by David J. Stewart | March 2016
Mark 8:38, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Please notice, if you will, in our text
Bible verse that the focus is on being ashamed “OF ME” and “MY WORDS,” that
is, Jesus Christ (the living Word of God) and the Holy Bible (the written
Word of God). Are you ashamed of the Word of God? And the reason why is
clearly specified, because of “THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION.” You
see, if a believer who walks with God and loves the Bible, they won't have
any problem publicly confessing their support, love and agreement with the
precious Savior. It is the sinful world that hates Jesus Christ, because He
is against sin. John 7:7, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.”
Although a person is not required to depart from sin to be saved, the Bible is clear that a love for sin compels people not to come to the light of the Gospel to be saved:
John 3:19-21, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
This is where repentance comes into the picture of salvation. When a person repents (i.e., changes their mind), they acknowledge that they are a guilty sinner in the eyes of God:
Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
A person who doesn't repent will never come to Jesus Christ to be saved. But “repentance” means “to think differently,” not to turn away from sinful bad habits or reform one's sinful ways. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit (Who permanently comes to live inside the believer's body at the time of salvation - 1st Corinthians 3:16-17) that brings changes into a new believer's life, not the believer himself (Galatians 2:20 - All Scripture references are only from King James Bible).
There
is much heresy in religious films. I recently watched the 2002 religious
film titled, “Time Changer,” in which the leading actor, Carlisle, at the end of the
film preaches a sermon to a modern church congregation. In his sermon
he states, and I quote: “We know that the Lord will not save a man whom He cannot
command.” What a demonic lie! The film directs the viewer to follow Jesus
as both “Savior and Lord”
of their life to be saved. That is NOT the Biblical Gospel. It is a lie of
Satan to say that Jesus won't save a person whom He cannot command. That is
not the free gift of God, which is received by faith alone. The film “Time
Changer” teaches works salvation. If a person must yield control of their
life over to God to be saved, then salvation ceases to be a gift and becomes
a reward. The truth is that modern apostate preachers are
confusing
Salvation with Discipleship!
Our text verse in Mark 8:38 teaches why people
are ashamed of Jesus, that is, because of the wickedness of the world. The
“world” has always rejected Christianity. The “world” is the enemy of God
(James 4:4). The “world” has always been a sinful place (1st John 5:19). The
god of this “world” is Satan (2nd Corinthians 4:4). Hence, worldly believers
are ashamed of Jesus because they fear rejection, persecution and contempt
from the world. John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would
love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I
have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
This is why many celebrities and successful people in the world, who are
truly saved, are too embarrassed to identify with the holy name of Jesus.
They dread the thought of wearing a religious label. They dread the
Christian stigma.
Loving the Lord Jesus Christ Above All Else and Becoming His “Disciple”
Albeit, when a believer grows spiritually (and few ever do) to the place in their Christian walk, where their faith in God surpasses their love for the praise of men, only then will they boldly stand with Jesus Christ and be willing to suffer persecution. 2nd Timothy 3:12-13, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” The wicked world embrace each other as Jesus said in John 15:19a, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own.” All of the world's Rock 'N' Roll bands, worldly entertainers, heathen politicians, ungodly Hollywood and the secular media, buddy-buddy with each other. When they speak of “love,” they mean sinful compromise. When a God-fearing, fundamentalist, Bible preacher denounces the sins of homosexuality, abortion, Rock music, Communism, taking the Lord's name in vain, unisex, the lies of evolution, adultery, public nudity, occultism and booze, he is accused of preaching hatred and bigotry. Don Henley of The Eagles refers to fundamentalist Bible-preachers as God's Bullies.
Please understand the difference between SALVATION verses DISCIPLESHIP. Many pastors and preachers today have been deceived by the Devil, caught between grace and works. For example: Pastor Robert Morris of the apostate Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas errantly teaches, “You must, must, must, yield control. He is either Lord of all or He's not Lord at all. He doesn't take second place. He doesn't play games.” Ladies and gentleman, that is a satanic doctrine of devils!!! Works do not save and are not necessary for salvation. Here's a great presentation exposing Robert Morris and the heresy of Lordship Salvation.
A good way to summarize the heresy of Lordship Salvation is with the acronym:
C = Commitment to Christ
O = Obedience to Christ
P = Perseverance in obedience to Christ
“COP” (as at relates to a police officer originated from centuries ago when they were called “Constable On Patrol.” It's a good analogy of Lordship Salvation, because it is a legalistic heresy which requires KEEPING GOD'S LAW to be saved. Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Here again we learn the wonderful truth that the PURPOSE of God's law is to make men aware of their sinful condition, pointing them toward the dear Savior to be forgiven and cleansed of all sins. 1st John 1:7-8, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Notice that the emphasis in 1st John 1:7 is upon “fellowship,” not salvation. The person who denies being a sinner is unsaved.
