by Charlie Rogers

How many of us thought that when we gave our lives to Jesus everything would be rosy, with no problems and that nothing would come against us? Probably just about every one of us! Let’s just see what Jesus has to say on the subject.

Matt 10:32

"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

As a believer this is part of what is required of us, our first step of a wonderful life. However, this sets things in motion in your life, this is the basis for your salvation and sets the stage for things to come. It tells us first off that you can’t hide your salvation. Your relationship and life with Christ that is real is not to be hid under a basket, but to be evident to the whole world.

We have always thought of Jesus as the Prince of Peace, as our peace in our life, which He is and will always be. Let’s see another side of the picture from Jesus own words! Continuing on in Matthew 10;

34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. NKJV

Quite a different statement by Jesus Himself in verse 34, we find that He came to bring a sword. The Word of God is what Jesus came manifested as here on earth and we know by what the bible says that the Word is the sword of the spirit!

He brought and gave us the Word of God to live our lives by, to set us apart from the world and the ways of the world. Yet how many churches or groups of people can you think of that have deviated from parts of the Word of God? If you’re like me you have seen and become acquainted with many.

So basically Jesus is saying I brought the Word of God for you to live your life by and it is going to divide you from your father, your mother, maybe all your relatives, your friends and also other people with the label of Christian attached to their lives.

There are many people that have compromised the Word of God, deleted parts of it from their life, so that they don’t have to be responsible for it being manifested in their life. They live in a watered down gospel. If you live in the light of the Word and try to pattern your life after the truth of the Word, you’re not going to be agreeing with not only natural brothers and sisters, but also brothers and sisters in other circles of so called Christianity.

The Word of God or the sword that Jesus brought is going to divide you. Yes He did come that you might have peace and walk in peace. But it is this Word He brought that we walk in and apply to our lives that brings us the peace and causes us to be overcomers! He goes on and says in verse 37,

37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. NKJV

He is very plain here and it is somewhat hard for some to actually accept His words. If your first love is your natural family, or finding favor from others in the body of Christ that is more important, then you’re not putting Jesus first. You already have strayed from the living the Word of God for your life.

If you really love your family members and the body of Christ you will not compromise the Word of God. And you will put God and the things of God first in your life that you might have what it takes when natural family members and parts of the body of Christ are in need, that you can meet that need.

When do I know that I get a chance to compromise? How about the chance to hide what the Word of God really says about an issue, just to gain favor with an individual or group in the body of Christ. How about hiding what you really believe and the truth when you know you’re going to get persecuted for it. Example: You believe in praying in other tongues, laying hands on the sick for healing and casting out demons, but you don’t do it or let anyone know it because someone might not want you to preach at their church or might persecute you. But yet the word instructs you as a believer to do those things.

Mark 16:14-18

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."NKJV

This is the believer’s call, yet some bible versions such as NIV bibles either leave these above verses out or a notation telling you to leave it out. If I had an NIV bible I certainly would not give it away, but I would burn it. If someone can get you to compromise one thing, then someone else another, soon the devil will stand the chance to talk you out of your salvation.

The point I am making is, " Don’t compromise the Word of God, His truth. Not only is there a chance it will divide you from loved ones, but Jesus said that the Truth He brings will do exactly that. I believe in unity in the body of Christ all right, but I do not believe in compromising the Truth. One thing that I hate is dead religion with a name Christianity. Yes, you will be persecuted and divided if you decided to follow Jesus and His sword you can count on it, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul said in 2 Cor. 4:11, "We are being delivered unto death that the life of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal bodies." We have to have the first part that verse ourselves so others will see and reap the benefits of the second part of that verse. Maybe it’s time to die to a few things!