The Way of the Lord

Sermons by Eli Hofer
03/14/01
08/22/01
08/11/02

The Writings of Ulrich Stadler
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4

The Church and the Narrow Path

Things Hutterite

To Vote or not to Vote

Two Ways

Way of the Lord

Which Kingdom?

The Way of the Lord
By Don Murphy

    The Christian religion contains the teachings about Jesus, that He is the Christ, about what He did, what He is doing, and what He will do for the chosen people of God. That is the Gospel about Christ, the Good News of His actions. He is our hope for salvation, our way to the Kingdom of God. The Gospel about Christ is the Gospel most commonly preached today, it is the Gospel of Billy Graham and other famous modern day preachers.
    Another part of the Christian religion is the teachings of Christ, what He taught His disciples to do in order to carry out their part in the plan of salvation. This is the Gospel of Christ, the Good News that He preached and taught while He was here on earth. This Gospel, the teachings and commands of Jesus, is hardly spoken of by preachers in today's Christianity. It seems to be the forgotten Gospel!
    The teachings of Jesus changed the lives of His disciples to such an extent that they called their religion "The Way of the Lord"⁽¹⁾ as it is the way of life characteristic of the disciples of Christ. The term is used, by extension, for the community itself. Jesus is himself called the "Way"⁽²⁾. He is "The Way, The Truth and The Life", no one can be saved except through Him. His way, the Way that He taught, is the only way into the Kingdom of God. That is why it is so important that we learn and follow His Way.
    Jesus warned us that His way is a narrow way⁽³⁾, that the cost of following His way is very high⁽⁴⁾ and that many would try but few would follow His Way all the way to the Kingdom of God. He said that some would hear the Good News of the Kingdom of God without understanding it and so would be lost⁽⁵⁾, others would hear the Good News and welcome it with joy but they have no root deep down and are lost when trials or persecution comes their way, and others would hear the Good News but would fall away due to the worries of the world and the lure of riches. The Way of the Lord is a narrow way and, sadly, few travel it all the way to the Kingdom, the rest are lost and dammed to eternal hell fire⁽⁶⁾.

The Two Gospels

    The two Gospels can be described as milk and meat, milk for the babe who, through Christ Jesus, is born again, obtaining salvation by this Gospel. This first Gospel, the milk, is the Gospel about Jesus, who opened heavens doors for us. The other Gospel is the meat for spiritual growth, the food required to enable us to live out that salvation, in fear and trembling⁽⁷⁾. That is the Gospel of Christ, of His teachings concerning the Way of the Lord.
    The Gospel about Jesus describes what He had done, is doing and will do to effect the salvation of the chosen people of God. That is the Good News that brings us the hope of our salvation. But that hope is not a reality until we begin to walk down the path that the Lord has laid out for us, the narrow path to the Kingdom of God, which is the Way of the Lord. If we are to accept His salvation, if we are to accept His death on the cross for our sake, then we must believe in Him and believe His teachings. We must do our part to effect our salvation. This is what Jesus taught, and, unless we obey His commands, we will not have eternal life⁽⁸⁾.
    This is the Great Commission, this is what Jesus commanded His disciples to do: "Go and make disciples of all peoples; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey all the commands I gave you."⁽⁹⁾ Many today take great heed of the first part of this Great Commission but ignore the last part, the part of teaching the converts to obey the commands of Jesus. This is the fatal flaw in today's Christian churches, their failure to teach the commands of Jesus. Many today would say that is legalistic, that the Law has been done away with. Failing to notice the difference between the Law of Moses and the commands of Jesus, they would lump them together and say that all we need is to "just believe, just believe", as if one could have a genuine belief in the Lord Jesus while ignoring His commands.

The Commands of Jesus

    The teachings and commands of Jesus are for the purpose of showing His disciples how to live a life worthy of the Father.⁽¹⁰⁾ Jesus said that we must be perfect as God is perfect.⁽¹¹⁾ And the apostle John warned us, "Children, do not let anyone fool you. Whoever lives a holy life is holy just as He is holy. Whoever lives a sinful life belongs to the devil."⁽¹²⁾ There are only two ways, a holy life or a sinful life. There is no in between, no halfway, however much we might like there to be.
    Jesus showed us that the Way to the Kingdom of God consists of loving God above all things and loving our neighbor as ourselves.⁽¹³⁾ And He gave us explicit instructions on how this is to be accomplished. He spent three years teaching His disciples how to live a holy life, and even after His resurrection, He continued to preach to them.⁽¹⁴⁾ His way is so radically different than the way of the world that it requires much preaching for His disciples to grasp it.⁽¹⁵⁾ The apostle Paul preached to the people of the Church at Ephesus day and night.⁽¹⁶⁾ It is recorded that at least one time, Paul preached all night until dawn.⁽¹⁷⁾ (Wouldn't it be wonderful to have been present?)
    One of the key subjects that Jesus and His apostles preached on was concerning money and possessions. It is the focus of much of His teachings, His warning of the dangers of money and possessions. Sadly, it is also the focus of much of the preaching by today's preachers, but in the opposite direction, for it seems that they are always asking for money. Yet the apostle Paul warned us that the love of money is the root of all evil.⁽¹⁸⁾    The early Church should be an example for us. Their use of money and possessions made the Church of Jerusalem distinctive and set them apart from the rest of the people.⁽¹⁹⁾

