The lessons of chastisment

    Pr 27:1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

   No man knows when God’s patience with our rebellion will end . . .

   Mt 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

   God warns us – not to make our plans for repentance TOMORROW . . .

   Do not make plans to get things right with God TOMORROW . . . because we do not know what TOMORROW has in store for us.

   Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

   No man can find “the perfect peace of God” in his life – if that man chooses to spend his life resisting God’s will FOR his life.

   After we are saved – God spends His time shaping our lives and molding our hearts into what He wants us to be as His Children . . . and God does this through chastisement – which is similar to the training that an athlete endures . . .

   If we submit to . . . if we respond to these “life lessons” from God . . . then we learn what it means to pursue the peace of God however if we resist these lessons in life – we will never know the peace of God which passeth all understanding . . . and

   this “perfect peace” that is spoken of in Isiah will never be part of our lives as long as we refuse to set (or establish) our mind upon God.

   Heb 12:11 Now no chastening (training/discipline - today) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless (tomorrow) afterward it yieldeth the PEACEABLE fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby . . .

   I don’t like to exercise – I hate doing push-ups . . . it is unpleasant while I am doing them . . . but afterward (the fruit) -- is that there is an improvement in my health which is a good thing in my life . . . 

    As we journey through life after we are saved – because God is our Father – He teaches us – He trains us – He corrects us . . . the point being that “these lessons” are typically NOT a pleasant experience for us TODAY while they are IN PROCESS . . . but after the lesson is over – we understand that God 

   has used “this chastisement” (like we would use exercise) to bring about a NEEDED change within us . . . God teaches us patience through tribulation . . . God trains us with hard-ships by allowing us to experience adversity . . . God corrects us with “the pain” which burdens bring into our lives so that 

   we will learn that the consequences of our sin is a REAL thing - so that we might realize the certainty of day 61 when the first payment will be due and that one day “the grace period” is really going to end and that we will stand before God in judgment.

   John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

   While it is day . . . we have the opportunity to repent of our sins and seek the peace of God through submission to His will . . .

   Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees (don’t be discouraged – God LOVES YOU – and God is simply teaching you to be what He wants you to be).

   After we exercise – we are tired . . . but after a bit of rest we will be better prepared to face tomorrow . . .

   13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

   To make straight paths for your feet – refers to how we should respond to “the lessons” . . . let God teach you patience – because patience will

   Give you the ability to comfort those about you who are in need . . . Ga 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

    Let God teach you with the hardships of adversity – because this will give you a stronger faith . . . Lu 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 

   Let God teach you to avoid that which is evil . . . because this will draw you closer to God . . .

   James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye “double minded”.

   Notice the phrase “lest the lame be turned out of the way . . . in respect to Heb 12:13 “to be healed” is to let God teach you – while to be turned out of the way – is to resist “the lessons”  of God’s chastisement . . . it is true that if we never exercise we will never get hot/sweaty

   But it is also true that our health will suffer and smaller tasks that should NOT make us tired will begin to take our breath away . . . this is

   what it means to be “lame” and turned out of the way because of how we resist “the lessons” of God’s chastisement (training) . . . we become lame in spirit and unfit for service

   Lu 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

   To ensure that we are fit for The Kingdom of God we should make straight paths for our feet – we should walk in The Truth and we should

   Heb 12: 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

   To follow peace with all men refers to pursuing or to pressing toward a quiet spirit (or rest) with others (the absence of DRAMA)

   I have students who simply cannot live without drama . . . drama is an extremely heavy burden - drama DRAINS a person’s strength it drains our happiness . . . and pretty much ruins what-ever circumstance it touches . . . in the words of Heb 12: 14 – just let it go . . . pursue PEACE with others instead pursuing conflict

   14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

   We are also told to follow holiness . . . holiness refers to separation . . . we cannot separate our lives from the presence of sin . . . we can

   however make choices in life that will lessen our practice of certain sins – and this is what we should strive to do in life . . .

   Pr 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away . . . to be holy is NOT referring to approaching a state of sinless perfection as a

   result of completely separating our lives from the presence of sin . . . if we were sinless within our heart – then we would not be tempted with

   the evil that we so often think looks attractive as we are enticed by its promised pleasure . . .

