (Matthew 22:36-40).
Many Christians too often have an extremely consumeristic mindset as to what a blessing is. It is truly despicable, disgusting and repulsive. A blessing given to a person by God, is not only by His grace. It is given by God with responsibilities attached to it, which the recipient is obliged to exercise to the good of others, in genuine self-sacrificing love (Matthew 25;14-30; Luke 19:11-27; Romans 12:9). Therefore, in the same way that prayer is a dangerous activity to the person praying, receiving many blessings is dangerous to the person who receives such blessings.
This understanding of what a blessing is indeed a radical one, one which many find hard to accept, if not despise. Many in the modern western Church despise such a view of blessings because it totally exposes their self-centred, consumerist and utterly wrong view on blessings. They think that a blessing is given to God as a reward for their works, as if they deserve it. However, this is utterly wrong. If one is totally undeserving of Salvation, how can one's blessings received by God's grace be deserved, and therefore a reward for one's works.
Even those who could be said to be most deserving of so-called rewards for their sacrifice for the Kingdom of God were not to receive such things for themselves, but to advance in a life of self-denial:
Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
(1 Corinthians 9:1-8).
You may still say that you deserve your rewards for serving God. However, this is a work-based idea, as well as one which provides great excuse for antinomianism itself. It is to say that you serve God for the rewards, and not because He is to be feared, adored, loved and revered, implying that if there are no rewards, then one need not serve God.
The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 is a parable about who is a good and bad servant of God. The good servant does not squander the talents, that is, blessings, that God has given to him. He faithfully uses them to serve God, as opposed to using them for himself to consume or indulge in (Matthew 25:20-23).
In contrast, the bad servant not only squanders the blessings that God gives to him, but uses it for himself by hiding it under the ground because he does not want to use it to bless others, thereby serving God (Matthew 25:24-27). Such a servant had a self-centred mindset, in thinking that what he is given by God is that which he is entitled to, such that he need not serve God in using the blessings God has given him to serve God and others.
The idea that a blessing God gives to one is for one's own consumption is abominable and despicable. Any blessing God gives to a person is by His grace, and if anything, is attached with responsibilities of stewardship on part of the recipient. This is not to say that one can't enjoy such blessings. Rather, it is that should one enjoy such blessings, it is only to be enjoyed in using such blessings to love God and others. This requires total self-denial, for that is precisely what the Christian life requires.
Jesus said that one must give up one's whole self to follow Him:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24).
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23).
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:27).
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:34-35).
Jesus said that one must hate all that one has, even one's own life to follow Him, hating one's life, treating it as nothing:
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:37).
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26).
This is indeed a radical hard teaching, which is absolutely serious. Jesus demands, not suggests, or advises, but demands of his followers total loyalty to Him, and Him alone. No other loyalty is absolute, as all loyalties a follower of Christ owes to others, whether it be to an earthly father, mother, husband, wife, child or friend, is subject to the loyalty to Christ. Not only are such loyalties subject to Christ, but that such loyalties to Christ are to be far far far greater to any such earthly loyalties one owes.
This means to not treat one's blessings as a so-called "right" God has given oneself to oneself to enjoy, but to enjoy to use in serving Christ and serving others, as manifestations of one's love of Christ and of others.
Many Christians think that having a new car, big house, or high income is a sign of God's favour to them. They think such is a blessing, and therefore for them to enjoy for themselves, and their own lives on earth. Such is an extremely self-centred, selfish and prideful mindset. It assumes that one has what one has because one deserves it, when all things are given by God's grace:
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).
Note how James 1:17 refers to good gifts, and not entitlements or rights. People may be obliged by God on their own part to treat people in the right way or conduct themselves in right way towards others. However, the good which comes from the righteousness of others in the way they a person is grace. Such goodness which results is not deserved at all by the person receiving such goodness. As such, it is not by right that such goodness is bestowed part of the recipient, but by grace. However, on part of the person from which such goodness is to come, it is by obligation, that is, the obligation to obey the Law of God which hinges on agape love (Matthew 22:36-40).
Many Christians too often have an extremely consumeristic mindset as to what a blessing is. It is truly despicable, disgusting and repulsive. A blessing given to a person by God, is not only by His grace. It is given by God with responsibilities attached to it, which the recipient is obliged to exercise to the good of others, in genuine self-sacrificing love (Matthew 25;14-30; Luke 19:11-27; Romans 12:9). Therefore, in the same way that prayer is a dangerous activity to the person praying, receiving many blessings is dangerous to the person who receives such blessings.
This understanding of what a blessing is indeed a radical one, one which many find hard to accept, if not despise. Many in the modern western Church despise such a view of blessings because it totally exposes their self-centred, consumerist and utterly wrong view on blessings. They think that a blessing is given to God as a reward for their works, as if they deserve it. However, this is utterly wrong. If one is totally undeserving of Salvation, how can one's blessings received by God's grace be deserved, and therefore a reward for one's works.
Even those who could be said to be most deserving of so-called rewards for their sacrifice for the Kingdom of God were not to receive such things for themselves, but to advance in a life of self-denial:
Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
(1 Corinthians 9:1-8).
You may still say that you deserve your rewards for serving God. However, this is a work-based idea, as well as one which provides great excuse for antinomianism itself. It is to say that you serve God for the rewards, and not because He is to be feared, adored, loved and revered, implying that if there are no rewards, then one need not serve God.
The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 is a parable about who is a good and bad servant of God. The good servant does not squander the talents, that is, blessings, that God has given to him. He faithfully uses them to serve God, as opposed to using them for himself to consume or indulge in (Matthew 25:20-23).
In contrast, the bad servant not only squanders the blessings that God gives to him, but uses it for himself by hiding it under the ground because he does not want to use it to bless others, thereby serving God (Matthew 25:24-27). Such a servant had a self-centred mindset, in thinking that what he is given by God is that which he is entitled to, such that he need not serve God in using the blessings God has given him to serve God and others.
The idea that a blessing God gives to one is for one's own consumption is abominable and despicable. Any blessing God gives to a person is by His grace, and if anything, is attached with responsibilities of stewardship on part of the recipient. This is not to say that one can't enjoy such blessings. Rather, it is that should one enjoy such blessings, it is only to be enjoyed in using such blessings to love God and others. This requires total self-denial, for that is precisely what the Christian life requires.
Jesus said that one must give up one's whole self to follow Him:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24).
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23).
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:27).
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:34-35).
Jesus said that one must hate all that one has, even one's own life to follow Him, hating one's life, treating it as nothing:
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:37).
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26).
This is indeed a radical hard teaching, which is absolutely serious. Jesus demands, not suggests, or advises, but demands of his followers total loyalty to Him, and Him alone. No other loyalty is absolute, as all loyalties a follower of Christ owes to others, whether it be to an earthly father, mother, husband, wife, child or friend, is subject to the loyalty to Christ. Not only are such loyalties subject to Christ, but that such loyalties to Christ are to be far far far greater to any such earthly loyalties one owes.
This means to not treat one's blessings as a so-called "right" God has given oneself to oneself to enjoy, but to enjoy to use in serving Christ and serving others, as manifestations of one's love of Christ and of others.
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