The Teachings on Possessions

    Jesus was very clear about possessions. He commanded His disciples to sell their possessions.⁽²⁰⁾ And Jesus said that no one can be His disciple unless that person bids farewell to all his possessions.⁽²¹⁾ We read in the Bible that the apostles obeyed Jesus in this regard⁽²²⁾ and later, after the Church was born, all its members obeyed this command of Jesus.⁽²³⁾ They lived together in Christian community, sharing all things in common.
    The Bible tells us that all, repeat ALL, who shared the faith in the early Church owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and distributed the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.⁽²⁴⁾    Here we can see the clear example of the early Church as they put the teachings of Jesus into practice in every day living. Jesus taught that one could not travel the narrow path to the Kingdom of God when one has possessions to burden him down. A disciple must rid himself of all selfishness, which possessions implies, and travel the narrow path trusting in the Lord God to provide for all his needs.⁽²⁵⁾    The burden of possessions is too heavy a load for a disciple to carry. It keeps him from loving his brother as himself, for when one says, 'This is mine', he is revealing his selfishness, just like a little child who grabs a toy and will not share it with his playmates.
    We will all leave this world and enter the next. Our earthly possessions will be left behind, we can not take them with us. Who will have them then?⁽²⁶⁾ In the next life we will not have any possessions, only here in this life are we faced with a choice of clinging to material possessions or clinging to God.
    Jesus told a young man, "If you wish to go the whole way, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor, and then you will have riches in heaven. And then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he did not receive it with joy but went away with a heavy heart, for he had great wealth. So Jesus told his disciples, "I tell you that a man rich in worldly possessions will find it hard to enter the Kingdom of God." This amazed His disciples who had been raised under the teachings that possessions were gifts from God. They cried out, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "It would not be possible for men, except that everything is possible for God." Then Peter said, "We here have left everything to become your followers."⁽²⁷⁾    Now many people, when asked about this passage in the Bible, will say that the young man had a problem with riches and that this teaching applies only to those who have a similar problem. But don't we all have that problem to some degree or other? We can piously proclaim that we are not slaves of our possessions, that we are merely stewards of them and will give them up when told to do so by God. But is that really true? How do we know that we can actually part with all our possessions, like the early Church members did, unless we actually do try to do it? Possessions give us a freedom, so we think, a freedom to do things that we couldn't do if we lacked certain possessions. Our car allows us to go where we please, our own home or apartment is our castle where we have control of our life. Parting with these things means that we lose control and that can be scary to many folks.
    Jesus said, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasures that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth can destroy it. For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also...⁽²⁸⁾ You can not serve both God and worldly possessions."⁽²⁹⁾ You can not have both heavenly treasures and earthly treasures, you must choose one or the other is what the Lord Jesus is telling us.
    One of the several reasons that Jesus gave for the avoidance of possessions was the harmful effect that they have on a disciple's spiritual health. This theme is repeated through out the New Testament. The apostle Paul writes, "The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some, by longing for it, have wandered away from the faith, and have pierced themselves with many sharp griefs."⁽³⁰⁾ Jesus said, in the parable of the sower, "The seed sown in the thorns is someone who hears the Word, but the worries of the world and the lure of riches choke the Word and so it produces nothing."⁽³¹⁾ The lure of riches is a deadly temptation to today's Christian, for who among us do not desire more worldly wealth?
    The teaching of Jesus in Luke 12 should be prayerfully and carefully studied by anyone who would claim Jesus as Lord. In this teaching, Jesus is not talking about outrageous greed, but the ordinary desire for things. "Be on your guard against desiring material possessions", He proclaims.⁽³²⁾ This is often translated as "Be on your guard against greed" or "Be on your guard against avarice" which would imply something that is not a problem for most people, but, as shown in the context of the two teachings,⁽³³⁾ it clearly does not imply excess desire but merely wanting more, something that seems basic to our lower nature. The Greek word used (pleonexia) means "striving for material possessions"⁽³⁴⁾ which then implies taking advantage of one's neighbor. This same Greek word is also used in Eph 5:5 and Col 3:5 where, in both cases, Paul calls it "worshiping a false god".
    So that is one of the reasons that Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of God."⁽³⁵⁾ The other side of this issue, the reverse position, is expressed by Jesus as, "Woe to you who are rich, you have had your time of happiness."⁽³⁶⁾ And in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, it is explained so forcefully that few can fail to understand the point that Jesus is trying to make when this rich man is told, "During your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony."⁽³⁷⁾    James wrote, "A word to you who are rich. Weep and wail over the miserable fate descending on you... You have fattened yourselves for a day of slaughter."⁽³⁸⁾    Therefore Paul wrote, "We brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing with us when we leave. We should be content to have food and covering. The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some, by longing for it, have wandered away from the faith, and have pierced themselves with many sharp griefs. But you, man of God, must shun all this, and pursue righteousness, piety, fidelity, love, fortitude, and gentleness."⁽³⁹⁾    The beloved apostle John wrote, "Love not the world, nor the things of the world."⁽⁴⁰⁾ Jesus said that the greatest commandment is, "Thou shall love the Lord God with your whole mind, with your whole soul and with all your strength."⁽⁴¹⁾ That leaves no room for attachment to earthly possessions.
    The second greatest commandment, according to Jesus, is, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself."⁽⁴²⁾ If your neighbor, who should be your brother or sister in the Lord if you are living in the midst of disciples, if your neighbor is lacking something that you have, then you are not loving your neighbor as yourself. If you have two coats and your neighbor has none, you are subject to judgement for being selfish,⁽⁴³⁾ aren't you?
    The apostle John wrote, "If anyone has material possessions and sees someone in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Children, our love must not be just words or mere talk, but must be active and genuine, which is the proof that we belong to the truth."⁽⁴⁴⁾ Real love is shown by our actions, not by our words. Therefore Jesus said, "Everyone will know that you are My disciples by the love that you show to each other."⁽⁴⁵⁾    This was shown by Zacchaeus when he met the Lord for he then said, "I am going to give half of my property to the poor."⁽⁴⁶⁾ He was moved by the Spirit to say this. And if he later joined the Church in Jerusalem, he would have done as the rest⁽⁴⁷⁾ and given up all his property at that time.
    When we examine the early Church, we can see how this love was shown. The Bible tells us, "They were all held in high esteem, for they had no needy persons among them, because all who had property in land or houses would sell it, bring the proceeds of the sale to the apostles who would see that it is distributed to anyone in need."⁽⁴⁸⁾ They shared their possessions in common which was a powerful witness to those around them. How much more would this speak to the world today if those who would be disciples of Christ would do the same?

