Q1. Resisting Goads

[Zacharia]

The main purpose of Jesus' coming on earth, His ministry, death and resurrection, was and still is to, redeem and restore people back to their creator. Anything and anybody who acts against this, is persecuting Jesus himself because there is not any other time where one can phisically meet Jesus to persecute Him. In Matthew 25:45, Jesus said " inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did not do it for me", meaning we have to worship Him by doing good to Christian people.

God used many ways to bring me back to Him each time I became a Luke warm Christian. Bankruptcy, rejection by friends/family and loved ones and dismissal from or are some of the goads God used to wake me up and drawn my attention. 

Although it disappoint God when I kick against the goads, I think it is more harder on me to kick against the goads. Paul did not hesitate to cooperate with the Lord when struck by lightning and instantly became blind. Neither did he complain nor point fingers at anybody! He felt the presence of the Lord and immediately asked Christ to guide him into what needed to be done in order for him to be restored and serve. 

 

[John Pittman]

Why does persecuting Christ's people constitute persecuting Christ himself?

The persecuting of Christs’ followers is one and the same as persecuting Christ because of Christ’s spirit that lives in them. When a person accepts Christ as Lord and Savior there is a mystical transformation of that person. The spirit of Christ enters into the inner man and resides, dwells there to give light into the darkness of the heart, to sanctify and make holy the entire being of that person.

When someone harasses, oppresses, torments or in any other way persecutes a believer they are in effect, essentially, fundamentally coming against Christ Himself. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 about caring for others who are hungry, naked, sick and imprisoned and when we do so it is the same as doing it to Him. “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” There is a spiritual connection between Christ and the believer that cannot be seen with the naked eye in the natural sense.

It is this spiritual connection that gives credence, gives credibility and understanding to the belief that when we persecute Christ’s followers that we in turn persecute Christ Himself.

 

What kinds of goads or prods have you seen God use on you to move you along Christ's path?

Several “goads” have been used to prod me along Christ’s path to holiness. First, the utter dissatisfaction with myself that manifested itself one day leaving church and realizing that the sermons heard on Sunday were not changing my life. I began each Monday the same disgusting person as the week before. Second, a failure of a marriage relationship in fact three relationships that all failed because they were based on the desires of the flesh. The sudden loss of employment to move, to prod me along into ministry.

 

When you "kick against the goads" is it harder on you or on God?

Kicking against the goads is probably harder on God in the sense that what He is prodding me to is a greater good that He sees and that I am resisting. The prodding causes pain and God does not want to be the cause of pain in our lives.  All His thoughts are for our good.

[Paulette Nelson]

The body of Christ is the Church, whose individual members are in Christ

[rigorodgers]

Persecuting Christ's people constitutes persecuting Christ himself simply because Christ and his people are one body.Just like He tells us iam the head and we are the parts of His body.

Oh yeah not once not twice including loosing my job for Avery long time and just like saint Paul the lord talked to me and said "oh how I like a heart with no pride I hate pride and very little can be done ."

[rigorodgers]

Jesus so to Saul cause He is in connection with His people in such a way that what ever happens to them happens to Him too.This He confirmed when He said Iam the head and we are the parts of the body.

When you hit the goad ts you that it hearts 

Yeah av hit the goad quite a number of times and just like Saul the lord talked to me and restored my view and senses.

[Ralph Denman]

There is a strong bond between Jesus and his people, between Jesus and his Church. We are one with him and he with us (Ephesians 5:31-32). When a  person who attacks the Church, attacks Jesus personally.

[Ralph Denman]

Just now, Ralph Denman said:

"There is a strong bond between Jesus and his people, between Jesus and his Church. We are one with him and he with us (Ephesians 5:31-32). When a  person who attacks the Church, attacks Jesus personally."

 

[Irmela]

. (Acts 9:4-5; 26:14) Why does persecuting Christ's people constitute persecuting Christ himself? What kinds of goads or prods have you seen God use on you to move you along Christ's path? When you "kick against the goads" is it harder on you or on God?

Christ said quite plainly, "What you do unto the least of these, My brethren, you do unto Me." Be this in the good or bad sense. So when Christ's people are persecuted, it is Christ Himself that is being persecuted. 

