People think there are many religions, but there are literally only two kinds- true and false. If Christianity is true (I’m betting my life on it) then every other religion is false. Jesus assures us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and there is no other way to the Father except through Him. People also think that there are many kinds of Christian sects, but again they are actually only two. Those that go the “way of Cain” (Jude 1:11) and those who follow the example of Abel. The way of Cain is any Christian way that thinks its path is paved with self-effort (religion), while those who follow Abel only trust in the sacrifice of the Lamb. (John 3:16) True Christians understand that our greatest enemies are not from an outside force, but comes as an enemy within. Paul describes it in detail in the Book of Romans and he identifies it as the “flesh”. The flesh is our old nature that continually battles against the Spirit, the new nature given by God when someone is born again, or born from above. The Old Testament has a profound illustration of this in the story of Amalek. As soon as the Israelites were freed from Egypt and headed to the promised land, they were attacked by the Amalekites. Amalek and the Amalekites are types, or pictures of the flesh and will attack you to keep you out of God’s Promised Land. The flesh can be described as self-effort, self-determination, or independence and like its founder, Satan, declares: I WILL!
God told Moses in Exodus that He will always be at war with the Amalekites and that was seen throughout the Old Testament with the Israelites perpetual battles them. Where did Amalek come from? What is his lineage? His grandfather was Esau and that explains it all. You see Esau, the first born of Issac sold his birthright for a measly bowl of soup to his brother Jacob. The Bible says he “despised the birthright”. (Genesis 25:34) What was so important about the birthright? Everything. God’s promise to Abraham was that “through him” all the world would be blessed. Galatians explains that the birthright was fulfilled in Christ- the blessing to the world, and that’s what Esau despised. Esau despised Christ, preferring the flesh, the temporary, satisfaction of the appetite. The Lord said, “Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated.”
Who was this Jacob fellow? Wasn’t he a swindler, a cheat, a shyster? Yes, he was, his name actually meant that! But he wanted something, he wanted to be blessed by God, he wanted the birthright. One day the Lord met Jacob, the swindler, in his tent and they had a wrestling match, a Come to Jesus Meeting! Finally, the Lord told Jacob to let Him go and he said only after you bless me- God loves those who won’t let go of Him! The Lord asked him what his name was and he answered: Jacob (a cheat, a swindler, a crook) and God said not any more. He said from now on you are Israel, a prince with God. God always honors those who seek for Him, those who covet His blessings, and those who know Christ, the birthright, is the only Way.
