Facebook post 364 (Send Saturday October 7, 2023)
This is the second in the series of “keep yourselves from idols”, as 1 John 5:18-21 commands; thus, we will read it from the New King James Version, 18 We know whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. 19 We know we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 20 And we know the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
We cannot prove Jesus’ “parables” were “paraphrases” of actual events, nor can we disprove it; but assuming they were, then Jesus’ parable “paraphrasing” of what happens when the mustard seed does what it is created to do, just as all Jesus’ “paraphyses” reveal, as Mark 4:30-34 explains: 30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” 33 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.
Most of the people who heard Jesus “paraphrase” actual events, the Gospel writers called “parables”, did not understand the meaning of His teachings, neither could His disciples, when He added more explanative details to them in His private “paraphrases” of actual events, and this is the way 1 Corinthians 2:13-15 says we are when we, with our natural, unsaved minds, for only the spiritually minded of Romans 12:1-3 are able to understand spiritual truths.
Each person has enough God-given faith to receive Jesus Christ and to keep themselves from idols, but very few choose to use their God-given faith to “resist the devil by their steadfast, unmovable faith in the God whose word they believe, and Galatians 5:6 says, faith is dead, useless, until it works through love, as 1 Corinthians 13:2 explains.
We have already seen in Romans 14:23, “Whatever is not from faith is sin”; thus, everything we think, say, or do must come from faith working through love, or it is only an idol, wishful thinking.
We are commanded in 1 Timothy 6 to listen to and believe God’s word rather than people’s words, for most people simply argue over senseless, demonic, “correct pronoun words”.
Jesus, in Mark 5:34, told the woman with the twelve-year issue of blood, 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”
But 1 Timothy 6:12 commands us to use our faith to fight against anything and everything that tries to separate us from Jesus, for if we want eternal life with Jesus Christ, then we must stand steadfast, unmovable in our faith in Him, in whom is our eternal life (1 John 5:9-12).
Refusing to believe what God’s word says about Jesus Christ, God’s dear Son, makes God a liar in your heart and mind; therefore, without Jesus Christ it is impossible to have eternal life, and your refusal of this becomes your idol and thus, you do not have eternal life.
Whatever separates us from Jesus Christ becomes our idol and also separates us from eternal life, so believe God’s word, obey God’s word, and place all your faith and trust in the God whose word you believe and obey, or your idols will give Satan a “doggy door”, so he can go in and out of you as he so chooses, to cause additions, disease, sickness, suffering, and unlimited problems.
Jim, Kim, and Tim Nabors
