A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 1 NO. 34                                         OCTOBER 10, 2004

“DENYING SELF”

PART II
BY STEVE NIEMEIER

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24).  Jesus told His dsiciples that if anyone wanted t follow Him they would have to deny themselves and take up their cross.  Last week we asked the question, “What would we exchange for our soul?”  After all this was the question that Jesus asked a few verses later in the 16th chapter.  While we often put a monetary figure on what we might exchange our soul for, it has become apparent that many of us are willing to exchange our soul for other reasons also.

In Matthew the 19th chapter, vers 9, Jesus states, “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”  From the time that Jesus made this comment until now men have been trying to “clarify” the words from the Son of God.  It seems that we just can't or maybe we should say, “won't” accept what Jesus has said.  He made this statement in response to the question why Moses allowed a certificate of divorcement IF it was not according to the law, Jesus answered this question with the pointed answer, “...because of the hardening of your hearts ... but from the beginning it was not so.”  That is pretty plain isn't it?  They were not willing to “deny themselves” and so God “allowed” them (the Jews) to obtain this bill of divorcement.  Some scholars believe that God did this because the Jewish husbands would have killed their wives of they could not get rid of them some other way.  However, it is also very plain that Jesus is now stating that this allowance is over. and from this time forward these words that He is speaking will be the law on marriage and divorce as they coincide with God's wishes from the beginning.

Jesus knew that many would continue to try and “clarify” His words.  In fact verse 11 states in reference to their comment about it is better not to marry, “But He said to them, 'All cannot accept this saying...”  He then explains how some are eunuchs by choice, made eunuchs by men and become eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.

How many times have we been in a Bible class, pick up a “brotherhood periodical”, listen to a preacher, or been involved in a conversation where we hear someone trying to “clarify” the statement Jesus made in Matthew 19:9?  The “what ifs” and “what about the children” and “God doesn't want me to be alone” and “this didn't apply to non-Christians” and all the other “clarifications” that man has added and still trying to add doesn't change the words that Jesus spoke.  However, many souls have been exchanged because of man's clarification of the plain words that Jesus spoke.

Jesus stated in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”  Did He give an “allowance” on marriage, divorce and remarriage in this statement?  No more than He did with His statement in Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.  He that believeth not will be condemned.”  Why is it that many who try to “clarify” the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:9 are steadfast on Mark 16:16?  Could it be that they are not willing to “deny themselves” on Matthew 19:9 because it directly effects them, their family or a good friend?  Isn't it time that we quit trying to “clarify” the words of Jesus and start “obeying them?”