“I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many
things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” – Acts 26:9
Hypothetically, if you could poll
every drunkard, wife abuser, slander, anyone and everyone that is living in sin
among us; if you could poll all of them with this question: “Do you think you
are doing many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth?” What do you think their answer would be? I imagine, most would say: “No.” Or, “uhhh, what?” Take a moment and think back, those of us who
have been called out of sin and into the fellowship of Jesus Christ; think back
to when you were lost……Did you feel you were doing many things contrary to
Christ? I myself confess I did not feel
that way, and then, all of the sudden, I most certainly knew that I did.
Perhaps
for many of us, when we were lost in sin, did not go out each day thinking “I
am going to do many things contrary to Christ today.” We just went out and lived how we wanted to
live; according to our own lusts and desires.
Then, by and by, we began to leave a pattern of “bad deeds.” You can fill in the blank, we each one know
our sins against God. The sum of them is
this, we didn’t love God and we didn’t love our neighbor; we loved
ourselves. Allow me to digress a moment,
in our land and country today the home is under attack by the devil. He is working hard to destroy the sanctity of
marriage and by default Godliness in the home.
The devil is working hard to belittle the covenant of marriage, and
reshape the hierarchy of the home. The “me
first” mentality, has produced a total degradation at the very foundation of
the home. Which then creates an
environment for their children that often produces only more of the same; all
the while the institution of the home, a pillar of humanity is being eroded, generationally. Godliness in the home is slowly becoming a
lost ideal, and yet, few believe that they are doing “many things contrary to
the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” Our
lives are too busy to think about things.
Why concern yourself with trivial things like this, right? We need to GO, GO, GO! There is not a moment to lose! The realization that one is doing many things
contrary to Jesus of Nazareth is masked by the gluttony of worldliness and
obsession with selfishness. Saul before he was Apostle Paul made distinct and
calculated steps to suppress the ministry of Jesus Christ. He thought about it, and made conscious steps
toward resisting it. There may be one
reading right now who is taking distinct and calculated steps to suppress the
ministry of Jesus Christ, but doing it unconsciously. If that is your testimony; good news! There is hope for you; just as there was for
Saul! If the Holy Ghost is pricking your
heart and speaking to you saying: “you are doing many things contrary to my
name and you can deny it no more.” If
that is occurring in your being, resist no longer! Stop reading and fall on your knees this very
instance and repent. Care not for the
words to say or phraseology to use; only pour out your heart to God! He will save you, and he will help you.
Jesus
Christ is not afraid of your sin, and will drive out all sin. He will forgive and make you anew. Whether you are consciously or unconsciously
doing things “contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth,” continue down this
path no longer; “repent and believe the Gospel.” For one thing is certain “it is hard for thee
to kick against the pricks.”(Acts 9:5)
