^“13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

¹⁴ And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them.

¹⁶ But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him.

¹⁷ And He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that you have one to another, as you walk, and are sad?”  Luke 24:13-17

After the death of Jesus and shortly after His Resurrection, Cleopas and another man who both knew Jesus but did not yet know of His Resurrection, were speaking of Him when He, in His Glorified Body, drew near and questioned them of their sadness.  Their response is striking.  

^“18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

¹⁹ And He said unto them, What things? And they said unto Him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ²⁰ And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.

²¹ But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.” Luke 24:18-21

The two men “…trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel…”.  Even though the prophets of old had declared the suffering Messiah to come; One Who would be despised and rejected, yet they believed them not.

“Who has believed our report? and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed?

² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Isaiah 53:1-3

Throughout history mankind has chosen to believe certain parts of the Word of God and neglected the full counsel.  This cherry picking which caused many to stumble; the dismissing of that which is not pleasing to the masses, has too often resulted in another gospel and another Jesus being proclaimed.  Scriptures such as:

^“9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 6:9-10

or

^“13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Cor. 11:13-15

or lastly;

^“8 This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. ⁹ But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8-9, 

are all too often neglected.  Just as Scripture on Israel’s suffering Messiah was neglected by many, even His own disciples, so too are the Scriptures warning of false doctrines neglected in the modern church.  The prosperity and hyper grace gospels abound, while the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is rejected.  This rejection is never on theological grounds but moral.  The moral authority of the Word of God is what is rejected.  The compromise is always on moral grounds.  Look at most in the modern church today and one can clearly see a people who openly condone and accept what the Word of God declares as sin.

^“16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

ALL Scripture, not some, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness.  We either believe this to be true or we believe it to be a lie.

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren