True Christianity #527
527. Nevertheless, there are some people who are incapable of examining themselves: for example, children and young men and women before they reach the age at which they can reflect upon themselves; simple people who lack the ability to reflect; all who have no fear of God; some who have a mental or physical illness; and also people who, entrenched in the teaching that justification comes solely through the faith that assigns us Christ's merit, have convinced themselves that if they practiced self-examination and repentance something of their own selves might intrude that would ruin their faith and divert or redirect their salvation from its sole focus.
For the types of people just listed, an oral confession is of benefit, although, as discussed earlier in this chapter [516-519], it is not the same as practicing repentance.
[2] People who know what sin is and especially those who know a lot about it from the Word and who teach about it, but who do not examine themselves and therefore see no sin within themselves, can be compared to people who scrape and save money, only to put it away in boxes and containers and make no other use of it than looking at it and counting it. They are like people who collect pieces of gold and silver jewelry and keep them in a safe in a storage room for no other purpose than to own them. They are like the businessman who hid his talent in the ground and the one who wrapped his mina in a handkerchief (Matthew 25:25; Luke 19:20). They are like the hardened pathways and rocks onto which the seed fell (Matthew 13:4-5). They are like fig trees with abundant foliage that bear no fruit (Mark 11:13). They are like hearts of stone that have not turned to flesh ([Ezekiel 36:26]; Zechariah 7:12). They are "like partridges that nest but do not bear young. They amass riches, but without judgment. In the middle of their days they leave their riches behind and at the end of their [lives] they become fools" (Jeremiah 17:11). They are also like the five young women who had lamps but no oil (Matthew 25:1-12).
[3] People who take in many teachings from the Word about goodwill and repentance and who know all about the commandments and yet do not live by those things could be compared to gluttons who stuff food in chunks into their mouths and swallow it without chewing, so that it sits undigested in their stomach and then clogs up their chyle and causes chronic diseases, from which they eventually die a wretched death.
No matter how much light they may have, people like this can be called winters, frozen lands, arctic climates, and indeed snow and ice, because they have no spiritual warmth.
Matthew 14
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At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,
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and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him."
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For Herod had laid hold of John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
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For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
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When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
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But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
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Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.
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She, being prompted by her mother, said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer."
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The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,
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and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
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His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother.
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His disciples came, and took the body, and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.
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Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat, to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.
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Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them, and healed their sick.
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When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, "This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food."
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But Jesus said to them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat."
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They told him, "We only have here five loaves and two fish."
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He said, "Bring them here to me."
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He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
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They all ate, and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
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Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
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Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
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After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
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But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
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In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
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When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It's a ghost!" and they cried out for fear.
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But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying "Cheer up! It is I! Don't be afraid."
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Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters."
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He said, "Come!" Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to Come to Jesus.
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But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
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Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
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When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
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Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, "You are truly the Son of God!"
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When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
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When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all that surrounding region, and brought to him all who were sick,
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and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.
