everything has its price. or...does it?
men can pretty much be bought out of anything. it seems that everything has its price.
my dad tells a story of a man who was driving through the Monterey, CA area. at a ranch he came across a huge wooden water trough with beautiful carvings on the sides. he asked the owner of the ranch how much he would sell the trough for. anything, name the price. he wanted it. no price was too high. "it's not for sale." the owner didn't care about money, the trough was not for sale. the man tried and tried and even offered millions, but he could not convince the owner to sell it. "it belongs on this ranch, i will not sell it and allow it to leave this ranch." but the man was determined. so, what did he do? he bought the entire ranch. trough and all.
the trough did have a price. the man just needed to go high enough.
but this is not true for all things--to the Christian, Christ has no price.
this fact has been proven over and over again throughout history as men have tried and failed to get Christians to renounce their faith. they've been offered money, bribes. they've been threatened with beatings, torture, killing of their loved ones, even their own horrific deaths. but here is one thing that truly cannot be bought out, no matter what the price: Christ cannot be bought, traded, or exchanged.
"I beseech you...after this day, convene all your lovers before your soul; and give them their leave, and strike hands with Christ, that thereafter there may be no happiness to you but Christ; no hunting for anything but Christ; no bed at night (when death cometh) but Christ; Christ, Christ, who but Christ? I know this much of Christ, he is not so ill to be found, not lordly of his love; woe had been my part of it for evermore, if Christ had made a dainty of himself to me; but God be thanked, I gave nothing for Christ; and now I protest, before men and angels, Christ cannot be exchanged; Christ cannot be sold, Christ cannot be weighed." ~Samuel Rutherford
my dad tells a story of a man who was driving through the Monterey, CA area. at a ranch he came across a huge wooden water trough with beautiful carvings on the sides. he asked the owner of the ranch how much he would sell the trough for. anything, name the price. he wanted it. no price was too high. "it's not for sale." the owner didn't care about money, the trough was not for sale. the man tried and tried and even offered millions, but he could not convince the owner to sell it. "it belongs on this ranch, i will not sell it and allow it to leave this ranch." but the man was determined. so, what did he do? he bought the entire ranch. trough and all.
the trough did have a price. the man just needed to go high enough.
but this is not true for all things--to the Christian, Christ has no price.
this fact has been proven over and over again throughout history as men have tried and failed to get Christians to renounce their faith. they've been offered money, bribes. they've been threatened with beatings, torture, killing of their loved ones, even their own horrific deaths. but here is one thing that truly cannot be bought out, no matter what the price: Christ cannot be bought, traded, or exchanged.
"I beseech you...after this day, convene all your lovers before your soul; and give them their leave, and strike hands with Christ, that thereafter there may be no happiness to you but Christ; no hunting for anything but Christ; no bed at night (when death cometh) but Christ; Christ, Christ, who but Christ? I know this much of Christ, he is not so ill to be found, not lordly of his love; woe had been my part of it for evermore, if Christ had made a dainty of himself to me; but God be thanked, I gave nothing for Christ; and now I protest, before men and angels, Christ cannot be exchanged; Christ cannot be sold, Christ cannot be weighed." ~Samuel Rutherford
posted by Elias at 01:41
6 Comments:
amen! what a true and encouraging statement. how i love my Savior!
awesome story. and i love the quote by Samuel. it's a lot to chew on.
I agree with Megan, it is a lot to chew on!
slmo
If I may be so bold . . . Christians did the exact same thing during the Crusades. They murdered, tortured, and beat people that didn't join the church. Ever heard of the Spanish Enquisition?
Yeah, heritics got a pretty bad deal from the church. Torture and death. What were those shoes called that they clamped around heretics feet and then drove wedges into to splinter their bones? In the name of god of course.
i do not deny that these horrible things happened. i make no claim of the perfection for everyone who claims to follow Christ.
the purpose of the post was to express that Christ is extremely valuable, and that men throughout history have proven their belief in the value of Christ by not denying Him when faced with torture etc.
i would urge you to look at Christ, not at those who claim to follow Him. not all who claim to follow Christ actually do follow Him. and everyone who follows Christ is a sinner. this is the reason they follow Him--because they realize their sin, their absolute inability in and of themselves to be good and to gain eternal life. Christ offers sinners hope. The Bible states that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). It also tells us the punishment for this sin in Romans 6:23, "the wages of sin is death..." then goes on to give us hope, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
the crusades were horrible. i agree. and, yes, they did it in the name of God. but, i can do ten thousand good deeds and claim them all in the name of Hitler, but that does not make Hitler good. i can do ten thousand bad deeds and claim them all for the name of Christ, but that does not make Christ bad.
look to Christ, He speaks the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
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