   Heb 11:25 speaks of Moses and his choice to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

   The meaning of “Holiness” refers to sanctification (dedication) as we make the same choice that Moses made - by committing our

   hearts and lives to God through PROPER WORSHIP by making choices to avoid certain things in our life – and to identify ourselves

   with those twisted cords of church fellowship that are bound together and strengthened with scriptural baptism - as we choose to establish

   The Landmarks of Truth in our lives and to earnestly CONTENT for THE faith once delivered to the saints . . . Moses had a choice –

   to suffer with the people of God – or forsake his responsibility to God’s people so that he could enjoy the pleasures that were offered to him in life by the nation of Egypt

   I want you to notice the “pay off” which results if we submit to this particular “lesson” as God seeks to train/correct or discipline our lives

   through PEACE and HOLINESS . . . He tells us without peace – and without holiness . . . no man shall see the Lord.

   A life filled with conflict and drama . . . a life that is committed to religion outside of proper worship – is a life that does not understand

   God and it is a life that is unable to SEE the “lessons” which God teaches through chastisement . . . First of all peace can only exist in a heart that has learned to put the needs of OTHERS before the needs of SELF . . . and what is the very first Commandment of God to His people . . . Matt 22: 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

   37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

   38 This is the first and great commandment.

   39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

   40 On these two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets.

   The very first commandment is to LOVE thy neighbor as thyself . . . which we cannot do – if we have not first learned to be at peace with that neighbor

   John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

    1Jo 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him AND in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

   This “True Light” that now shineth is referring to The Landmarks of Proper worship . . . once again the pay-off of proper exercise is a healthy life . . . the “pay-off” to following peace and holiness with all men . . . is that our lives will be taken out of the darkness that is past . .

   and placed securely INSIDE the TRUE LIGHT that now shines (not through religion) but through PROPER WORSHIP in a

   LANDMARK church so that we might have a clear unobstructed view of GOD . . . “without which no man shall SEE the Lord” . . . Who

   is “the world” looking at – who do they SEE . . . when their religion teaches for doctrine the commandments of men?

   I understand that “the darkness which is past” can apply to how we were once lost and blind in the darkness of unbelief . . . but it also has

   Application to the darkness which surrounds the saved man who seeks to worship God outside of the TRUTH of proper worship . . .

   2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

   If it is possible to forget that we have been saved and to lose sight of God’s saving grace – then it is also possible to lose sight of God in religion

   The phrase “Without which no man can see the Lord” – is not referring to how a man will not be saved and not allowed into heaven . . . it is

   referring to how religion takes our eyes off of the Truth and actually hides Jesus Christ from our eyes behind false teachings . . . Heb 12:15 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;

   16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

   17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

   To NOT follow peace and holiness with all men will result in introducing poison into our life - This poison will affect our spiritual eyesight so

   that we will not be able to SEE what God is trying to do in our life with the “lessons” of chastisement . . . To fail of the grace of God is

   to “fall short” of His kindness as we resist “the lessons” which He intends to use – to make us a better person – to make us into a person that

   does not “look back” like Lot’s wife at what he left behind when he was saved - and because of this becomes well place or “fit” for His kingdom which is the NTC . . . resistance to the training of God – resentment 

   regarding the chastisement of God in our lives – this attitude will very quickly bring to us an inability to SEE God’s purpose in our life will cause us become BITTER at the circumstances of life and we will be troubled by 

    our disappointment that God is not blessing us the way that we think He should . . . and this attitude will begin to contaminate others . . . “Lest there be any fornicator or profane person” refers to the prostitute or to those who “cross the threshold/doorway” into another man’s

   house for immoral purposes . . . the implication here is that we become guilty of this sin when “the root of bitterness” which we feel at “the

   lessons” of chastisement - drive us away from our first love.  This is when we forsake the Landmarks and “cross the doorway” or the threshold into house of a stranger . . . for the purpose of becoming ONE with a stranger outside of the Landmarks of proper worship.

   This is when we sell our birthright like Esau did.

   Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth (is above) all understanding, (this peace is what) shall keep (protect) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

   Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

The school master

     Galatians 3: 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

    25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

    A schoolmaster is simply a TEACHER . . . The responsibility of a schoolmaster is to educate his student . . . to teach that student . . .

    and the lesson that The Law “taught” to the people of God in the OT can also be taught to you and I today . . . The Lesson that God  teaches us through “The Law” is beyond price . . .

    As we talk of things of value – I am reminded of Lu 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness (GREED) for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of “the things” which he possesseth.

    The quality of our life – or the gain that we get from life is not determined by how many rules we are able to keep NOR is it determined by the overabundance of our possessions . . . 

    I Tim 6: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

    The idea of “godliness” is not referring to learning how to live so that we don’t sin as much as we used to . . . The Bible tells us that EVEN the thought of foolishness is sin – and since we cannot even control our own 

    thoughts – we cannot ever reach the point in life where we are able to avoid the practice of sin (physical/mentally) . . . so to live “a godly life” is not telling us to somehow approach (get closer) to sinless perfection . . .

    The schoolmaster is teaching us that To live “a godly life” – is to live a separated life.  The “godly life” which brings contentment - is a life

    that is separated from the world by a boundary - by a twisted cord - by the Landmarks of True WORSHIP - and one of the lessons which “The

    Law” is trying to teach us – is that peace with God is not found by living our lives within a set of rules which is able to turn us into Christians by making us LESS SINFUL.  After we are saved - the secret to finding peace with God is to find proper worship IN THE TRUTH

    The whole point to The Law is not to make us a better people through the practice of good deeds by keeping/practicing The Law . . . but rather the whole point to The Law is to make us a better people through HUMILITY 

    as we look at our lives – while we also look at God’s definition of righteousness in The Law . . . This lesson of humility is supposed to be learned as we compare our lives/thoughts with God’s definition of righteousness as revealed to us in The Law -- 

    Ro 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.  – it is in this manner that we are taught the meaning of Ro 3:23 For I all have sinned, and I have come short of the glory of God . . . 

    To “come short” is to miss the mark . . . “The mark” that we miss . . . is the perfection that would be required of us -- if we were ABLE to “keep” The Law . . .

    Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.  The gain (or the profit) in/of our

    life is not determined by the value of our possessions . . . neither is there profit to be found in our life as a result possessing an abundance of good works as we spend our life trying to “keep The Law” and to do more good than evil in our lives.

    I Tim 6: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

    This verse tells us to adopt the attitude -That it is ENOUGH for us - that we have found “The Truth” in the lesson that has been taught to us by the Schoolmaster . . . that lesson being - that the abundant life is not found in 

    either the value of our possessions NOR in the abundance of our good works . . . but the godliness spoken of which brings contentment into our lives –(is in fact) - the blessing of being able to offer “a worship” which God will accept – (along with the understanding) that in a saved man’s life “the blessing of proper worship” is a thing of greater value than any other blessing that we could ever hope to possess.  

    I Cor 2: 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

    I Tim 6: 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

    “To be content” gives us the idea of raising a barrier “to ward” something off (or to keep it away from us) . . . like stacking “sand bags” during the time of rising water in a flood.

    When we see the “waters of temptation” rising around us . . . when we see that we are not as prosperous as others and as we begin to get jealous of “the world” . . . we should at that point start laying down the sand bags of contentment in order to ward off the attitude of envy and discontentment which can only lead to “impatience with God” and to discouragement as a Christian.

    Ps 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

    17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; THEN understood I their end.

    He only found understanding – in the place of proper worship . . . To view our lot in life through eyes that have not been properly trained by the 

    “schoolmaster” is something that will distort our vision of what our purpose in life actually is . . . and as we begin to compare our circumstance in life with the prosperity of the world around us . . . we will begin to question

    God and also our faith . . . BUT when we enter into the boundary of The Landmarks of Truth – when we go to the sanctuary of God  – when

    we find strength in that twisted cord of church fellowship . . . we will then understand that the worth of man’s life is not measured in the value

    of his possessions NOR is the worth of a man’s religion measured in success as defined by “the world” . . .

    Mt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

    What greater blessing can any people have – than the promise that Jesus will “literally” be in their mist . . . The point is - “that it is not possible” for us to receive a more valuable blessing – than the ability and the 

    opportunity to offer PROPER worship unto God in what we KNOW is a “Landmark church” . . . God does not measure our lives by the value of our

    possessions – nor does He value our worth by the accomplishment of good works that are found within The Law . . . God measures our worth

    “as Christians” by the lack of pride in our heart which is humility – and by our willingness to be obedient (submissive to Him) which is an  expression of our love.  

    John 14:15 If ye love me, keep (guard) my commandments.

    John 15:10 If ye DO keep (value) my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

    Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

    The most valued possession of any man in any age -- is NOT what is able to comfort our flesh - impress our neighbors or build up our religion – but rather THAT which is able to comfort our heart. 

    Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth (is above) all understanding, (this peace is what) shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

    The peace of God refers to “the rest” that we have within our heart when we learn to have the attitude that The Truth is ENOUGH – and that nothing else in our life really matters.

The twisted cord

     Pr 23:10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

    The word “landmark” is defined for us “a twisted cord” – the implication being that it is “a border” or the marker of “a boundary” that encloses a specific territory.

    A landmark is something that provided “the limit of travel” at which point one must turn back to STAY within the “specified territory” and avoid trespassing into foreign territory . . .

    The idea of a twisted cord is a term that indicates “strength” . . . the point being that small individual strands of thread were easily broken

. . . but when these small individual “strands of thread” were twisted together into a cord . . . it was transformed into something that was no

    longer so easily broken.  With the idea of a twisted cord let’s look at a description of the NTC in

    I Cor 12: 12 For as the body is one (twisted cord), and hath many members (referring to the individual strands), and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

    13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized (twisted) into one body (cord), whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

    14  For the body is not one member, but many.

    The twisted cord is made up of smaller individual strands of thread that by themselves are weak so that they break under the stress of a

    load . . . but to gain strength these small separate threads are “joined together” in the church through proper baptism . . . just like after you and I were saved – God called us to

    be KNIT together in Christian love (The NTC) so that in bringing honor unto God our lives might be strengthened as a twisted cord so that we

    might not break under the stress of this world. Referring to the NTC we read in . . . Col 2:2

    That their hearts might be comforted (HOW) being knit (twisted) together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

    Col 2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit (twisted) together, increaseth with the increase of God.

    To be “knit together” is defined for us as being united or driven together . . . The idea is that being united with one another IN LOVE . . .

    Or being “driven together” or held within the common territory defined by the landmarks of The Truth . . . is that this “togetherness” causes

    something to occur among those of us in the church . . . To be “knit together” in Christian love through the church means that the love

    which binds us together will get stronger and stronger as we grow “in Christ” . . . the implication being – that if we fail to grow “in

    Christ” because of a tendency to step beyond the boundaries of Truth – then this bond which “knits us together” will become weaker instead of stronger -- giving rise to divisions and heresies

    1Co 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you (the strands in the cord are becoming frayed or separated); and I partly believe it.

    “To feed upon” The Truth or to rely upon The Truth as being enough for our worship -- is to turn away from the doctrines of men . . . as we resist the temptation of becoming a “frayed cord” because of how we move the landmarks in order to gain strength from the world . . .

    John 6: 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for-ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

    Of course Jesus does not mean that he has given His flesh for us to eat as we would eat a meal . . . the symbolism here – refers to what twists the cords of Christian Love together in His NTC.  First of all Jesus mentions that He is the bread of Life – and who-so-ever eats His flesh will

    live for-ever . . . This refers to the salvation of our soul when we repent of our sins and put our faith in a resurrected Jesus Christ . . . The symbolism is that when we eat a piece of meat – that meat is taken into our body – and as 

    it is digested – it quite literally becomes part OF our body so that after this occurs - it is impossible to separate that meat from our body because of

    how it has “become” our body . . . then (after salvation) – it is through BAPTISM (by the authority of a NTC) that as a saved born again child of God who has quite literally become

    ONE with Christ through salvation as we have (eaten His flesh) through faith and repentance (this is to take Jesus into our lives – just like we

    take food into our flesh) – After this occurs - we are then TWISTED together (in baptism) with our brothers and sisters in Christ to walk anew

    Romans 6: 3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

    To be baptized into His death refers to the “symbolism” of how baptism is a picture of a burial after the death of the body.

    4 Therefore we are buried WITH HIM by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK in newness of life.

    To be buried with Him by Baptism means that through “the picture” that our baptism portrays - it is in this way that we have been buried just

    like Jesus was buried . . . A man is only buried after he dies . . . Jesus was buried after He died on the cross to pay the price for our sins . . .

    likewise we are baptized or symbolically buried only AFTER we put our old man to death – so that we might WALK in the newness of our salvation 

    Baptism is quite literally a picture of what has already saved us - - - Baptism is a picture which represents the death of something in

    OUR LIFE . . . and it is also a picture which represents the appearance of something NEW in our life . . . Before we were saved – it was

    impossible for us to please God . . . a lost man is not capable of anything spiritual at all . . .

    Jer 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

    When we are saved . . . our foolish eyes which have not been able to see – they are opened and we are able to see things that we were not able

    to see when we were lost . . . this is where the phrase “born again” comes from . . . the point is - that after we are saved – we are dead to what we were before . . . what we saw as a lost man “is as the vision of a dead man” 

    and being dead – he is no longer able to see it . . . what we loved as a lost man “is as the love of that a dead man” once had – because he is dead – he loves it no more . . . You see when we are saved – we put the man that we once were IN THE GRAVE . . . we bury the man that we used to be 

    because we have been BORN AGAIN through faith and repentance in Jesus Christ . . .

