Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. - Mark 8:38
The word of God makes two distinctions of people of this age (generation), being the length of time starting from his arrival unto his return. He gives two distinctions of the generation to showcase the difference between two groups. He calls the generation adulterous on one hand and sinful on the other.
The adulterous generation is reminiscent of spiritually loose or promiscuous individuals. It refers to those who have come unto Christ but have not abided in him. Just as Christ’s words unto the Church of Laodicea, “I know your works; that you are neither cold nor hot . . .” (Revelation 3:14-15), there was no faithfulness or consistency in these people’s worship. There perhaps was worship unto God in spirit (gifts operating in the church) but not in truth (“love out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned”; a devotion unto God that’s wholesome and from within). Thus, the effect becomes spiritual adultery unto God, where one who professes Christ becomes engaged in the practices, affections, and destructive lusts of the world.
The sinful generation is those who are sensual, ungodly, unrepentant, and unbelievers of the world. They are simply sinners who know that (for the most part) they are in sin. This is the latter description of mankind who are found ashamed of Christ and of his words on his return.
Both the adulterous and the sinful generation are found ashamed of Christ and his words upon his return. What this means is that some were unwilling to bear their cross or to deny themselves or both (Mark 8:34). For, to deny oneself is to humble oneself unto God, to yield unto God’s word, to reverence Truth, and to take up one’s cross is to be led by the Spirit of God the individual Way that God has for each of our lives that crucifies us furthermore. Paul, while walking in God’s will for his life, says it like this, “I die daily” (I Corinthians 15:31). The purpose of taking up one’s cross is to conform us to God’s image (Romans 8:29).
So, Christ is this “stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient” (I Peter 2:8). On one hand the adulterous and sinful generation rejects or is ashamed of the cross of Christ and also just simply rejects (or ashamed of) God’s word. Therefore, these shall also be rejected by God in his return.
Notwithstanding, in this tumult of rejection by the Lord upon his return, again it shall consist of two groups. The question was asked, “Lord are there few that be saved ?” (Luke 13:23), and this was Christ’s response:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us’; and he shall answer and say unto you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from’: then shall you begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets.’ But he shall say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke 13:24-28
Weeping and gnashing of teeth are indicative of two emotional responses. Weeping is of sorrow and regret while gnashing of teeth is of anger, outrage, and bitterness. Let us examine another usage of Christ’s statement of these two different emotional responses. Pay attention. He says,
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man comes. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Assuredly I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming’; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:41-51).
The hypocrites are the adulterous and the sinful because there are many lies or contradictions in the hearts, mouths, and lives of those in sin; and so, the servant who is out of God’s will when his lord returns shall be appointed right along in the midst with them. Moreover, the fact that Christ taught that we should be ready is a matter of the heart. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left is a simply matter of PREPERATION. They were both not doing anything necessarily sinful at the time of the Lord’s return, but one was prepared . . . and the other was not. This is consistent with Christ’s teaching (Matthew 25:1-30). Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. – Philippians 2:12
Where are you? Where do you fit in any of this? We shall either be a weeper, one who knew their master’s will but prepared not themselves or did according to his will (Luke 12:47), or shall we be a gnasher, who knew not and did things sinfully, worthy also of chastisement (Luke 12:48). Or, we shall be a gnasher, one who knew their master’s will but prepared not themselves nor did according to his will, or a weeper, who knew not and did things sinfully, worthy of chastisement also. The fiery tumult of chastisement is an exhaustive expanse of countless situations (Isaiah 5:14).
Or, will you be elsewhere? Will you receive the Lord Jesus and believe in him in your heart; that God has raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10)? For when one believes in Jesus Christ like that, one is acknowledging the saving grace of God, which is the power of God and the majesty of God over all circumstances to trust and to believe him despite whatsoever that may confront your affinity unto him to make you ashamed.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35,38
The Lord Jesus did not allow anything or anyone to restrain him from giving himself unto us in dying for our sins on the cross, so he has also made this salvation likewise now available unto us that we, therefore, will show this exact same love unto him, not allowing anything or anyone to restrain us from Him!
Notably, the scripture writer said that neither death, nor life (Romans 8:38). In relation to being ashamed of Christ and of his words, life is a great adversary:
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:34-38
Don’t allow the “pride of life” to cause you to sadly and tragically miss out on God (Matthew 6:24). Money, beauty, gifts, fame, or whatsoever your glory all can be categorized as life or the pride of life. Don’t allow it to separate you or to cause you to not abide in Him, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Be elsewhere instead of a gnasher or a weeper. Amen. God bless.
For those who are the Church, saved, born-again, if you would like more to read to further propel or make sure your faith, my title I Never Knew You would be a great read as a follow-up to this message. If desirable to you, here they are.
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However, this writing A Weeper, A Gnsasher, Or Elsewhere is featured as the preamble of a forthcoming title upon our finances. Be on the lookout! Subscribe to the page to receive more news and content. Take care
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