Division

Jesus gave us a warning in the book of Luke about what would happen to believers as far as families are concerned and I also think this can relate to friends and marriages.  Jesus didn’t leave us in the dark about anything because He knew we would need some answers for the things we would experience in our Christian walk and this was one of them.

When God draws us to Jesus and we are convicted by the Holy Spirit and we repent, turning away from sin, and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are covered by the blood of Jesus, we are cleansed, washed and forgiven of our sins.  At that point we have been purchased by the Lamb of God, which is Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, praise the Lord.  Before that we were controlled by the evil one and we, in many ways, helped to further his kingdom.  Then our eyes and ears were opened and the veil was removed from our minds and we received the Word through faith.  We were snatched from the very fires of Hell and the grip of the evil one and set free by Jesus.  Now we are in the Lord’s Army and, if need be, we need to be willing to forsake all others and follow Him.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, “Think not that I have come to bring peace on the earth, I came not to bring peace but a sword.”  Here is where the division comes in, everyone in the family may not choose to follow Jesus as well as some of your friends, then a conflict usually starts and sometimes it may seem like an all-out war.  Don’t be surprised if turmoil begins to tear up your family.  If, or when, that happens your devotion and commitment has to be to the Lord.  The Lord expects you to love your family and your friends but not above your love and devotion for Him.  This is part of taking up your cross, denying yourself and following Him.  You can pray for your family and friends, which you should, but if you need to, you will have to separate yourself from them and cling to Jesus.  

Think of this, usually if a Jew receives Jesus they will be disowned by their families, I think some families go as far as having a funeral for them claiming them dead as far as the family is concerned.  In Russia to become a Christian may cost you your job and the means to provide for yourself and if they can’t find a believing man or women to take them in they might starve to death.  If this happened in the Muslim faith you would be killed if you fell into the wrong hands.  I don’t remember if I have ever heard a sermon on this before but you could say that this is part of counting the cost of being a Christian.

This is also talking about marriage and relationships.  In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Paul had this to say, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said, ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.  Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.  Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

So in everything we need to put the Lord first regardless of the cost.  I know that people struggle with some of these things but I want to encourage you if you find yourself in any of these situations pray hard and fervently and don’t quit, plead the blood of Jesus over your family members and your spouse and your friends and trust Him to deliver them. Have a great day and God bless you.