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Not Peace, but a Sword
I believe the key to understanding this section of verses is seen in the last verse. I think we can understand it a little better when reading the Easy To Read version:
The desire of Yeshua is to bring all men to know Him. He is out to change our life. When we come to Him and vow to follow Him everywhere He leads us there is the expectation of change. When our heart is truly captivated by Him, there is a very marked change. We are becoming perfected and it will show. It will show in the way we act. It will show in the way we think. It will show in every area of our lives....for the rest of our lives. It may be in huge chunks or it may be in bits and pieces, but there will be change. Where we were dishonest, we become honest. Where our thinking was skewed and not at all the way God thinks our opinions start to change.
As a result of this change in us, there WILL be upset among your friends and family. Your new ways WILL cause them conviction and they will begin to lash out at you. Those who are wishy-washy in their own walk will accuse you of being a "goody two shoes". When you won't cheat anymore on something, or you won't participate anymore in things that do not bring HIM glory, they will say "so are you saying that I'm a sinner?" And so forth and so on. There is no way around it. If you have truly laid down your life to follow Yeshua (Jesus) this WILL happen. If it's not, ask God to show you why.
Yeshua did not come so that we can live all comfortable and still be the same old people we've always been and still go to heaven. Scripture is clear that those who continue on in their old ways (without that uncomfortableness that is bringing change) will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1 Cor 6:8-11) Note that in verse 11 it says (in paraphrase) "some of you WERE (past tense, meaning they were no longer like that) like this, but you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified" There was change.
If we love the approval of our father and mother, our sons or daughters, brothers and sisters, etc., and we back off following Yeshua in the way that He's called so as not to have them upset at us then we are not worthy of Him. We are not to deliberately make people angry, but we are not to pacify them either and deny our faith and our walk with Him. We must follow Him completely. Yes, with some it takes longer than others, but as long as there is movement forward then you are changing....and that's good.
Matt 10:34-39 New King James Version said: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.
I believe the key to understanding this section of verses is seen in the last verse. I think we can understand it a little better when reading the Easy To Read version:
Matt 10:34-39 Easy To Read Version said:“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace. I came to bring trouble. 35 I have come to make this happen:
‘A son will turn against his father.
A daughter will turn against her mother.
A daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law.
36 Even members of your own family will be your enemies.’
37 “Those who love their father or mother more than they love me are not worthy of me. And those who love their son or daughter more than they love me are not worthy of me. 38 Those who will not accept the cross that is given to them when they follow me are not worthy of me. 39 Those who try to keep the life they have will lose it. But those who give up their life for me will find true life.
The desire of Yeshua is to bring all men to know Him. He is out to change our life. When we come to Him and vow to follow Him everywhere He leads us there is the expectation of change. When our heart is truly captivated by Him, there is a very marked change. We are becoming perfected and it will show. It will show in the way we act. It will show in the way we think. It will show in every area of our lives....for the rest of our lives. It may be in huge chunks or it may be in bits and pieces, but there will be change. Where we were dishonest, we become honest. Where our thinking was skewed and not at all the way God thinks our opinions start to change.
As a result of this change in us, there WILL be upset among your friends and family. Your new ways WILL cause them conviction and they will begin to lash out at you. Those who are wishy-washy in their own walk will accuse you of being a "goody two shoes". When you won't cheat anymore on something, or you won't participate anymore in things that do not bring HIM glory, they will say "so are you saying that I'm a sinner?" And so forth and so on. There is no way around it. If you have truly laid down your life to follow Yeshua (Jesus) this WILL happen. If it's not, ask God to show you why.
Yeshua did not come so that we can live all comfortable and still be the same old people we've always been and still go to heaven. Scripture is clear that those who continue on in their old ways (without that uncomfortableness that is bringing change) will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1 Cor 6:8-11) Note that in verse 11 it says (in paraphrase) "some of you WERE (past tense, meaning they were no longer like that) like this, but you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified" There was change.
If we love the approval of our father and mother, our sons or daughters, brothers and sisters, etc., and we back off following Yeshua in the way that He's called so as not to have them upset at us then we are not worthy of Him. We are not to deliberately make people angry, but we are not to pacify them either and deny our faith and our walk with Him. We must follow Him completely. Yes, with some it takes longer than others, but as long as there is movement forward then you are changing....and that's good.
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