The Case of Ananias and Sapphira⁽⁴⁹⁾

    Along with the example of the Church in Jerusalem sharing all things in common is the example of the fraud of Ananias and Sapphira. It is a powerful example that should speak loudly to us today.
    There was a man named Ananias in the community. He and his wife, Sapphira, agreed to sell a property but, with his wife's connivance, he kept back part of the price and brought the rest and presented it to the apostles.
    What happened next is certainly one of the most amazing accounts in the Book of Acts.
    Peter said to him, "Ananias, how can Satan have so possessed you that you should lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land? While you still owned the land, wasn't it yours to keep, and after you sold it, wasn't the money yours to do with as you like? Who put this scheme into your mind? You have not been lying to men but to God." When Ananias heard this, he dropped dead!
    This is a very interesting, powerful story about the dangers of possessions and about lying to God. But how did Ananias lie to God? Certainly God knew what Ananias did, how much he received for the land. How can a person lie to God when God knows everything that we do? The only way that we can lie to God is when we promise Him something and don't intend to do it. The only way that Ananias could have lied to God was in his baptismal vows.⁽⁵⁰⁾ He made a pledge to God which he did not intend to keep, for he had doubts about trusting God for his daily bread.⁽⁵¹⁾ Ananias knew the command of Jesus to sell all your possessions,⁽⁵²⁾ and he knew that all the members of the Church had to do that, yet he didn't want to travel that narrow path.
    Ananias had no intention of giving up everything to the Church, so Peter was admonishing him when he told him, "While you still owned the land, wasn't it yours to keep, and after you sold it, wasn't the money yours to do with as you like?" Peter was saying that this is what was in the mind of Ananias, that he thought that he could keep part of his possessions, just in case this Way of the Lord should prove to be false, in case he had to provide for himself.
    What a lesson this should be for us! We should be able to see how important this business of giving up possessions and sharing life together is to God and His Church.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan⁽⁵³⁾

    In this story, which is often misunderstood today, Jesus is teaching His listeners that it is not those who are born Jews who are the chosen of God but those who prove worthy of His calling.⁽⁵⁴⁾    A lawyer tested Jesus by asking what a person must do to be saved, to which Jesus replied by asking the man what he understood the Mosaic Law to say. The man replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Jesus said, "You are correct."
    But the man was uncomfortable and asked Jesus, "Just who is my neighbor?" This was a deep question, for in the Old Testament, the concept of neighbor to a Jew included only those who were born into the covenant of God, it did not include everyone. And in the epistles of the New Testament, the Greek word used here for neighbor (PLESION) is used to mean a fellow believer, a Christian brother.⁽⁵⁵⁾ Its meaning did not include everyone in the area as is used today.
    Jesus replied to the man's question by relating the parable of the good Samaritan which tells how two leading members of the Jews, those who thought that they were born into the covenant, did not help the injured man, only someone they considered to be outside the covenant of God stopped to help. Jesus asked the lawyer, "Which of these three proved himself to be a neighbor to the injured man?"
    Who proved that he belongs to the covenant? By this Jesus is saying that the Kingdom of God is now open to those who prove their worthiness by their actions. He is preparing the foundation for His Church which would include only those who do the will of His Father in heaven.⁽⁵⁶⁾

The Reasons for Giving Up Possessions

    The disciples of the Lord Jesus were taught to part with their worldly possessions for two main reasons. One was because of the hold that possessions can have on a person, making him a slave (both to his desire for more and to his need to work hard in order to pay for what he has and in order to obtain more). The other reason is to help those in need, to show the love of God to them.
    Giving up one's possessions does not mean that one is left destitute on the streets. No, just the opposite. Giving up possessions has to be done in connection with joining together with other believers in Christian community, just as shown to us in the Book of Acts where there was no one in need as they shared all their possessions in common.⁽⁵⁷⁾ We are to trust God and our brothers and sisters in the Church enough to share all things in common with them, giving up private ownership of what we have.
    Jesus said, "Any one who does not welcome the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."⁽⁵⁸⁾ A little child trusts his parents to provide for his needs. In the same way, Jesus calls us to trust our heavenly Father for our needs. In the Sermon on the Mount, He tells us, "Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also... That is why I tell you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat... Your heavenly Father knows what you need. Set your hears on His Kingdom and His righteousness and He will provide for your needs."⁽⁵⁹⁾ We are to trust in God to the extent that we can live according to the Way of the Lord, in Christian community, just like a little child lives with his family.
    There are also many benefits to this plan of the Lord God for His Church. God has created us with a spirit, a soul and a body.⁽⁶⁰⁾ Community church life is His wonderful plan for providing for the needs of all three of these areas, for meeting our earthly needs and for assisting us in producing the fruits of the Kingdom.
    Our body has certain needs (clothing, food, shelter, etc) which can be more efficiently met in a community environment where there are many workers to help provide for the physical needs of the group, sharing all things in common. If all share the same financial situation, then all will be bound together with strong bonds. There is an economy of scale when a group of people live and share together, the group being able to have greater economic strength then the sum of the individuals would have by themselves.
    The needs of the soul, our emotional needs, are also better met in a group where there are like-minded people to share life with. There is less stress, more contentment when brothers live together in harmony.⁽⁶¹⁾ It is a far better place to raise our children, a place where there are other older adults who can provide guidance to young parents, a place where the children are not contaminated by outside, worldly influences, where they are not subject to peer pressure from the children of the world. The Lord God planned community life to be an ark, a ship of salvation for our children. When we are outside of that ark, out in the world, our children are in grave danger.
    The spiritual needs of each of us are also better provided for in a community environment, the ark which we enter through baptism⁽⁶²⁾. The apostle Paul speaks to this in I Cor 12 where he teaches on the gifts of the Spirit which are distributed to various members of the Body for various purposes. He writes, "Now Christ's Body is yourselves [the Church], each of you with a part to play in the whole."⁽⁶³⁾ Where there are a number of Holy Spirit-baptized people sharing life together, there will be a diversity of gifts of the Spirit available for the building up of the Church in bonds of love, equipping them for the work of the saints.
    There is also a spiritual power in community church life, a power to help each other to live a holy life⁽⁶⁴⁾. The apostle Paul writes, "Brothers, if one of you is caught in sin, those who are spiritual should set that person right... Carry each other's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ."⁽⁶⁵⁾ This is much more realistic in a community environment where people live together, eat together, seeing each other daily, so that they know each other as only close knit people can. How can we help each other if we only see each other on Sunday morning when we are on our best behavior?

The Churches of the Apostle Paul

    The apostle Paul was an active missionary and helped found many churches. Did these churches follow the Way of the Lord? He himself answered this question when he said, "I worship the God of my ancestors according to the Way, which they [the Jews] describe as a sect."⁽⁶⁶⁾ The lifestyle of the New Testament churches was called the Way not only in Jerusalem but throughout the Greek speaking world. This shows that there was no difference between the lifestyle of the churches that he founded and that of the church in Jerusalem. One would not expect there to be, for he served the same Lord and was guided by the same Holy Spirit.⁽⁶⁷⁾    This is evident in Paul's teachings about community life, such as in I Tim 5:1-16 where he commanded the women in the community to care for their widowed relatives so that they are not a burden on the community.⁽⁶⁸⁾ In today's worldly churches, that help would include financial as well as physical help but in a community environment, such as we see described in the Book of Acts, where all are bound together in economic sharing, that help that Paul is speaking of would be the physical help, such as is needed by elderly persons.
    An example of this is an elderly couple presently living in a Christian community who require constant nursing care. In the world they would be sent to a nursing home, but, following Paul's instruction, they stay in the community and are cared for by their daughters, granddaughters and other female relatives on a rotating basis. That is love in action.
    Paul also was concerned that there would be equality between the richer communities and the poorer communities.
    The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that he should warn the rich who were under instruction to become disciples that they are not to set their hopes on money, which is untrustworthy, but to do good, be rich in good works, and to be ready to share.⁽⁶⁹⁾ James was much stronger in his words to the rich, "You rich people. Lament, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is rotting..."⁽⁷⁰⁾ He was echoing Jesus who proclaimed, "Woe unto you that are rich! For you have received your consolation."⁽⁷¹⁾    When you hear the teachings of Jesus on riches and possessions, it is well to remember the words of the apostle Peter who, quoting Moses, said, "Anyone who refuses to listen to [obey] that prophet [Jesus] will be cut off from the people [of God]."⁽⁷²⁾ Anyone who refuses to obey the commands and teachings of Jesus will be excluded from the Kingdom of God. Jesus taught a way of living, called the Way of the Lord by the early Church, that calls for a godly lifestyle, a life that is in sharp contrast to that of the world, a life of dying to self and living for God and your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The Early Church After the Time of the Apostles⁽⁷³⁾

    There are a number of writings from the early Church leaders which are not included in the Bible. Some of these describe their church life, with several of them describing how they continue the practice of community of goods, sharing all things in common as was done in the Church at Jerusalem.
    The Didache⁽⁷⁴⁾ states, "Do not turn away from those who are in need, but share all things in common with your brother. Do not claim anything as your own, for if you have fellowship in the immortal, how much more in perishable things."
    Barnabas⁽⁷⁵⁾ writes, "Love your neighbor more than your own soul. Share everything with your neighbor and call nothing your own. For if you are sharers in what is incorruptible, how much more so in corruptible things!"
    Aristides⁽⁷⁶⁾ writes, "If anyone among them [the Christians] is poor or comes into want while they themselves have nothing to spare, they fast two or three days for him. In this way they can supply any poor person with the food he needs. They are ready to give up their lives for Christ, for they observe the words of their Christ with much care. Their life is one of consecration and justice, as the Lord their God commanded them."
    The Shepherd of Hermas⁽⁷⁷⁾ states, "The stones that are white and round and do not fit into the building are the people who have faith but at the same time possess the riches of this world. When the suffering of the persecution comes upon them, they deny their Lord because of their wealth and their business affairs. Once their wealth, which entices their souls, is cut off from them on all sides, they will be useful to God. Just as a round stone cannot be squared and made useful for the building unless it is hewn and thus loses one part of itself after another, so also the wealth in this world-age cannot be used by the Lord unless their wealth is cut off from them on all sides. Learn this first from your own life's experience: when you were rich you were useless, but now you are useful, now you can be accepted into life. Be useful to God, all of you."
    Justin Martyr⁽⁷⁸⁾ wrote, "We who formerly treasured money and possessions more than anything else now hand over everything we have to a treasury for all and share it with everyone who needs it."
    Minucius Felix⁽⁷⁹⁾ wrote, "That we for the most part must be considered poor is no disgrace to us but an honor. A life of luxury weakens the spirit. Frugality makes it strong. And yet, how can anyone be considered poor who does not feel any want, who does not covet what belongs to others, who is rich in God's eyes? Much more should he be considered poor who always craves for more while he already has much... Just as a man traveling on the road is better off the lighter his bundle, so too, he who makes himself light by poverty, who does not need to pant under the burden of wealth, is happiest on his journey through life."
    Tertullian⁽⁸⁰⁾ wrote, "We who are inwardly bound together in spirit and in soul can have no hesitation in surrendering our property. We hold everything in common."

