Absolute Devotion
Luke quoted Jesus in Luke 14:26-27 and presents an essential and challenging fact in the process. He starkly tells us that if any man comes to Jesus and professes to be His disciple and devoted follower, and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, even his own life that he is lying to God, himself and all that hear him! I admit that on first reading this prohibition seems extremely harsh and tremendously challenging, but it must be understood that genuine discipleship and worship requires absolute devotion and obedience that allows nothing slipshod or casual associated with his relationship and devotion to Jesus.
It is eye-opening that the Greek word translated “hate” is miseo (pronounced mă·sā´ō) and has a rather broad range of meaning. In Matthew 10:22, 24:10; Luke 6:22, etc., it essentially means to hate, or to exhibit animosity toward someone or something. In Romans 7:15, the meaning is an adverse feeling toward or for evil. Another connotation is seen in Matthew 6:24 that indicates the acceptance of one thing and the rejection of another, (and obviously, all of the above meanings will ultimately yield this effect).
However, the use of this word in Luke 14 is extremely forceful, and actually “by comparison,” infers that as an act of worship we must love Jesus more than anything or anyone else. Jesus is saying, in effect, that if we love our mother, father, wife and children more than Him, we are idolaters and cannot be His disciple (and this needs further commentary that present space will not permit). Nevertheless, this austere devotion and obedience is a commonly held position believed by all obedient believers!
Moreover, this is the underlying intent of the first four commandment listed in Exodus 20:3-8! No other gods, no graven image, not taking the name of the LORD in vain and keeping the sabbath holy, ultimately, is a means meant to protect the ultimate worship of Jehovah God! The commonly held notion that we must make Jesus a part of our lives or that we must include Him in our actions and thoughts is a travesty in the highest sense of the word. He must be our reason, our goal and our primary objective! This explains why Biblical creation, especially now, is so important because it explains why evolution in any form is so desperately evil! Any so-called “scientific” form of evolution is a terribly potent religious form promoting a mesmerizing idolatry, and it does so with a vengeance!
The prophet Isaiah explains the rationale for this statement. In Isaiah 40:8 he explains, “I am the LORD: that is my Name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
Giving credit to any philosophy that explains origins by rejecting the intelligence, sovereignty, authority and creatorship of Jesus Christ must be the exceeding sinfulness of sin!
