Part III

24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’   26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27 Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.

28 Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ 29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.30 Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

A True Born-Again Believer Knows the Following… 1. Jesus died and His death was substitutionary. That is, he died in our place. He died the death that we deserved. He bore the punishment that was justly ours. For everyone who believes in him, Christ took the wrath of God on their behalf. (Romans 3: 9-18; 6:23;Isaiah 53:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

2. They are fully aware that the original them, the old them, the selfish them, the resentful them, who were born depraved, under the original sin of the first man, Adam, was born in spiritual death. (Eph. 2:1)Therefore, in order to be saved, one must be born again (John 3:3-7) of water and the Spirit; rising to a new life (2 Cor. 5:17) in Christ, set apart to live the Christ life, (Gal. 2:20) which is a transformed life where the Spirit of God lives and produces a fruit bearing life. (Gal. 5:22-23)

3. A true born again believer knows, accepts and embraces that they are aliens and strangers in this world. (Jn. 15:5, 17:16; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 11:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11) They have been given new life and time to work as ambassadors and slaves of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 5: 11-21; Matt. 25: 14-30)

Application 1. I must ask myself this question in sincere honesty. Do I relate to the 3rd slave the most? - Is there resentfulness hiding in my heart? - Is there unhealthy and fearful perceptions in my heart that cause me to not trust Him fully? - Do you desire to work for Him with excitement and joy? Or is working for your master more out of inconvenience, frustration and irritability?

Be aware that all three servants called Him master, yet one was thrown into Hell. Matthew 25:30