What Thank Have Ye?

              When I read the verses below, I got to thinking about my own walk with the Lord.  The question I asked myself was, “Do I walk to be merciful like my Lord, or do I walk for gain?”  I have said from the pulpit, “The only difference between us as Christians and those without the Lord is our eternal, everlasting, forever and ever destination.”

              I cannot relate to you how merciful God has been to me.  His mercy allowed this wretched old sinner a clean white robe, and a place in heaven.  Neither His mercy, nor the white robe, nor the spot in Heaven is deserved.  Yet, He hung His only begotten Son on that “Old Rugged Cross” so I could set myself, through Him, onto that road which leads me to the strait gate.  He is the one who showed me the exit ramp off the old broad way.

(Matthew 7:13-14)  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat 14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

              Yet, when I think about my walk, I know I have not walked as I should have.  I can always go to:

(Romans 3:23)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

But that is just an excuse, and I certainly do not want to ignore God’s direction.  We as Christians need to look different from those of the world, not just our dress, and our appearance, but it must be Christ seen in us that is being seen by the world.

              I pray as I work to better myself before the lost, that we all will seek to show Christ in us.  I am certain some who read this short dissertation might have one foot in sin and the other foot claiming Christianity.  (We are told we cannot straddle the fence.  Either we are saved or we are not saved.)

(Luke 16:13)  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mammon is the world.  It is the broad way.  If we cannot serve both, we need to determine whom we want to serve.  We must choose whether it is God and His Son, or Satan and his world.  Which do we choose?

Bro. John Chastain          

Luke 6:32-36  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.  (33)  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.  (34)  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.  (35)  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  (36)  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.