TRADING YOUR SOUL FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE
It is my conviction that some people have traded their souls for “harmony with their kinfolks.” No
human relationship is worth that price.
The Scriptures tell us “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). Jesus is to have
the preeminence in the church; He must also have preeminence in our lives since individual Christians
make up the church. Anyone or anything given preeminence in our lives above that of Jesus takes us out
of His company, His fellowship.
Jesus said, “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” (Matt. 10:37). He also said, “If any man cometh
unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren and sisters,
yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:26). Lest any misunderstand, we point
out that in the term “hate,” Jesus simply means “to love less.” We see, then, that preeminence is the
key! We must love our parents, children, spouses and family members, of course! But we are not to love
them more than we love Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The best thing for us to do with our kinfolk is to
bring them to Christ--let us never follow them away from Christ and into doctrinal error and churches
that teach the commandments of men (Matt. 15:8-9). The apostle John wrote, “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath
not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh
unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: for
he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works” (2 John vv. 9-11). 1 John 2:4 ties down the
need for knowing and obeying in order to maintain fellowship: “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth
not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” To trade eternal life in order to appease
kinfolks who either do not believe or obey God’s will is simply too high a price for anyone to pay. I pray
that we all will avoid doing such.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: If it were not for hope, the heart would break.
Have a great week!
Love ya,
Jesse
human relationship is worth that price.
The Scriptures tell us “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). Jesus is to have
the preeminence in the church; He must also have preeminence in our lives since individual Christians
make up the church. Anyone or anything given preeminence in our lives above that of Jesus takes us out
of His company, His fellowship.
Jesus said, “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” (Matt. 10:37). He also said, “If any man cometh
unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren and sisters,
yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:26). Lest any misunderstand, we point
out that in the term “hate,” Jesus simply means “to love less.” We see, then, that preeminence is the
key! We must love our parents, children, spouses and family members, of course! But we are not to love
them more than we love Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The best thing for us to do with our kinfolk is to
bring them to Christ--let us never follow them away from Christ and into doctrinal error and churches
that teach the commandments of men (Matt. 15:8-9). The apostle John wrote, “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath
not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh
unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: for
he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works” (2 John vv. 9-11). 1 John 2:4 ties down the
need for knowing and obeying in order to maintain fellowship: “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth
not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” To trade eternal life in order to appease
kinfolks who either do not believe or obey God’s will is simply too high a price for anyone to pay. I pray
that we all will avoid doing such.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: If it were not for hope, the heart would break.
Have a great week!
Love ya,
Jesse
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