For those who are truly saved, it is only by Christ's precious blood that we are washed of our iniquities. Don't believe anyone, like Pastor Robert B. Thieme Jr. (1918-2009) in Texas, who teaches that Jesus' blood does not save; but rather, it is merely Christ's DEATH that saves us. The Bible plainly echoes repeatedly that it is THE BLOOD of the Lamb that washes away our sins:
1st Peter 1:18-21, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”
In an interview with Mitchell Glazer, Don Henley (who says he grew up Southern Baptist) called Pastor Jerry Falwell and fundamental preachers who preach against sin, “GOD'S BULLIES!” Evidently Don Henley thinks Christians and preachers ought to shut up, remain silent about wickedness in society and constrain their views only within the church walls. Meanwhile, the Rock music crowd relentlessly tries to turn our innocent youth into dead Janis Joplins, Amy Winehouses, Elvis Presleys and Jim Morrisons (all who died of drug and/or alcohol overdoses). I don't want more youth to turn into dead Keith Moons. Even in the new documentary of the Eagles, Joe Walsh is a slush, awash with alcohol. He couldn't even stay sober to do an interview. His eyes are glazed over with the look of death. This is the legacy of the Rock music industry. Here's a shocking documentary about the evils of Rock music, called ROCKUMENTARY. The Eagles, just as all Rock bands, are part of a satanic music industry.
When we're all younger, we tend to take things for granted, simply because we don't have enough life's experience yet. Albeit, there ought to come a time of Christian growth in every believer's life, usually after decades of much pain, loss, heartbreak and sorrow, that the Lord Jesus Christ becomes so much sweeter than anything in comparison! I love the hymns titled, “Sweeter As The Years Go By” and “There's Within My Heart A Melody (He Keeps Me Singing).” As Brother Roloff used to say, “You'll never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have left!” Amen Brother!
Here are three sobering Scriptures concerning being a DISCIPLE of Jesus Christ:
Luke 14:26, “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 14:27, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:33, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
Wow! To be one of Christ's “disciples” requires forsaking everything that you own in this temporary life. I looked up the word “disciple” and it comes from the Greek word mathetes, which means, “a learner, that is, pupil.” A “disciple” is someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another. But first, a new believer must learn the doctrines of Christ in order to teach others. We read in The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” We draw people into the Church with Christ's love, and then we attack them to the truth.
The Great Commission is fourfold: (1) Go into all the world, (2) Preach the Gospel, (3) Water baptize converts as a public profession of their faith, (4) Indoctrinate them with the Word of God, so they can bear much fruit and reproduce (Luke 8:15). It is this fourth command in The Great Commission that is called “discipleship.” The reason why we have so many shallow Christian testimonies in America today is because churches don't fully obey The Great Commission, failing to teach converts or mentor them to become soulwinners! God intended for “The Great Commission” to perpetuate the New Testament Church!
It also requires hating everyone and everything in this life in comparison to your love for God. That's why I preach hard and uncompromising like I do, making enemies all around the world. I surely don't want enemies and that has never been my intention, but I love God more than anyone or everything in this world, and I'm going to preach and teach Jesus Christ, and THE TRUTH about everything, even if it costs me everything including my own life!!! Amen and amen! Also, to follow Jesus and become His disciple means bearing a cross. A cross is what you are crucified upon. Hence, if you truly want to be one of Christ's disciples.
The following passage of Scripture applies to all Christians:
Mark 8:34-38, “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. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Jesus was speaking to Christian believers in Mark 8:34-38. Jesus was NOT giving a plan of salvation. You don't get “born-again” by following Jesus! You get born-again by “the hearing of faith” (Galatians 3:2), that is, believing the Gospel message (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Just because Jesus is ashamed of you does not mean you don't have the gift of eternal life. God is not proud of all His children. Some believers bring great reproach upon the Lord's name, never repent, and live in sin until the day they die. We see this evidenced in the unfortunately lives of Lot, Samson, Solomon, Saul, Demas, Ananias and Sapphira, et cetera. Not all believers surrender to follow Jesus as one of His disciples, but they should:
John 12:42-43, “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
Embarrassment
comes in many forms. For these chief rulers, it was embarrassment in the
eyes of the Pharisees that compelled them not to confess Christ
publicly, although they were saved (they did believe). The apostle Peter
(also saved) denied knowing Jesus Christ three times in just one night, due
to embarrassment caused by fear. Our text admonishes saved people, who are
embarrassed to identify with Jesus Christ or the Holy Bible, because of love
for sin and the world.
There are many Christian believers today, who have believed the Gospel secretly, but for fear of rejection, scrutiny and persecution from their peers, and being made to wear a religious label, they refuse to tell anyone that they are really a Christian. Jesus plainly said that if we deny Him, then He will deny us before the angels in Heaven.
We have a choice as Christian believers, to either let our light shine for Christ or hide it under a bushel. That light is the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us (Romans 8:9). The moon is often uses by witches and occultists to symbolize the Devil, who cannot produce any light of his own; but rather, Satan can only imitate a light-giving body, like the sun. The sun symbolizes the Son of God. One of my favorite Scriptures is in Malachi 4:2, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” We read in 2nd Corinthians 4:3, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” Luke 11:33, “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.”
All mainstream Contemporary Christian Music
(CCM) singers are embarrassed of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which
is why NONE OF THEM preach it to their fans. Go look at their websites and
you won't find the Gospel. They love mammon (wealth) and fame (the praise of
men), not God. I'd infinitely rather stand for God and have the world hate
me, than to kowtow to the world and be accepted, praised and loved by the
ungodly.
A Root of Bitterness, Whereby Many Are Defiled
Kindly, CCM diva Amy Grant (and Church of Christ cult member) said publicly:
“'I'm a singer, not a preacher, I'm not looking to convert anybody' says Christian rock diva Amy Grant.”
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, 5/4/84, pg. 2-c.
Although Miss Grant made that statement 32-years-ago, she has lived up to her apostasy, letting her fans go to Hell. She hasn't converted anybody. Miss Grant has a net worth of $55,000,000!!! Yet, she is poorer than poor in eternity, and unsaved if she adheres to her Church of Christ upbringing, which requires water baptism for salvation. There's not one verse in the Bible where God promises rewards to singers. No, rather, God promises great rewards to those who give up their life for His sake and THE GOSPEL'S (Mark 10:29-30). That's why hellbound Roman Catholic (who teach sacramental and works salvation) greatly praise Amy Grant.
I don't hate Amy Grant, God forbid. I am a big sinner just like anyone else. I don't condemn her on a personal level. In fact, I don't condemn her at all. The law of God condemns all of us as guilty sinners (Romans 3:19, 23). Here is why I expose Miss Grant as a fake Christian. Sex is the God of satanism! Take a look at what satanists are promoting through Taylor Swift!!! Satan has a bid for every teenager!!! Wicked Hollywood has even honored Grant with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, along with Evangelist Billy Graham. It's no wonder, because they are all actors, masquerading as true Christians, when they know not Christ:
Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
If we choose not to let our light for Christ shine, then people won't get saved, just as most of Amy Grant's religious fans aren't saved. That's exactly what the Bible means in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” This Scripture is a quote from the Old Testament, from Deuteronomy 29:18, “Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood.”
When a believer lives in sin and unholy living, that believer's light for Christ is hidden, and other people don't see the truth. Literally, the way we live can send other people to Hell, because of our poor testimony. A Christian who abides in sinful behavior becomes as a root of bitterness (POISON) to those around them. Many others are defiled by the poison of one worldly believer! The church at Corinth were “carnal” (1st Corinthians 3:1). Although forsaking sinful behavior is not mandatory to receive the free gift of God, every believer is commanded by God to be holy, come out from amongst unbelievers, and live a separated life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
1st Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” The world is God's enemy, and the Christian's enemy as well. When a believer kowtows with the heathen world, they dare not raise a flag for the Gospel and Bible-believing Christianity. Instead, they go along with an ecumenical bandwagon of tolerating unbelievers, never exposing falsehoods or heresy, going-along-to-get-along with the wicked world. It is apostasy!!! You can hate me if you want to, or despise me or whatever you choose to call it, but I am ON THE LORD'S SIDE!!!
Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
You Can Count On Jesus!
Many Bible students misunderstand the following passage of Scripture:
Romans 10:11, “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
The Lord is saying that He won't let us down if we trust Him for eternal life. If you believe the Gospel, Jesus promised that you won't one day be ashamed (embarrassed) because He failed you. YOU CAN COUNT ON JESUS!!! Again, this Scripture is a quote from the Old Testament, from
Isaiah 28:16, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
You won't have to run away like a dog with his tail between his legs, when Christ fails you in eternity. That will NEVER happen! The Lord has a perfect batting average!!! If you are with Christ, you are on the winning side. If you are saved, you already have eternal life, presently, and it will never cease. Some false prophets (like Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses) teach that people are unconscious when they die, which is called the doctrine of “soul sleep.” When a person dies, there is no break in conscience. You either have eternal life now, or you are already under the condemnation of God's law (John 3:18, 36). END