Summary

    Jesus taught His disciples to renounce private ownership of possessions. Their obedience to this command was vividly demonstrated by the Church in Jerusalem who shared all things in common. They lived in Christian community, sharing their lives together, functioning as the Body of Christ with all the gifts and benefits of the Holy Spirit being present among them.
    This Way of the Lord was continued for some time after Christ. It is the way of working out our salvation, the narrow path to the Kingdom of God and those who seek the Kingdom will try their hardest to follow this path⁽⁸¹⁾ for there is no other way there. It is not earning our salvation, as some would say, but maintaining it. The Way of the Lord is the way that the Lord has planned for His people.
    Not everyone can accept this way. Many would oppose it, saying that it is legalistic, that it is impossible, with many fine arguments against it. But do these opponents provide a way of demonstrating their love for one another as called for by Christ that is superior to community living? Do they offer a better way of loving one another? No, their arguments are usually all negative, trying to disprove the need to live in community, without any attempt to show a superior way.
    One should consider this carefully, and try to determine honestly, in their heart, if their opposition is merely an attempt to justify their current lifestyle, or is it really an attempt to live out their salvation with fear and trembling? It's a matter of the heart.
    The rich young man, when told that the perfect way was to give up all his possessions, went away sad.⁽⁸²⁾ He preferred his wealth here on earth, wealth that he could see and touch, to wealth in heaven which he could only see by faith.
    Jesus taught us, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be provided for you."⁽⁸³⁾ Let us seek His Kingdom with all our might!

1. Acts 18:25 "he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord...". Also Acts 9:2, 18:26, 19:9, 23, 22:4, 24:14, 22. In II Peter 2:2 it is called the Way of Truth.

2. John 14:6 "Jesus said, 'I am the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

3. Mt 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

4. Mt 10:37-38 "No one who prefers father or mother to Me is worthy of Me. No one who prefers son or daughter to Me is worthy of Me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in My footsteps is not worthy of Me." Also Luke 14:25-33.

5. The parable of the sower in Mt 13:4-23.

6. Mt 25:46 "And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the upright to eternal life."

7. Phil 2:12 "work out your salvation in fear and trembling."

8. Mt 7:21-27 "It is not anyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of My Father in heaven."

9. Mt 28:19-20 The Great Commission

10. I John 3:2-3 "We are well aware that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He really is. Whoever treasures this hope of Him purifies himself to be as pure as He is."

11. Mt 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"

12. I John 3:7-8

13. Mt 22:34-40 "Master, which is the greatest commandment?"

14. Acts 1:3 "for forty days He had continued to appear to them and to speak of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."

15. Some times He grew weary because of the slowness of His disciples to understand His teachings. Mk 8:17 "Do you still not understand, still not realize? Are your minds closed?"

16. Acts 20:31 "Remember how night and day for three years I never slackened in counseling each one of you..."

17. Acts 20:7-12 A young man named Eutychus fell asleep during the preaching and fell off a high window-sill to his death. Paul had to interrupt his sermon to bring the boy back to life then he continued preaching until dawn.

18. I Tim 6:10

19. Acts 4:33 "and they were all accorded great respect."

20. Luke 12:33 "Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For wherever your treasure is, that is where you heart will be too."

21. Luke 14:33

22. Mt 19:27 "Peter said to Jesus, 'We have left everything to follow You.'"

23. Acts 2:44, 4:32, 34 uses the word ALL.

24. Acts 2:44-45

25. Mt 6:33 "Set your hearts on His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be given you as well."

26. Luke 12:20 "God said to him, 'Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul;, and then who will have this hoard of yours?' So it goes with someone who stores up treasures for himself instead of becoming rich in the sight of God."

27. Mt 19:16-29,. Luke 18:18-28, Mark 10:17-30. Note that this teaching is in all three gospels.

28. Luke 12:33, Mt 6:19-21

29. Mt 6:24

30. I Tim 6:10

31. Mt 13:22

32. Luke 12:15

33. Luke 12:13-15 and Luke 12:16-21.

34. Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Volume VI, pages 266-274, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 1978

35. Luke 6:20

36. Luke 6:24

37. Luke 16:19-31

38. James 5:1-5

39. I Tim 6:7-11

40. I John 2:15

41. Mt 22:37

42. Mt 22:39

43. Luke 3:11 "Anyone who has two coats must share with the one who has none, and anyone who has something to eat must do the same."

44. I John 3:17-18

45. John 13:35

46. Luke 19:1-10 "Jesus replied, 'Today salvation has come to this house.'"

47. Acts 2:44 "All who shared the faith owned everything in common." Acts 4:32 "All the believers were united, heart and soul; no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, as everything they owned was held in common."

48. Acts 4:34-35

49. Acts 5:1-11

50. I Peter 3:21 "Baptism, which corresponds to this water, which saves you now, not by the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

51. Mt 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread." Also Mt 6:33 "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be given onto you."

52. Luke 12:33, 14:33 "Sell your possessions and give to the poor... No one can be My disciple unless he bids farewell to all his possessions."

53. Luke 10:25-37

54. Mt 21:43 "Therefore I say to you, the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a people who bring forth its fruits."

55. Rom 15:2 "Each of us must consider his neighbor's good, so that we support one another." Eph 4:25 "...speak truthfully to his neighbor for we are all members of one body."

56. Luke 8:21 "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice."

57. Acts 4:34 "None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles who would distribute it to those in need."

58. Luke 18:17

59. Mt 6:19-34

60. I Thes 5:23 "May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may your spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

61. Ps 133:1 "How good, how delightful it is to live as brothers all together."

62. Heb 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Also I Peter 3:20 "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

63. I Cor 12:27

64. II Cor 7:1 "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Also Heb 12:14 "Seek peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

65. Gal 6:1-2

66. Acts 24:14

67. I Cor 11:16 "We have no other practice, nor do any of the Churches of God." Also Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (AD 185) "For the churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe or hand down anything different than those in Spain, Gaul, the East, Egypt, or elsewhere."

68. I Tim 5:16 "If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows without relatives."

69. I Tim 6:17-19

70. James 5:1-6

71. Luke 6:24. Also see the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 for a similar warning to the rich.

72. Acts 3:22-23 "Moses said, 'From among your brothers the Lord God will raise up a prophet like me; you will listen to whatever He tells you. Anyone who refuses to listen to that prophet shall be cut off from the people.'"

73. All quotes are taken from The Early Christians after the death of the Apostles, selected and edited by Eberhard Arnold and published by the Plough Publishing House, Rifton, NY.

74. Also called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, written perhaps as early as the year 80 A.D.

75. The Epistle of Barnabas in the Codex Sinaiticus, written about 120 A.D. in Egypt. This epistle was held in high esteem in the early Church. It is included in the Codex Sinaiticus which is one of the oldest Bibles that currently exist, having been produced in the fourth century. This bible is the primary basis for most modern translations, according to B.M. Metzger in Text of the New Testament, Oxford University Press, 1968.

76. Apology, written about the year 137 A.D.

77. Written by the prophet Hermas around 140 A.D. (or earlier) and is included in the New Testament writings in the Codex Sinaiticus.

78. From his First Apology. He suffer martyrdom in Rome in 165 A.D.

79. Octavius, written about 175 A.D.

80. Apology, written about 198 A.D.

81. Luke 13:23-24 "Someone said to Him, 'Will only a few be saved?' He replied, 'Try your hardest to enter by the narrow door for many will try to enter and will not succeed.'"

82. Mt 19:21-22 "Jesus said to him, 'If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor and then you will have treasures in heaven; then come, follow me.' But when he heard these words, he went away for he was a man of great wealth."

83. Mt 6:33

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