    The purpose of BAPTISM is to actually PUT Jesus Christ into our lives publically . . . salvation puts His spirit within our soul that only God is able to see . . . and it is baptism that essentially puts Him into our lives that the world is able to see . . . The idea behind

    “walking in newness of life” simply means that after salvation and baptism – that our lives are following a different track/road/direction . . .

    because it is through baptism that we are literally “engaged” to Jesus Christ . . . Baptism is how we promise Jesus Christ that we will be true to

    HIM and to HIM ONLY as long as we live.  I can only be true to my wife . . . IF (in my heart) I AM willing to forsake ALL OTHERS . . .

    Likewise we can only be true to Jesus Christ as long as are not willing to move His landmarks of true worship because of how we ARE

    WILLING (in our heart) to forsake ALL OTHER types of teachings . . . as we turn away from EVERY attempt which the world of religion makes “for us join them” and to no longer be a SEPARATE people unto God in His Truth . . .

    2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (I will receive your worship).

    We do not come out from among them in salvation – we come out from among them through proper worship AFTER salvation.

    When a man dies – the dead man is buried . . . when we are saved and properly baptized – the man that we used to be “is dead” such that the

    interests and the type of things that used to influence the direction of our lives – no longer has the effect over us that it did before our salvation.  Our “old man” is buried through proper worship . . . and a NEW man (our new

    nature in Jesus Christ) is raised up to take the place of the old man that we buried.

    Matt 13: 18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

    19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

    Even though he is saved - he does not understand The Truth so he falls to wayside of proper worship.

    20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

    21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

    After he is saved – he understands The Truth and begins to walk in proper worship and newness of life . . . but it just costs too much to continue

    22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

    He is saved – he understands The Truth – He makes a public commitment to Jesus and to proper worship . . . but over the course of his

    life he gradually loses interest and ends up breaking the commitment he once made to Jesus . . . and he eventually winds up outside of The Truth in religion . . . a love that waxes cold

    23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

    This is the man who truly “comes out from among them” to be separate from the world – both in his life (morality) AND also in his worship (as he avoids false doctrine) . . .

    This NEW MAN who is separate . . . is quite literally the offspring of God through the salvation of his soul . . . this new man (as a born again child of God) is raised up in the place of the old man and through the symbolism of baptism he promises to be faithful to Jesus at  the expense of all others and to walk in NEWNESS of life.

    John 6: 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

    53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

    54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

    55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

    56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

    The essence of what Jesus is referring to here – is the concept of what is revealed to us in Pr 23:10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

    To REMOVE NOT simply means that we are supposed to leave the teachings of Jesus Christ in the same location/ place where we found them.

    To ENTER NOT simply means that we are supposed to STAY where we are in terms of the teachings of Jesus Christ . . . and Jesus tells  us HOW to stay in The Truth . . . and He tells us HOW to remove not the old landmarks in

    2 Cor 6: 14 Be ye not unequally yoked (jointed) together with unbelievers (in our worship services - we have nothing in common with those who are standing beyond the boundaries of God’s Truth) 

    for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? (the righteousness referred to here is not OUR righteousness – but rather the righteousness of Jesus Himself . . . and the unrighteousness is not necessarily referring to our misdeeds . . . but rather to false teachings

    And what communion hath light with darkness? In other words how is it possible to mix truth with error as one of you worships in obedience – while another worships in rebellion . . .

    15 And what concord (peace, harmony, unity) hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

    16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for YE ARE the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

    17 Wherefore (because of the relationship that we have with Jesus through the church) . . . (because we are this twisted cord) (because we have become engaged and have promised to be true to Jesus and to NO OTHER) come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

    18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

    The only way that we can be separate – is to leave the old landmarks right were we found them . . .

    We should never view worship as something that must be adjusted in order to accommodate the worshiper . . . but rather we should see the worshiper as something that must change to accommodate TRUE worship of Jesus Christ.

    So where is THE TRUTH in our lives . . . has it fallen by the wayside . . . has it been abandoned because of how it has offended our lives?

    Has it been slowly choked out by a busy life . . . or is it the center piece of life . . .

How can any man bring glory unto God if that man tries to "force" God to change – because of how he is unwilling to change himself . . .