A sharp rebuke: "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." |
Matthew 16
21 ¶
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must
go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee,
Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But
he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence
unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of
men.
How often we deserve similar rebuke from the
Lord for such impudence, for minding not the things of God, but our own ideas
and opinions. Peter entertained a completely different idea about Christ the
Son of the living God, and insisted that Jesus fit into his own idea.
We persist in our ideas and opinions and
fables, thus opposing and rejecting the Lord's plain teachings. When will we
deny ourselves, and die to ourselves, and follow the Lord... yes, get behind
Him and follow. Otherwise, we turn ourselves into a satan, i.e. an adversary,
an opponent of Christ, instead of a follower.
========
Sing F Lau
What was Peter's response to such a scathing
rebuke? I don't know. The fact that the Scriptures did not record anything
negative is a credit to Peter. Probably Peter took the well-deserved rebuke humbly.
Would it surprise you that a typical response
from many - who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ - when Christ show and
teach them things contrary to their own notions? Would they fare better than
Peter?
Would you fare better than Peter?
Not a few would probably react intensely,
throw tantrums, start cursing, and go to great lengths to justify their
cherished notions, attempting to overthrow Christ's plain teaching. They want
Christ to fit into their notion of religion! They want Christ to follow them!
John Vanderzyden
Given our conversation last week, I wonder if
you see the irony in any of what you are posting here. Do you think that your
theology is sound and irrefutable? I wonder, Sing, if you think that there is
nothing more that you can learn. 😕
Charles Page
Judas was also a devil and was greatly
influenced by the devil. Both were elect and regenerate, chosen of God, but in
reference to their timely salvation, one was clean, and the other remained
unclean.
Sing F Lau
John, I claim nothing. I'm stating what I
understand what I read. if you don't like it, you don't have to read. if you
disagree with what I have stated, then the honour is yours to give your
explanation. Everything else is beside the point. Deal with the subject if you
have more to say, otherwise don't waste time here. Go find a place where you
can read what you love to read.
John Vanderzyden
I believe many things that I didn't want to
believe at first. My disposition and analysis is not a matter of preference or
disagreement, but of evidence.
I deal squarely with the subject, but you
want to dance.
The crowd is untruth.
Sing F Lau
If you are not interested in studying
Scriptures, but hot air and insinuation, there is no place for you here. Thanks.
If I want to dance, as you accused me, but
you want to crawl, then why waste time here if you don't want to dance? Weird?
Go find someone who will crawl with you!
John Vanderzyden
You didn't answer this question, either: Do
you think that your theology is sound and irrefutable?
Sing F Lau
What question, John?
I have answered... you are not reading...
"John, I claim nothing. I'm stating what
I understand what I have read. if you don't like it, you don't have to read it.
If you disagree with what I have stated, then the honour is yours to give your
explanation. Everything else is beside the point. "
But you just keep on raving irrelevantly...
which is why I will remove you after this.
Regina Grayson
I'll answer the question. Yes, I believe the
Word of God is sound and irrefutable. "He that hath an ear. let him
hear...." If the Lord God Almighty writes His irrefutable Word on your
heart and turns that heart of stone into a heart of flesh, then He will place
that desire and hope within your breast to follow Him. Amen.
Sing F Lau
His question is not, "Is the Word of God
sound and irrefutable?"
That would be an easy question!
It is "Do you think that your theology
is sound and irrefutable?"
Whether one's theology is sound and
irrefutable, it is the critic's honour to show... refute it and show its
unsoundness!
Charles Page
Bereans! The Thessalonians expected the
preachers to show that their message was sound and irrefutable; however, the Bereans
sought the Scriptures for themselves to see if the message was sound and
irrefutable.
Preaching to the Thessalonians was burdensome and
nigh impossible; however, preaching to the Bereans was a joy and easy. You preach, they decide, and you wait for their decision, simple!
The Thessalonians were closed minded and the
Bereans were open minded!
Regina Grayson
Yes, I believe that my theology is sound and
irrefutable--Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Period.
Sing F Lau
Very many are as confident as you are. The
Lord bless you.
I can't claim that. I can only state what I
do presently understand and believe, and I know I'm still learning, and things
to unlearn.
Bill Taylor
Dear Bro. Sing, your last statement describes
the place where all need to understand they presently stand: "Still
learning and things to unlearn." God bless you, and God bless all His
people to desire truth more than tradition.
