The Stubborn Mule

 

 

A man once said to a thirsty mule, "I know where a cool stream of water is. The water is fresh and clean. Come with me and drink. You must put effort into walking to the stream though. It is a long, hot, walk."

The mule responded, "No. I will stand in this hot field and wait for it to rain. I will not put effort into searching for water. I will wait for the rain and then drink by grace."

The man responded, "But if you know where cool water is why wait for it to rain? Has not G-d provided you the means to drink and be refreshed already? If we know where the water is and obey then we will drink."

The mule, stubborn as it was, refused to answer. So it waited in a hot field and waited...and waited. The mule remained hot, thirsty and weak even though it claimed to be wise and under grace. The man settled beside the cool stream and always had water to drink. 

The rain never came for the mule. By grace G-D provided the stream of water. The mule refused instruction and wisdom. It remained withered and weak although its attitude remained stubborn and proud. "I will not put effort into obedience. I will wait for the rain." 

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Many times the inside of a church becomes a hot, dry, field. Many times we hear the phrase, "I am saved by Grace."

We are saved by Grace through faith. That is the truth. But grace requires obedience. And the word 'Obedience' seems to be an enemy of the Christian faith. The word 'Grace' seems to be a free ticket to live and do as one pleases. The word 'Works' is denied. 

 Let's take a look at the word 'Works' in the Bible. 

 

James Ch 2:

 24 You see that a person is declared righteous because of actions and not because of faith alone. 

26 Indeed, just as the body without a spirit is dead, so too faith without actions is dead. 

 In verse 24 James is clearly teaching that a person is declared 'Righteous' by his actions (works) and not by faith alone. 

In verse 26 James is clearly teaching that faith without actions (works) is dead.  

James is not teaching that we are saved by works. This is not a 'Works for Salvation' issue. What James is teaching is that a follower of YESHUA must have works to accompany his faith. 

Titus Ch 3

14:  And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

 We are to maintain good works.

 

John Ch 10:

38:  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

 YESHUA did works.  

 

1 Corinthians Ch 15

 58 So, my dear brothers, stand firm and immovable, always doing the Lord's work as vigorously as you can, knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain. 

We must do the LORD's 'Work'. 

2 Corinthians Ch 9

8: And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

 

We must abound in every good 'Work'. 

 

2 John Ch 1

 8 Watch yourselves, so that you won't lose what you have worked for, but will receive your full reward.

We must be careful not to lose what we have 'Worked' for. 

 

2 Timothy Ch 2

 15 Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with the Word of the Truth.

 

We are to be 'Workers'. 

 

Yes, we are saved by Grace by faith but faith without works is fruitless and dead. 

John Ch15

1 "I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener.

2 Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit.

3 Right now, because of the word which I have spoken to you, you are pruned.

4 Stay united with me, as I will with you -- for just as the branch can't put forth fruit by itself apart from the vine, so you can't bear fruit apart from me.

5 "I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can't do a thing. 

 

 

YESHUA commands that we pick up our Cross and follow HIM.  

Matthew Ch 10

38 And anyone who does not take up his execution-stake and follow me is not worthy of me. 

 

Picking up our cross requires work and effort. We are following YESHUA to our death in order to be Risen with HIM. As YESHUA walked on the earth, knowing that HE was going to die, HE constantly did the 'Works' of the FATHER. We, too, are to do the same works. We aren't saved by works. YESHUA was the sinless Sacrifice because HE obeyed TORAH. HE was faithful to the FATHER's Will and because HE was faithful HE did the works of the FATHER. It was by G-D's Grace that YESHUA died on behalf of sinners, but G-D requires HIS children to walk in faithfulness and obedience and to do HIS works. 

My child who lives in my home says, "My father loves me. I am saved by his grace. I can sit on the couch all day and not clean my room." 

My other child replies, "My father loves me, too, and he wants us to keep our rooms clean. Because I love my father I will do his works."

Who am I pleased with? 

What are the works we are to do? The Torah alone teaches us the works we are to do. Not man, Not ourselves. The Torah.

We will talk about the works in the Torah in another study. For now I want the reader to understand that faith without works is dead. 

Without works how is the hungry fed, the sick visited, the weary comforted, the dying given love? Without works how are the poor clothed, the thirsty given water, the widow helped, the orphan sheltered? Without works how do we love our fellow man? Is it right to say, 'Be warm,' on a cold day without giving a man a coat to stay warm with? 

What do we do for G-D who saved us at the cost of the Life of HIS SON? 

Do we follow our Shepherd, the Living Water, to life and grow from HIS vine or do we sit in a hot, dry, church waiting for it to rain?

Shalom and Blessings in YESHUA'S Precious name.

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Bible