Divided heart = Divided Loyalties………..

Divided heart = Divided Loyalties………..

“Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things behind] is fit for the kingdom of God”.  Luke 9:62  AMP

The only reasonable explanation for Jesus to respond to this man was because He was looking into this man’s heart and knew that behind his apparently reasonable request was a heart with divided loyalties.

This was a man who claimed to be ready to follow Jesus, but who in reality was not truly ready to relinquish his old life.  He liked Jesus’ teaching, he liked the idea of being one of His disciples, but he also liked his old life and he was reluctant to let it go.   So Jesus says “No one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.  No one who continues to love his old life is fit for the kingdom of God!”

There are many lessons and warnings for us in this passage, but this is the sharpest of all. Here we see a terrifying truth –--- that there are many who are deluding themselves, many who think that they are ready to follow Christ, when in reality they are not truly ready to give up their sin. They are not truly ready to live for Jesus rather than themselves.  They claim to have set out on the path of righteousness, but they keep looking back. Their heart is still in their old, sinful state!

As we know, there are many who claim to be Christians because they have gone forward at some altar call. They get caught up in the excitement and emotion of the moment.  Perhaps they are even struck with a certain sense of guilt for their sin.

But in actually the effect on them does not last much longer than a new year’s resolution.  Their interest in Jesus dies down, and old habits reassert themselves, and before you know it they are going along just as they were before.

Why?????  What is the problem?

The problem is that such people never really loved Jesus to begin with. Their hearts were never really in it. They never really cared for Him. They never really turned their back on their sins, and so they returned to their fleshly desires.

How far will you follow Christ, really? 

Unless you love Him, unless He is life and breathe to you, then He is not really yours, and before long you will look back with longing to the things that you love more--- – the things and people of this world.

If you do not love Jesus, you have never really begun to follow Him at all.  If He is not the most precious thing in your whole life, so that you will follow Him no matter what -----no matter how difficult the circumstances, no matter how difficult the choices and decisions you have to make ----- if He is not that to you, then you are fooling yourself. 

He calls all of us to repent of our sins, to turn our back on this world, and to follow Him. The cost will be high. The difficulty will be great. But no price is too high for the privilege of belonging to Him. It is worth it!  But He demands our whole heart. He will not accept divided loyalties.  Let us not look back, but press forward, being determined to follow without question no matter where He may lead or what He may ask us to give up or separate ourselves from.

We are not told how these three responded to what Jesus said, but it is pretty obvious.  They left Jesus to hold on to their earthly love.  What a sad decision.  

The pearl of great price is available to those who sell all. The treasure hidden in the field is available to all who will sell all.  That's how it is with true disciples. They have entered into a life of following Jesus…... so follow Jesus.

Song:  I have decided to follow Jesus……. Public Domain

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.