Joshua 21:1-22:20 / Luke 20:1-26 / Psalm 89:1-13 / Proverbs 13:15-16
The parable of the evil farmers, or the story of the landowner who left his vineyard in the care of tenants is interesting. I know the parable is speaking in part of God having entrusted His truths to those on earth, as well as speaking to the religious leaders having rejected Jesus as Messiah. However, I want to speak about stewardship as related to this story.
God has certainly given us Truths to live by according to scripture, and this body of Truth is infallible. Not everyone believes that for one reason or another, but I hold that the Bible is the Holy Spirit breathed Word of God and I am working hard to learn what it says and to live by what I’ve learned.
I’m accountable for God’s Truth whether I believe it exists or not. And if I believe a form of that Truth because I’m looking from a human perspective, I have created an idol. That’s why I’m so intent on asking Holy Spirit to lead me in revealing Jesus.
Here’s my question. Am I accountable only for the truth I’ve received and believed, or am I accountable for all Truth, whether I believe it or not? That may sound like a tough question. How can I be accountable for what I dismiss as false? Well, I’m not accountable, unless it’s the Truth.
You know that scripture that says every knee will bow? Romans 14:11 NLT says it this way, “For the scriptures say, ‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.”
This means that all men, women and children will bow their knee to God one day, whether they acknowledged in their lifetime that He was the way to reconciliation with the Father or not. We don’t have to acknowledge the Truth for it to be true. In this way, we are accountable for how we steward what we hear and believe.
I will discount Truth, I will believe lies, I will be deceived and I will be vindicated. No one has all Truth. But there is one Truth that matters above all else and that is the Truth alluded to in Luke 20. Jesus Christ is the Messiah and He was sent to earth by His Father to provide a path for forgiveness and healing for our separation from God.
God is holy. Our sin separates us from Him. These are Facts. To be reconciled to God we must accept the teachings of the Bible, especially the ones concerning Who Jesus Christ is and what He came to do.
When we stand before God at the judgment, there will be one main objective. Am I found believing in Christ? Or did I reject His sacrifice? There are two pair of “glasses” at the judgment through which we may be seen.
One is the lens of sin and I’ll be found guilty. The other is the lens of Grace through faith, and if I’m in Christ, I will be found innocent. That is scandalous indeed. I will be declared free based on the work on Another. What a great debt I owe Him!
What have you done with the Son? Did you receive Him? Throw Him out of your life? Or are you part of the company who killed Him (the religious)?
I realize these are deep and profound things to consider, but they are the only Truths that matter. I challenge you not to leave earth without having considered them.
