Jesus came to earth to deliver man from the power of the devil, חטא, and death and to לפייס את האדם בחזרה לאלוהים ו לשחזר את מעמדו של האדם שנפל. By faith in Jesus Christ and through regeneration man would no longer belong to the generation of fallen man; הזקן, but to the generation of the new man; sons God. But the salvation of fallen man and the transfer from the kingdom of the darkness to the Kingdom of God had consequences for the life of the new man on earth. Because Jesus came not to send peace on earth, but Jesus came to send a sword. What did Jesus mean by not sending peace but sending a sword on earth?
Jesus brought division
אל תחשוב שבאתי לשלוח שלום עלי אדמות: באתי לא לשלוח שלום, אלא חרב. כי באתי להעמיד איש על אביו, והבת נגד אמה, והכלה כנגד חמותה. ואויביו של אדם יהיו מבני ביתו (מַחצֶלֶת 10:32-36, לו 12:51)
ישוע אמר, that He didn’t come to bring peace on earth, כפי שהעולם מגדיר שלום, אלא להביא את החרב.
Jesus came to set a man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law and someone’s enemies would be those of his own household.
ישוע התכוון, that His coming and His redemption through regeneration and His life in the new creation, would cause division between the איש זקן (אדם שנפל) והאדם החדש.
באמצעות התחדשות, the new man would no longer belong to the world, אלא למלכות אלוהים. לכן, the salvation of man would cause a separation between those, ששייך לעולם; ממלכת החושך (בני השטן) ואלו, ששייך לממלכת האל (בני אלוהים).
The result of regeneration
העולם לא יכול לשנוא אותך; אבל אני זה שונא, כי אני מעיד על זה, שיצירותיהן רעות (JN 7:7)
When the disciples of Jesus were not born again and were still the old creation, שהיה שייך לדור האדם הנופל, ישוע אמר, that the world could not hate them, because they still belonged to the world. But when they would be born again and the Holy Spirit would dwell in them and Jesus Christ would be in them, that would all change.
His life and His righteousness in the new creation would cause agitation, כעס, שִׂנאָה, התנגדות, ורדיפה.
הזקן הגשמי, who has the nature of the devil and the spirit of the antichrist wouldn’t stand the new man, who has the nature of God and the Spirit of Christ.
Since the Holy Spirit, Who lives in the new man, would reprove those, ששייך לעולם, של חטא, הצדקה, ושיפוט (JN 16:8)
Jesus was hated by the world, כי הוא העיד שמעשיה רעים. Therefore the new creations would also be שנוא על ידי העולם, because they would also testify that her works are evil (JN 15:18-27; 16:1-12).
ה התחדשות in Jesus Christ and living in Him would divide the soulish people, who are born of the seed of Adam and the spiritual people, שנולדו מזרע אלוהים (יֵשׁוּעַ).
The Word is powerful and shaper than any two-edged Sword
הבה נעבוד אפוא להיכנס אל המנוחה ההיא, שמא יפול אדם אחר אותה דוגמה של חוסר אמונה. כי דבר אלוהים מהיר, ועוצמתי, וחדה מכל חרב פיפיות, נוקב אפילו עד לחלוקת הנשמה והרוח, ושל המפרקים והמח, והוא מבחין במחשבות ובכוונות הלב. אין גם יצור שאינו גלוי לעיניו: אבל כל הדברים ערומים ונפתחים לעיניו של מי שיש לנו לעשות איתו (העב 4:11-13)
החרב, that Jesus brought not only referred to the relationships between people on earth and the separation between the generation of the old man and the generation of the new man, but the sword also referred to the life of the new man.
Because the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword and it pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul (איש זקן) ורוח (איש חדש) and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Word deals with the old man
The Word is the truth of God and is holy and righteous. When you study the Word through the Holy Spirit and renew your mind, you will get to know the רצון האל. The truth of God shall expose the lies of the world and shall bring the works of darkness into the light.
The Word shall, בין היתר, confront you with the deeds of your flesh, and then it’s up to you, to obey the Word or not. When you obey the Word of God and do what He says, you shall mortify the deeds of your flesh and לדחות את הזקן.
The Word not only deals with the old man, but the Word also reveals who you have become in Jesus Christ.
The Word builds the new man up in holiness
The Word feeds the spirit of the new creation with the truth of God. The Word shall reveal, מי אתה in Christ and what inheritance you have been given in Him. Without the Word you will never find out.
Only through obedience to the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword you shall kill the works of the flesh and shall do the works of the spirit.
By renewing your mind with the Word and by obeying the Word, the new man shall arise and shall walk in the light; the truth of God as the new creation; בן אלוהים. The new man shall be build up in holiness through the Word and shall do the will of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit on earth.
ספור את העלות
לכן, ישוע אמר, that before you make a choice to follow Him you should לספור את העלות. Because many people are not willing to lay down their old life and kill the works of the old carnal man through obedience to the Word (the Sword).
Many people are not able to run the race of faith and finish it. They want to be partakers of the race to receive the price, but they are not willing to pay the price. They assume that you won’t have to make any effort to be rewarded. אבל זה לא נכון.
Every professional athlete knows, what you have to give up to perform at top level and what it cost to win and be rewarded. If you didn’t have to give up anything and didn’t have to make any effort, then everyone would be a professional athlete. אבל רק אלה, who are willing to pay the price and give up their own lives, their time and social lives and activities for a disciplined training schedule with the right nutrition and a full dedication, will be rewarded.
כך גם לגבי בני אלוהים. If you wouldn’t have to make any effort, then Jesus wouldn’t have said that you should first לספור את העלות before making the choice to follow Him
Jesus wouldn’t have said either: מי שאוהב את אבא או אמא יותר ממני אינו ראוי לי: ומי שאוהב בן או בת יותר ממני אינו ראוי לי. ומי שאינו לוקח את צלבו, and follows after Me, אינו ראוי לי. מי שימצא את חייו יאבד אותם: ומי שמאבד את חייו למעני ימצא אותם (מַחצֶלֶת 10:37-39)
אבל אלו הם דברי ישוע. And Jesus said many more things, which are nowadays twisted and preached in such a manner, that many believers think that you don’t have to do anything and don’t have to make any effort, that everything will be thrown in your lap and you can live like the world; as those who still belong to the generation of fallen man and keep doing those things that go against the will of God.
But when you decide to follow Jesus, it means to give up yourself and put off your flesh. You may even lose friends and/or family members, because they are not able to bear the Truth of God.
Because the Truth of God; the Sword pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and brings division between soulish people and spiritual people on earth.
'היה מלח הארץ’
