In our study of Mark we are in Mark 15:34; where God the Father judges Jesus for the sins of all mankind and during the process has to reject Jesus because God cannot be associated with sin and remain Holy. Hab 1:13;
So we took up a study on the doctrine of rejection. Last time we noted that Jesus and the greatest ministry of God for the human race was rejected by both Jews and Romans (Gentiles) and is also being rejected by the Church.
Your attitude toward the Doctrine contained in God's Word right now is exactly what your attitude would be toward Jesus Christ personally if He was He here walking on the earth right now. John 14:15;
Regardless of what you allege, your attitude toward Bible Doctrine that comprises Jesus' thinking and your compliance with it what determines your real attitude toward Jesus.
Believers who are going to heaven because they have accepted Jesus as Saviour can actually be His enemies during their life on this earth because they have no doctrine. Phil 3:18-19;
The fact that so many would reject Jesus during His ministry in unglorified humanity was prophesied in Psa 118:22. "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."
The fact that this prophecy was quoted so many times in the New Testament indicates how pervasive this attitude would be. Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Eph 2:20; 1Pet 2:7;
Another prophecy regarding Jesus' rejection during His First Advent is found in Isa 53:3; "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like a person from whom men hide their faces, He was despised and we did not esteemed Him."
This describes mankind's response to the only absolutely perfect person who ever lived in the devil's world. John 1:11;
John 12:47a, "And if anyone hears My teaching (maybe he will, maybe he will not) and does not obey them, I do not judge him because I did not to come to judge the world but to save the world.
What we see here is the principle of grace before judgment. Our Lord will not judge them now during the First Advent because His mission was to offer salvation as a free gift from God to the world, not to judge it.
But , those who do not accept God's free gift of grace for salvation will be judged. John 3:36;
In verse 36 of His Bread of Life Discourse in John 6:35-40; Jesus says "You have seen Me and still you do not believe Me."
In John 6:40; Jesus goes on to express the alternative to rejecting Him, "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. Net notes 61 and 62
Jesus' strategic victory over satan in the angelic conflict was won on the cross when God the Father rejected Him during those 3 hours of darkness because He was being judged for all of the sins of mankind.
It was this victory that was necessary for God to offer His grace provision of salvation to the entire world. John 6:29; This work is expressed in Acts 16:31; "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved."
John 12:48; "He who rejects Me and does not accept My teachings." This verse shows the rejection of the person of Jesus and His word (teachings) during His First Advent will be judged by Jesus' word (teachings ) at the last day( His second advent). Net notes 103 and 104 His Word will judge them.
In this same manner believers do not judge but they don't back down from principle or mince words either. Acts 18:5-6;
The rejection of the person of Jesus Christ is the unbeliever rejecting Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. The believer's rejection of Jesus' teaching is illustrated by Peter who heard Jesus' teachings and was even confronted by Him about his unbelief but he still rejected them and made fool of himself during Jesus' arrest and His first 2 trials. Mark 14:72;
Peter's failure was the result of his rejection of Jesus' clear teaching regarding His mission. Mark 8:31;
Believers who reject Jesus' teaching will shrink away from Him in shame just like Peter did after the crowing of the rooster. 1John 2:28;
But our Lord's greatest rejection took place when He was on the cross where not only did most of the people standing around the cross reject Him but God the Father also rejected Him when that darkness covered the entire land of Judea including the hill of Golgotha during those 3 hours on the cross and He received a double rejection.
Mankind rejected Him, but much more significant than that, God the Father rejected Him because He "became sin" as was being judged for the sins of the world as they were imputed to Him.
That's why He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Mark 15:34;
The answer to His question regarding why God had forsaken Him was because He became our substitute and He took our place in being judged for our sins.
So not only did people reject Him but in addition God the Father rejected Him. It was the Father's rejection that was the worst that anyone could ever experience.
Because Jesus took God's rejection in our place no believer will ever experience God's rejection. As a believer in Jesus Christ, God will never reject you under any circumstances.
God forsook and rejected His perfect Son for you and so He will never have to reject you or me. Rom 8:32-35,38-39; Rom 8:1;We will never experience what Jesus suffered, His suffering that was related to God's rejection of Him.
The most awful rejection of time and eternity occurred when God the Father rejected perfect innocent Jesus while He was being judged for our sins.
God's worst possible discipline for believers is absolutely nothing compared to what our Lord endured so that God would never have to reject us.
1Pet 2:20-24; brings all this together. "For what credit is there if, when you sin, and you are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if you do what is good and you suffer, and you endure that undeserved suffering with patience, this is grace from God.
v21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.
v22 He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
1Pet 2:23; who, when He was maligned, He did not answer back. While suffering, He threatened no retaliation, but He kept on entrusting Himself to Him who judges with justice and righteousness.
v24a and He Himself carried our sins in His own body on the cross."
For believers to function properly they must understand exactly how Jesus was sustained while He was suffering the injustice of being rejected and judged for our sins on the cross, the just for the unjust, the righteous for the unrighteous. 1Pet 3:18a;
He was sustained by His use of faith rest. 1Pet 2:23;, "When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself (through faith-rest) to Him who judges justly."
The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit inside the prototype divine dynasphere sustained Him. Our Lord was filled with the Spirit and used the omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit.