what does Luke 12:43 - 46 mean

[CharlesC]

Can you explain this to me, so I have a better understanding of Luke 12:42-46. Why would Jesus cast one of his servant in with the unbelievers?

 

[Bluelion]

Can you explain this to me, so I have a better understanding of Luke 12:42-46. Why would Jesus cast one of his servant in with the unbelievers?

Yes He is speaking of the unsaved. Those who are in ministry who claim to do God's will but do not and abuse the true Children of God. Children of God do God's will, God has said those very Words. Jesus is speaking of someone not doing God's will, but He said servant, those in the church such as pastors, but are not saved and abuse God's children. It maybe hard to understand but that is what He is saying. See believing in God is not enough you must surrender give your self over to God, Now judas new Jesus was God but he did not give him self over, he was in the church, but not saved. Get it. He is speaking of a position not a true member of the church.

 

[twin1954]

Can you explain this to me, so I have a better understanding of Luke 12:42-46. Why would Jesus cast one of his servant in with the unbelievers?

In order to understand the Gospels you must understand that the Lord Jesus never dealt with physical things. He used physical things to illustrate spiritual truth. He spoke directly to the religion of His day and it applies to all of us today.

Now He was, in the passage you asked about, speaking about the Jews who had perverted the truth by adding their traditions and lorded their so-called knowledge and holiness over the common folk. In general He was talking about the Jewish religion as a whole but specifically about the Jewish leaders.

They, like all practicing Jews today, expected the Christ to come but acted as though He wasn't coming. When He did come they feared losing their power over the people and put Him to death on a Roman cross.

When He calls them His servants He is speaking of them being the people set apart by God as a nation and to whom alone was given the law and the testimony. Their responsibility, having been given so much, was to teach the people about the Christ and prepare them for His coming. They did not do this. Instead they enriched themselves at the expense of the people.

Hope that helps, twin.

 

[BrokenWarrior]

Yes He is speaking of the unsaved. Those who are in ministry who claim to do God's will but do not and abuse the true Children of God. Children of God do God's will, God has said those very Words. Jesus is speaking of someone not doing God's will, but He said servant, those in the church such as pastors, but are not saved and abuse God's children. It maybe hard to understand but that is what He is saying. See believing in God is not enough you must surrender give your self over to God, Now judas new Jesus was God but he did not give him self over, he was in the church, but not saved. Get it. He is speaking of a position not a true member of the church.

Not to argue with you too much but, Scripture says that a Child of God will do God's Will because he/she is saved. Not that they'll do God's Will to be saved.

 

[Goodbook]

yep. Even though Jesus was talking to the israelites, his parable contains a spiritual truth that can apply to us today.

If you look at people today, people say they christians i.e they love God but what do they do? They just still living it up, partying like there's no tomorrow, nothing is changed in their lives. And they still mean to people instead of being kind and loving like Jesus was. So Jesus sees they weren't really interested or prepared for his return anyway. So he counts them as unfaithful.

 

[Job8]

Can you explain this to me, so I have a better understanding of Luke 12:42-46. Why would Jesus cast one of his servant in with the unbelievers?

Not all who appear to be, or claim to be, or imagine themselves to be "servants" of Christ are truly His. Therefore ultimately they will have their place with unbelievers. For example, take "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". They believe they are the Church of Jesus Christ. But since they have another Jesus an another Gospel, as well as another scripture,they cannot truly be "saints" (even though they are good moral people etc.).

 

[twin1954]

yep. Even though Jesus was talking to the israelites, his parable contains a spiritual truth that can apply to us today.

If you look at people today, people say they christians i.e they love God but what do they do? They just still living it up, partying like there's no tomorrow, nothing is changed in their lives. And they still mean to people instead of being kind and loving like Jesus was. So Jesus sees they weren't really interested or prepared for his return anyway. So he counts them as unfaithful.

The reason for what you describe is clearly laid at the feet of those who call themselves pastors and teachers. Still we must be careful to not condemn a fallen brother who is going through a time of trial. It is easy to look at the outward appearance in any instance but the tenor of one's life is the telling point. We are never told to judge one another but to love one another. We are never told to examine others but to examine ourselves whether we are in the faith. Weak faith is just as real as strong faith.

Far too many are quick to judge based on a glimpse of a person's life. We need to be reminded that the Gospel is about forgiveness. We need it daily as much as the profligate does.

Religious people tend to look at other people who claim to be Christians with a very critical eye waiting for them to slip up so they can point the finger. Doing so takes the focus of their own life and faith off of them and disguises their self-righteousness.

 

[CharlesC]

Well, yes, us as Christian can take Jesus warnings, not serious and pay the consequences. We all are not truly saved. Jesus said, the only ones whom will enter heaven, are the ones whom do the will of the Father. So yes, we see a lot of people claim to be Christians and live worldly verses living for God.

 

[CharlesC]

Yes, hypocritical judging is not what Jesus wanted. People quick to judge others need to imagine themselves caught in a small sin. We all sin. Jesus tells us to give the righteous judgement. This does indicated we are to judge whether it is sin or not. Otherwise we as Christians would fall into temptation.I believe Paul said, cling to what is good. Too discover what is good, there has to be some sort of judgement on what is sinful. If we see a brother in caught in sin, we are to restore him gently - if we don't judge the sin as sin, than how are we to do as our Bible teaches us.

 

[Bluelion]

Yes He is speaking of the unsaved. Those who are in ministry who claim to do God's will but do not and abuse the true Children of God. Children of God do God's will, God has said those very Words. Jesus is speaking of someone not doing God's will, but He said servant, those in the church such as pastors, but are not saved and abuse God's children. It maybe hard to understand but that is what He is saying. See believing in God is not enough you must surrender give your self over to God, Now judas new Jesus was God but he did not give him self over, he was in the church, but not saved. Get it.

Not to argue with you too much but, Scripture says that a Child of God will do God's Will because he/she is saved. Not that they'll do God's Will to be saved.

I never said they do

 

[CharlesC]

Judging others is meant as, not to condemn. It should never be done in a harsh way. But I believe we are to Judge those inside the church. Judge whether something is sinful or good. Restoring a brother that wandered astray. It has been said, to rescue a brother whom sins, is not judging, but it is impossible to rescue a brother whom is caught up in sin, without judging the sin first. At least that is my thoughts on it.

 

[Bluelion]

Well, yes, us as Christian can take Jesus warnings, not serious and pay the consequences. We all are not truly saved. Jesus said, the only ones whom will enter heaven, are the ones whom do the will of the Father. So yes, we see a lot of people claim to be Christians and live worldly verses living for God.

Those who are saved are saved. People saved do God's will because they are of God and God is working through them. But no one not one of can do God's will, but Jesus does it through us, and we get credit, that is grace.

 

[Bluelion]

Judging others is meant as, not to condemn. It should never be done in a harsh way. But I believe we are to Judge those inside the church. Judge whether something is sinful or good. Restoring a brother that wandered astray. It has been said, to rescue a brother whom sins, is not judging, but it is impossible to rescue a brother whom is caught up in sin, without judging the sin first. At least that is my thoughts on it.

You are never to judge but to use God's judgement He already gave.

 

[CharlesC]

So if I were to be selling pot. You see the pot, how do you know it is sinful?

 

[CharlesC]

You may ask God for guidance, you may determine it is against Gods will by thinking pot destroys both the body and mind. But how are you, going to save a brother if you don't judge the sin as sin? If you tell me gently that God says selling pot is wrong and it destroys the body and mind. I might say, Who are you to judge me? Even though, you said, God says it is wrong, I still say Whom are you to judge me. Why.. Because you are the one talking to me. It is your thoughts that say it is wrong. Where is God at? I don't see God, but I see you standing here telling me pot selling is wrong.
Turn it the other way. It does not say God will save a brother that is caught in a sin. It says if someone should bring him back, whomever turns him from the error of his ways... God is never mentioned as the one whom turns one from the errors of his ways.

 

[CharlesC]

However, God is the ultimate power that turns one from error, but we as humans are to be His instrument and try to convince a person they are caught in sin.

 

[twin1954]

So if I were to be selling pot. You see the pot, how do you know it is sinful?

All believers know what sin is. We do not need to look at others to find that out we simply need to look to our own heart. Knowing a brother is sinning isn't the same as judging it is simply a knowledge. To restore that brother we don't need to point the finger but remind him that sin was the reason that Christ died. We again preach the Gospel to them not point an accusative finger at them. We do not tell them that they are sinning, for if they are truly a brother they already know that, but remind them of the precious cost of sin to the Son of God. We are never to place guilt on a brother because all that will accomplish is to drive him away not restore him. Read and study 1Cor. 13 and pray the Spirit's guidance as to how we are to treat a brother.

Now who is a brother is a different question. I extend the right hand of fellowship with few. While I take people at their word that they are believers and do not question their salvation based on what they do or don't do I recognize that true believers are actually few at any given time. I listen to what they say about Christ and God which will always reveal the heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. There are at least two things every true believer knows: who God is in truth and who they are in truth. I do not judge their salvation I simply recognize a brother when I come across one. The spirit of a believer always discerns and communes with the spirit of another believer. We may be polar opposites in our personalities and the way we think but we always connect on the knowledge of God and His salvation in Christ. We may never have been able to be friends in the world but we are brothers in the spirit and are closer than any worldly ties of family or friends.

I have preached in many places all over the US in the last twenty some years and have only a few times not been among family.

 

[CharlesC]

Twin1954,
You speak the truth. Amen to you. That is correct. We know sin as a Christian. No one needs to tell us what sin is. And seeing a brother caught up in sin, is not judging but actually a concern out of love that we warn them of the error, in hopes they repent and reunite with God. You are so correct.. We are not to point a finger at them, but lovingly warn them out of concern.

 

[Goodbook]

Its concern not judging. Only God can truly judge whats in a persons heart. but Jesus does tell us certain behaviours are not in Gods will. So we can see from this parable eg beating ones servants, getting drunken and disorderly.

Hes just giving a warning here, mostly for ourselves. But if we do see a brother or sister falling into sin, we, like Jesus, can warn them. It would be remisss of us not to.

 

[CharlesC]

Judging was confused with concerned. Judging is never right... If we are concern, we hope to save our brother and if we judge we point a finger at him. Clearly a difference. Judging makes one guilty where generally concernment is to save the soul of others.