My conscience. 

There again it is me doing it to myself, and it is as if I am fighting Christ by going against that which I know is right. So there too, He too is hurt as I am hurt. 

[AshG]

I think persecuting Christ’s people constitutes persecuting Christ because we are seen as His children. We are seen as having a strong relationship with Him. As a parent, if someone does something wrong to my child, I feel like they are in turn doing that same thing to me because of the relationship I have with my son. So, I feel it makes sense.

I’ve seen prods towards my journey by getting more into the Word. I find if I’ve skipped days, I can feel it by what takes place personally in my life, emotionally, and spiritually. It feels like I’m missing something in my life. I feel like prods happen whenever something is posted on social media as well because it’s always like He’s talking to me. I even feel prods whenever I’ve fallen short and I get messages from Jennifer. I feel it’s a “wake-up” message to get me back on the right path.

I feel like kicking against the goads is equally hard on both, but slightly harder on God. When we kick against the goads it’s shown in different areas of our life. It could be a lacking of blessings, us walking closer to Satan and not God, our relationships could have issues, our mental health could falter, etc. I feel it’s harder on God because it upsets Him. It makes Him feel disappointed. As a parent, I can see how if your child isn’t listening to your guidance, how it could disappoint you greatly. I’ve always felt like disappointing my parents was always worse than them just being upset. Disappointment always seemed like a worst thing. 

[Krissi]

Why does persecuting Christ's people constitute persecuting Christ himself?

I hope, frankly, that the persecution I've endured recently is equivalent to being like Christ and His persecution. It seems, though, that many Christian who are persecuted are not relieved of that persecution in their lives, and some even die as martyrs ... again, like Christ. God controls all of human history including its more sordid aspects such as the persecution of believers. I do not know how to reconcile God's sovereignty with the persecution of believers.

What kinds of goads or prods have you seen God use on you to move you along Christ's path?

The goads God has used to get me to turn to Him more fervently are failure and persecution, solitude and divorce. All were incredibly painful.

When you "kick against the goads" is it harder on you or on God? 

Me. God put those goads in my path both by creating me the way I am and by engineering my life. He knew when I would fail and when I would overcome. He chose to make my life difficult. God is sovereign. He knows and controls all events in our lives, including the goads which He places on our path.

 

[jackm6521]

So it's a new view looking at the church and it's followers as Jesus himself. I will be changed forever by that and being goaded by God to go, do or say yes is kinda why I'm in this study. I believe the love of God for us in Christ Jesus is all about knowing who he is and all he is, in all of life's experiences, God is faithful and trustworthy to know all that it takes for us to come and walk in step with him, a perfect journey and different for each of us.

[George L]

Q1. (Acts 9:4-5; 26:14) Why does persecuting Christ's people constitute persecuting Christ himself? We are his sheep and he knows us and we know his voice, also we are a fitted part of his betrothed bride.

What kinds of goads or prods have you seen God use on you to move you along Christ's path? He takes me back to one of the emotional floods in my life. I am always overcome again by the love seen or experienced. Positive or negative example to me, it always guides my choice.

When you "kick against the goads" is it harder on you or on God?  Once I matured as a parent the obligation for corrective love if I truly love my child removed the temporary temptation to avoid disciplining. It is always harder on us the child, especially if/when we are getting the Christian adult attitude.

[Tom in Washington]

I strayed from God despite his many goads. I was the mule braying, I was the prodigal son, I was the “wretch” in Amazing Grace. I married an atheist who scoffed at God, and soon I was scoffing along with her. We boasted of our material successes and our truthfulness. 
 

Then Jesus broke us up; she wanted another lover and I pushed her over the coffee table landing on her with my hands on her throat. I spent two weeks in jail on a suicide watch, freezing hours on end in my little suicide jacket. I was so despondent. I prayed to God, wondering whether he would reply. He did. Of course he did. I prayed for warmth; he warmed me. I prayed for his blessing; he happily complied. I realized how, all these years, how much he wanted me to come back to him. 
 

I lost my wife, my house, my possessions. But what I gained was a renewed relationship with God. Out of my demise, he brought me new wealth — an everlasting relationship with God.