Jesus Knew What Was In The Heart Of Man
Part One
In John 2: 24, 25 there is a golden nugget of wisdom that can provide us with the means for a reality check regarding unrealistic expectations we may have when interacting with the people around us.
Being rejected, betrayed, maligned, slandered, gossiped about, conspired against, exposed, black-mailed, etc., by our enemies or competitors should not be all that surprising, and almost expected.
But receiving the same treatment, or seeing the same behavior, being exhibited by those with whom we share, or have shared ,the comforting confidentiality and trusting environment of a personal relationship, can be a devastating experience.
It can be a hard lesson to learn, but there is the potential for such behavior to manifest itself in ALL of us, including the one we face in the mirror.
In the John 2: 24, 25 passage, we are told that Jesus was not entrusting Himself to people, because He knew, that in spite of their present, favorable words and behavior, what was in the heart of Man.
The important thing to note is that knowing about the fallen nature in people did not change His attitude or what He would do for the benefit of those with whom He interacted.
Jesus knew that after paying the sin debt of the entire human race (1), only a few (2) from each generation during the upcoming Church Age, would choose the only way (3), that leads to eternal life. He knew that not all those who would be born again would enter into, and or remain, in post salvation discipleship.
Once we acknowledge the presence and influence (4) that this fallen, self-centered, hostile, nature of Man can have, we will not be so surprised when people (including ourselves) do some of the ungodly and rotten things we and they, say and do.
This fallen nature doesn't go away when we are born again (5).
In fact, it increases its pressure on our soul, keeping pace with whatever forward progress we may make along the road to spiritual maturity. The more we advance, the bigger the target we become in the realms of spiritual combat (6), and the more frequently and intense the satanic attacks will be, as the devil appeals to the fallen nature within us.
Much of what human viewpoint would write off as being the every-day facts of life, are actually the Eph. 6: 16 fiery arrows, that are launched by the Kingdom of Darkness, with the intent of causing spiritual damage (7).
Our primary defense against such attacks consists of our Eph. 6: 16 shield of faith, supported by our Matt. 7: 24-25 edified soul structure.
Paul spoke of his ongoing struggle with this fallen nature in his letter to the believers in Rome (8), that he wrote nearly thirty years AFTER he was born again, and towards the END of his earthly life and ministry.
Earth would be a wonderful place to live if everyone loved God (9), and considered others to be more important than themselves (10).
But here in the devil’s world (11), we must deal with the fallen, self-centered, hostile, nature that is in ourselves and in the people around us.
Love for God is expressed in obedience (12) to His commands. Love for others is expressed by doing unto others what we have them do for us (13).
Love is measured by the extent that one is willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of the object of his love.
We do not want others to lie, cheat, or steal from us. We do not want others to endanger or hurt us spiritually, physically, or mentally. We do not want others to misguide us or to take advantage of us. The list of what we would not want others to do to us is endless, as is our list of what we would want or expect others to do for us.
But here in the real world, we are dealing with a self-centered, fallen race of beings, bent towards evil. Even much of the “good” that is done, it is done for the primary purpose of the doer receiving compensation or future benefits for oneself.
When, for whatever reason, be it such things as the “well running dry,” or the “give and take balance” in a mutual relationship becoming lop-sided, relationships can diminish and or disappear, with the people moving on in search of greener or more equitable pastures.
This can happen in marriage, careers, social activities, and friendships.
Along the way, even the Lord’s closest disciples wanted to know what was “in it” for them (14). Peter did the asking, but have no doubt that the others were just as interested in what the Lord’s response would be.
Advancing disciples do NOT serve God in order to be rewarded. They willingly serve God, even if they never receive some of the blessings that others do (while here on Earth).
The fallen nature in Man strives to keep us focused on the here and now.
But advancing disciples know that most of the blessings received here on Earth have an expiration date, whereas their treasures and reward to be experienced throughout eternity, are secure in Heaven (15).
There are many things for an advancing disciple to receive in Heaven and experience during Eternity future. But the only things that a born-again believer receives here on Earth, that can be taken into Heaven with him or her at the moment of departure, is his or her saved soul, regenerated spirit, and the eternal life that he or she received the moment he or she was born again.
Furthermore, throughout the course of the Church Age, many advancing disciples did not and will receive temporal blessings, but were and will be subjected to many of horrible activities recorded in Heb. 11: 36-39.
It is during such testing that many “followers” of Christ conclude that this was not what they signed up for, and flee from the battlefield of post salvation discipleship.
End of Part One
1John 2: 2 (2 ) Matthew 7: 14 (3) John 14: 6 (4) Romans 7: 18 (5) John 3: 7 (6) Ephesians 6: 10-17 (7) 1 Peter 5: 8 (8) Romans 7: 21-24 (9) Matthew 22: 37 (10) Philippians 2: 3 (11) Luke 4: 6 (12) John 14: 15 (13) Romans 11: 2 Mark 12: 31 (14) Matthew 19: 27 (15 ) Matt. 6: 20
To be continued in Part Two