Abundant Life To Those Who Believe

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, KJV)

Chapters 9 and 10 of the Gospel of John speaks of the efficacious (producing the effect intended) grace which gathers the sheep under the care of the Son, and of the Father’s love.

In chapter 10 Jesus is contrasting Himself with all those who pretended, or had pretended, to be shepherds of Israel.  He develops these three points; He comes in by the door; He is the door; and He is the Shepherd of the sheep – the good Shepherd.

John 10:10, in particular, is part of a parable (John 10:7-10) about Jesus being the door of the sheep.  Said parable indicates two things:  (a) it is only through Jesus a man can have a lawful entrance into the ministry; and (b) it is only through Jesus that mankind can be saved. 

The thief is referred to those who claimed to be instructors of the people and regulate the affairs of religion but their only aim in their coming was to plunder the sheep – the people of God (the Church) – and to enrich themselves at the expense of the people.  They enter the priesthood that they may enjoy the revenues of the Church and their doctrine is deadly.  Their character is well pointed out by the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:2).

Jesus, on the other hand, came that whosoever believed in Him shall not perish but to have and eternal life.  The sheep of Christ are free and their safety is in the personal care of the Good Shepherd who fed them in the good and fat pastures which His love supplies.

The word “abundantly” literally means that they may have abundance, or that which abounds.  The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy.  They shall not merely have life – simple, bare existence – but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy.

It is certain that Christians have enjoyed greater blessings and privileges than were ever possessed by the Jews, even in the Promised Land.  Jesus came that men may have abundance:  abundance of grace, peace, love, life, and salvation.

Depth of God's Love

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16, KJV)

Redemption originated in God’s great love – nothing else but the free love of the Father is the beginning of our salvation.

The word “world” refers to “all mankind.”  It does not refer to any particular part of the world but man as man – the race that had rebelled and that deserved to die (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  The mankind who is in ruin, exposed to the wrath of God, and in a hopeless condition.

God’s love to mankind does not mean that He approved the conduct of men for He hates wickedness.  It could be best described like a parent who love his child and desire his welfare, and yet strongly opposed to the conduct of that child.

God’s love caused Him gave His only begotten Son up to extreme sufferings, even the bitter pains of death on the cross – this is the highest expression of love of which we can conceive.

God’s love is an invitation to all mankind that whosoever believes on His Son may not perish but have eternal life.  Believing does not mean holding or accepting all that is taught in the Bible for a man might believe everything in the Bible yet not believe on Christ, while on the other hand, he might believe on Christ and yet not believe other things in the Bible.

Believing is the act of personal trust, however, to trust Christ is not merely to believe with the intellect the truth about Him, but to commit our hearts to Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life – as the Manifestation of the saving Power and Love of God to you.

Believing in Christ means that we have come into contact with the Fountain of Life – God Himself; and therefore, when we believe in Christ, we receive eternal life – that is, life that begins here and now and now continues there and then – that is, beyond and forever.

Why Do We Need To Trust God?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight (Proverbs 3:5-6, NASB).

Trust means to believe that God is able and wise to do what is best for you. If we really believe God then we must wholly rely upon His promises and providence.

We can find God's promises in His word, the Bible, while providence refers to the act of providing or preparing for future use or application, that is, timely care for His creature.

Proverbs 3:3a says, "Do not let kindness and truth leave you" (NASB); wherein kindness is referred to God's gracious love (mercy) that is found in His promises while truth is found in performing His promises. In other words, it means:

• Do not let the gracious love of God that is found in His promises, that is in His word, leave us for those who continue in His word are sign that they are really the disciples of Jesus (John 8:31); and
• Do not lose hope for the truth - performance of His promises - will set us free (John 8:32).

Proverbs 3:6 commanded us to acknowledge the LORD us to acknowledge the LORD in all our ways; not only in acts of solemn worship or great crises but "in all our ways," meaning, we earnestly pray for His direction at the commencement of whatever we do (whatever actions and plans of our life including our desires), look for His continual support in the progress, and terminate in His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

If we trust God, He will direct our paths - paths that are safe and good - that will make us the happy all the way!

Am I Contented With My Financial Condition?

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.  (Hebrews 13:5-6, KJV)

Covetousness is a very grave sin that the Scripture class it among the very gravest and grossest crimes (Ephesians 5:3) while in Colossians 3:5, it is "idolatry." 1 Corinthians 6:10 set forth as excluding a man from inheriting the kingdom of God.

It is accounted for by its being in a very real sense the root of so many sin, such as: (1) Departure from the faith (1 Timothy 6:9,10); (2) Lying (2 Kings 5:22-25); (3) Theft (Joshua 7:21); (4) Domestic trouble (Proverbs 15:27); (5) Murder (Ezekiel 22:12); and (6) Many foolish and hurtful lusts (1 Timothy 6:9).

Covetousness is (a) a deceiving sin for it blinds the understanding and corrupts the judgment in a main point of happiness; (b) an insatiable sin, that is, incapable of being satisfied or appeased (Ecclesiastes 5:10); (c) a galling sin that works a continuously agitated and takes away all the comfort of this life (1 Timothy 6:10); and (d) an ensnaring sin (1 Timothy 6:9) wherein wealth as its bait to allure men to pull them down to perdition (Mark 10:23; Luke 14:18-19).

Desire nothing more than what God has given you and do not covet which God has given to another man for this is the very spirit of robbery.  Therefore, be satisfied with present things and abstain from others.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5) for He promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." This same promise was made to Joshua (Joshua 1:5) and also belongs to all believers as that God will not leave his people in the hands of their enemies, nor forsake them in distress, nor withhold any good thing from them who are needful, but will supply them with the necessaries of life - which is the reason why we should be content.

God did not only made a promise but He is our Helper - able to help, willing to help and does help when no one else can. Why then we should fear if we have the assurance that the Lord is on our side and who is able, willing, and does help.

The Treasure of a Good Foundation for the Future

That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.  (1 Timothy 6:18,19, KJV)

Being rich in this world is wholly different from being rich towards God.  Nothing is more uncertain than worldly wealth.

Rich men sometimes do much ill to themselves, to the hurt of their bodies, by luxury, intemperance (habitual indulgence in drinking spirituous liquors, with or without intoxication), and debauchery (excess in the pleasures of the table gluttony; corruption of fidelity).  Their souls are ruined and to others by fraud, oppression, and violence.  It is in their hands the power to do much evil or to do much good, as they should.

Those who are rich, must see that God gives them their riches.  They must reckon that their true riches lie more in the existence of grace and in the fruits of it.

Rich men must be ready to distribute even if unasked.  And when they are asked, they do not turn away but give at once - without grief but with cheerfulness, for God loves a cheerful giver.  They should be also willing to communicate of their good things to the necessities of the poor, making them common to them, and them partakers of them.

Lastly, they must also think of another world and lay up a treasure in heaven that will be fore themselves to enjoy to all eternity.

Is Material Riches Good or Bad?

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. (1 Timothy 6:9, KJV)

Material riches are regarded by the Scriptures as neither good nor bad in themselves, but only according as they are properly or improperly used.

Material riches is transitory (Proverbs 27:24);  they are not be trusted in (Mark 10:23; Luke 18:24: 1 Timothy 6:17); they are not to be glorified (Jeremiah 9:23); the heart is not to be set on them (Psalm 62:10); but they are made by God (Psalm 104:24), and come from God (1 Chronicles 29:12); and they are the crown of the wise (Proverbs 14:24).

1 Timothy 6:9 refer to persons who are determined to get riches - not they that are rich for some rich men are good men and do much good with their riches but such that would be rich - those who make this their object and aim in life; who live to get money; who get all they can, save all they can, and keep all they get.

It is in consequence of the temptation of the devil that they have determined to be rich. This temptation once received, others quickly succeed; and when they have swallowed down the temptation to the thing, then they drink in a thousand temptations to the means.  All of these leads them into unforeseen and concealed trap.

This trap is called "foolish and hurtful lusts," - desires such as the love of wealth (1 Timothy 6:10) - that is harmful and would cause one to sink.  The idea of "drowning" is an image of a shipwreck, where the ship and all that is in it go down together.  The destruction is complete:  total ruin of happiness, of virtue, of reputation, and of the soul.

Doctrine of Stewardship

Stewardship is one of the subjects that people are often least enthusiastic to study.  Yet, Jesus devoted roughly 25% of his words in the Gospels in this subject, including 28 passages therein.  In Old and New Testaments combined, there are over 800 verses on the subject ranging from planning, budgeting, saving, investing, debt, and giving.

Wealth is referred to everything we have that God given to us including our finances, jobs, houses, products of our land, businesses, automobiles and personal items.

The following are the summary of the New Testament teaching about wealth: (1) it warns against the desire to be rich (1 Timothy 6:9,18,19; Hebrews 13:5-6); (2) it gives some general guidelines for what the rich should do (1 Timothy 6:17-19; Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:32-34; Luke 14:13-14); and (3) it explains why God has given us so much (Ephesians 4:28).

God owns everything (Deuteronomy 8:17-18; Psalm 50:10; Haggai 2:8; James 1:16-18) and we are just His stewards.

A steward is a person, who by God's grace, manages, organizes, administrates, and otherwise has been entrusted with authority over everything that belongs to God.  Because they belong to God they recognize that ultimately everything they are and have belongs to God.  We are steward of our time, our talent, and our treasure or wealth.

Our property isn't really our own and isn't a measure of our personal worth.  The fact that God owns everything and we are to be a faithful steward of it explains why when people fail to do so God charges them with robbing or stealing from him (Malachi 3:8-10).

Biblical stewardship is therefore defined as the responsibility of believers to manage the resources that God has created and whatever has been placed at their disposal.