In Gal. 6:17 it states – From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Do you not agree that we as Christians should have some type of distinctive marks about our lives that should identify us as Christians, slaves of Christ, Jesus chasers, fanatics etc.
I know that we will never compare to Paul in all that he went through for the name of Jesus, and believe me he went through a lot. Let’s take a look at it.
2 Corinthians 11:23-28
23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder,
been put in prison more often,
been whipped times without number,
and faced death again and again.
24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned.
Three times I was shipwrecked.
Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
26 I have traveled on many long journeys.
I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers.
I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles
. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas.
And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights
I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food.
I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
Let’s face it, to have endured all that, no wonder Paul said what he said in Vs.23. He was a true description of a disciple…………..totally sold out for Jesus and the word of God – (Gal. 2:19-20) 19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Ephesians 3:1
3 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .
Acts. 16:23 22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
Acts 14:19-20
19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. 20 But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
2Cor.12:2-4
2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows.3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know4 that I was caught up[b] to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.
Acts 16:22
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.
We can think of people in different countries where if they are found worshiping and praising Jesus they will suffer at the hands of men for the Lord’s sake, bearing in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.And, a lot of the time they are killed.
If you were called to suffer in His name could you do it? Would you do it? Just as the physical marks were branded on Paul as a Slave of Christ as a soldier of Christ, as a follower of Christ, there should in one way or another be upon us spiritual marks that brand us as belonging to Him.
No, theses will not always be physical marks but what about those marks that should be seen in us to other’s like ; The fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-23 – 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!) these are marks that will characterize our life also.
The spirit of meekness which is one of those fruits of being : righteous, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering, long suffering willing to follow gospel teachings; an attribute of a true disciple.
What about a willingness to share the burdens of others: (Gal. 6:2) 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Supporting one another; (Gal. 6:6) Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. 1 Corinthians 9:7-14
7 What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.”[a] Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.
11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12 If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.
13 Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.
We can’t forget “A life of living good” Galatians 6:9-10
9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Separation from the world; Galatians 6:14
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
John 15:19
19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
Glorying in the cross. What does that mean? It means to preach it, share it, not being ashamed of it. As Jesus we too also must glory in doing the will of our Father. It should be the consuming passion of a believer’s life – Matthew 7:21
21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
That’s it people, we as Christians have a mark that can be seen by everyone, even the devil that is why he is trying to take each and every one of us out one by one. But thanks be to Jesus we have a living protective border on the inside of us keeping us safe if our ears (spiritual ) are open to Him at all times.
2 Timothy 1:14
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Host Of Angels 