“We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.” 1 Corinthians 4:13 (NKJV)
Jesus told us that anyone who wanted to follow Him must deny themselves, pick up his cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). So much for easy salvation. The reality is salvation is free, it just costs everything if we want to actually experience it! In fact, all but one of the disciples were martyred for following Jesus. There is so much cheap grace floating around these days saying His grace is sufficient for me, which is true, but there is a catch. To follow Jesus, He required the rich man to go sell everything He had and give it to the poor (Matthew 19:21). To follow Jesus, He said we might have to give up land, homes, sisters and brothers and more, but in return we will receive a hundred times as much here on earth AND eternal life (Matthew 19:29).
Paul continues the theme, saying we are to become the filth of the world (1 Corinthians 4:13). Leonard Ravenhill in Why Revival Tarries (p144) aptly says…
“Any man who has so assessed himself ‘filth of the earth’ has no ambitions – and so has nothing to be jealous about. He has no reputation – and so has nothing to fight about. He has no possessions – and therefore nothing to worry about. He has no ‘rights’ – so therefore he cannot suffer any wrongs. Blessed state! He is already dead – so no one can kill him. In such a state of mind and spirit, can we wonder that the apostles ‘turned the world upside down’?”
Jesus is looking for a people who will be wholehearted for Him! Those who are in Christ have been bought with a great price and are no longer their own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Father sets His eyes roaming the earth for those whose hearts are wholly His (2 Chronicles 16:9). Will you be one of them? Will you give yourself completely to Him today? Will you say to Him, I will go where You go, do what You do, my life is completely Yours?
Thank the Lord for the precious gift of abundant and eternal life that is found in Him and Him alone! Thank Him for the grace He pours out to those who say “yes” to Him. Thank Him that, though it requires everything you are and own, He rewards you more than you can ever comprehend. Tell Him that you choose to be the filth of the earth for His sake! Ask Him to arouse His people, His bride in Athens to awaken, to surrender, to believe wholehearted and to follow Him wherever He leads!
