Polar Opposites

ROBERT FROST HAS WRITTEN ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND STATEMENTS WHICH SIMPLY SAYS, “TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A WOOD, AND I—I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY, AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.”

THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHRIST MUST ALSO CHOOSE A SIMILAR PATH LESS TRAVELED THAT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. MATTHEW 7:13-14, “ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE. FOR THE GATE IS WIDE AND THE WAY IS EASY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THOSE WHO ENTER BY IT ARE MANY. FOR THE GATE IS NARROW AND THE WAY IS HARD THAT LEADS TO LIFE, AND THOSE WHO FIND IT ARE FEW.”

THIS WAY OF TRAVEL IS ONE THAT PURSUES HOLINESS AND CHOOSES A SANCTIFIED LIFE THAT FORSAKES THE EASIER ROUTE OF TRAVEL MAPPED OUT BY THE WORLD THAT NAVIGATES US TOWARD SIN AND AWAY FROM WHAT PLEASES AND GLORIFIES GOD.

1 JOHN 2:15-17, “DO NOT LOVE THIS WORLD NOR THE THINGS IT OFFERS YOU, FOR WHEN YOU LOVE THE WORLD, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IN YOU. FOR THE WORLD OFFERS ONLY A CRAVING FOR PHYSICAL PLEASURE, A CRAVING FOR EVERYTHING WE SEE, AND PRIDE IN OUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND POSSESSIONS. THESE ARE NOT FROM THE FATHER, BUT ARE FROM THIS WORLD. AND THIS WORLD IS FADING AWAY, ALONG WITH EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE CRAVE. BUT ANYONE WHO DOES WHAT PLEASES GOD WILL LIVE FOREVER.”

WE BELONG TO JESUS AND NOT TO THIS WORLD. WE REFUSE TO LIVE IN SPIRITUAL POVERTY IN ORDER TO GAIN REWARDS FROM WHAT THE WORLD OFFERS. WE HAVE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP US LIVE AT MUCH HIGHER STANDARDS OF HOLINESS.

WE HAVE NO ALLEGIANCE TO THE WORLD AND HAVE NO REASON TO PAY IT HOMAGE. ROMANS 8:12-14 (GNT), “SO THEN, MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION, BUT IT IS NOT TO LIVE AS OUR HUMAN NATURE WANTS US TO. FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR HUMAN NATURE, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE; BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH YOUR SINFUL ACTIONS, YOU WILL LIVE. THOSE WHO ARE LED BY GOD'S SPIRIT ARE GOD'S CHILDREN.”

JESUS IS TEACHING ABOUT “POLAR OPPOSITES.” HE IS SAYING TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE BLESSINGS OF LIVING IN ETERNITY RATHER THAN SUCCUMBING TO THE WORLD’S STANDARDS OF “HAVE IT YOUR WAY” OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY THAT IS VOID OF GOD. WE MUST NOT BECOME BANKRUPT IN FAITH AND DIE IN SPIRITUAL POVERTY.

MATTHEW 16:26, “AND WHAT DO YOU BENEFIT IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD BUT LOSE YOUR OWN SOUL?IS ANYTHING WORTH MORE THAN YOUR SOUL?”

JESUS IS EXPLAINING IN LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF THE “BEATITUDES” THAT THE TRULY BLESSED LIFE DOES NOT COME FROM GETTING, OR FROM DOING, BUT FROM BEING! IT IS ABOUT KEEPING OUR EYES ON ETERNITY TO LIVE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE WORLD’S STANDARDS.

BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: WE MUST HUNGER AND THRIST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS! WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR HOPE AND TRUST IS IN THE LORD AND NOT IN THE BUILDING OF OUR PERSONAL AND EARTHLY ASSETS. IT FLOWS BACK TO OUR FIRST COMMANDMENT IN EXODUS 20:3, “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.”

JESUS EMPHASIZES THAT THE JOYS OF ETERNITY IN HEAVEN WILL MORE THAN COMPENSATE FOR ANY TROUBLE, HARDSHIP, OR LOSS THAT WE FACE IN THIS LIFETIME. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:17, “FOR OUR PRESENT TROUBLES ARE SMALL AND WON’T LAST VERY LONG. YET THEY PRODUCE FOR US A GLORY THAT VASTLY OUTWEIGHS THEM AND WILL LAST FOREVER!” OUR GAIN IS NOT “HERE AND NOW” BUT IN HEAVEN!

THIS IS WHY JESUS PRONOUNCES THAT BELIEVERS WHO LIVE FOCUSED ON HEAVEN ARE BLESSED. WE CAN FIND JOY BECAUSE OF WHAT IS PROMISED TO US IN ETERNITY. IN THIS WORLD, WE MAY BE POOR, IN NEED, HUNGRY, SAD, AND EVEN REJECTED, BUT THAT ALL PALES IN COMPARISON TO WHAT AWAITS US IN GOD’S KINGDOM.

MATTHEW 6:19-21, “DO NOT STORE UP RICHES FOR YOURSELVES HERE ON EARTH, WHERE MOTHS AND RUST DESTROY, AND ROBBERS BREAK IN AND STEAL. INSTEAD, STORE UP RICHES FOR YOURSELVES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS AND RUST CANNOT DESTROY, AND ROBBERS CANNOT BREAK IN AND STEAL. FOR YOUR HEART WILL ALWAYS BE WHERE YOUR RICHES ARE.”

THAT MEANS WHEN WE ARE “BLESSED,” WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT IT TO COME IN THE FORM OF MATERIAL PROSPERITY, EARTHLY FAME, WEALTH AND HEALTH. IT SPEAKS OF THE JOY AND BLISS OF KNOWING THAT EVERYTHING WE NEED WILL BE FULFILLED IN HEAVEN!

THIS IS WHY IT IS OUR GOAL TO HEAR THE WORDS OF MATTHEW 25:23, “WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT…COME AND SHARE YOUR MASTER’S HAPPINESS!’ NO GREATER BLESSING COULD BE GIVEN THAN TO BE USHERED INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH THESE WORDS WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN!

THE “POLAR OPPOSITES” ARE THIS: WE CAN BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT AND FILL OUR DAYS SCRAPPING, FIGHTING, AND SCROUNGING FOR EVERY OUNCE OF SATISFACTION THIS WORLD CAN OFFER AND YET LOSE IT ALL IN ETERNITY OR WE CAN SURRENDER TO CHRIST NOW, MAKE HIM LORD OF OUR LIFE, LIVE BY FAITH AND, IN THE END, OVERCOME THE WORLD.