”If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple… Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” | Luke 14: 26, 33

The Lord is not telling us to hate our families, for He gave commandment to love one another.

He is telling us that nothing and no one is to have preference over Him; that we are to love Him above all, and be willing to forsake all for Him.

This is the true love of God shed abroad in the hearts of all His true people. It is supernatural, born again love that the world does not have and cannot understand; accusing those who have it of not loving their families (hate).

When brother Groover was taking his family to the Mexican mission field, a few unsaved relatives accused him of not loving his family. So it will be with all who love the Lord supremely and forsake their flesh and blood to go where He is, where His gospel is; all who would rather be with God’s family than their own.

On the other hand, any man or woman who forsakes Christ; (and to “forsake the assembling of ourselves…” to forsake the gospel, is to forsake Christ) anyone who ignores Christ for any reason, should not think it unreasonable that He will someday ignore them.

One who forsakes Christ to further their career, should not think it unreasonable that He would forsake them for His own glory. One who is more interested in making money than hearing the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ, should not think God to be cruel when He takes everything away from them someday.

One who forsakes Christ for their family, should not think it wrong when he forsakes them in favor of His family.

One who forsakes the assembly of the church on earth, should not be surprised when Christ does not allow them into the assembly of the saints in Heaven.

One who is not interested in the worship and fellowship of Christ now, should not complain when He has no interest for them in the end.

One who is unmoved and unfeeling upon hearing the gospel of Christ’s unspeakable love, sufferings and sorrow, should not think Him hard when He is unmoved by their cries of misery at the judgment.

NO, NO!

It is not the Lord who is unreasonable, hard and uncaring, it is the unbeliever.

“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;” (Proverbs 1: 24)

If you end up without Christ someday, do not blame Him, for He “called and you refused. He warned and you would not listen.

“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.” (John 10: 25)

“I told you”, He said, “and ye believed not”.

~ Pastor Paul Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Praise Ye The Lord in the Congregation”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 10 April, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia