Yoke of Christ – Walk By the Way of the Spirit

Try as he might, he couldn’t move forward, the weight laying too much on his back.

“Here, let me help you with your burden,” someone said as he came alongside him.

Lifting the burden up with the additional strength of another, the young man found he could move more freely than before.

While working on the study of what it means to Walk by the Way of the Spirit, the greatest image that has ministered to me from the study is breaking down what it means to be under the yoke of Jesus. Before we begin to understand the work of the Holy Spirit, we must first understand the importance of a yoke, particularly the type of yoke the Lord wants us to have. What exactly do we need to bind to ourselves and Who helps us be able to follow the Lord’s command?

If you happened to miss Sin is At the Door | Walking by the Way of the Spirit (Intro), you may want to review the post. However, each post of the study is sufficient for its own, so no pressure.

The main takeaway from last time is that we, as a sinner, cannot rule over our own sin. We need Someone Who is sinless, thereby righteous, to rule over sin. And now we begin with the next thought.

Yoke of Christ & God’s Word

Webster defines a yoke as a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (like oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together.

The purpose of a yoke is to join two living, typically creatures, together for the accomplishment of a goal. Being bond to a yoke or being in a type of bondage is not new when it comes to Biblical terms. We are connected to spiritual things, whether sinners or saved sinners.

From the post: Spiritual Reality & Spiritual Consequences

“Whether we acknowledge it or not, our spirit is affected on a moment by moment basis. Everything we do relates to the state of whether we are spiritually alive or dead, whether we worship the Creator or creation. The condition of the world… reflects the spiritual warfare going on as we speak.”

We are either servants of the devil or Christ. We were created to worship our Creator. He is the Potter and we are the clay. We were created to be in relationships both with our Creator and with His creation. (See also: Spiritual Bondage – Two Masters | Spiritual Warfare)

As we are created for relationships and worship, God tells us to be in bondage with teachings that point us to Him and come directly from Him. These teachings as our framework affect our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

When asking why the teachings of God are so important we must follow up with the question, “What is the greatest commandment?”

Mark 12:29-30 – Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’“

The only way to partake in the greatest commandment given to mankind is to look at the word from which we receive the greatest commandment. God’s word.

Scripture reveals to us the truth of sin and need of the Savior, the Gospel message.

Hebrews 12:01-02 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. – Emphasis mine. (Key point: Eyes on Eternity)

Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Emphasis mine. (Key point – we are not stagnant in faith, but a living faith continues to grow)

Ephesians 5:25-26 – Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. – Emphasis mine.

John 17:17 – Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. – Emphasis mine.

The picture of a yoke seems limited, binding, and restrictive in who calls out the direction, which is the precise point of a yoke or being in bondage. We are not the ones in control. Despite the lie of a free range free-will, we are not as free as we may want to think. We are under the dictation of sin or the Savior, death or life. Remember what I said earlier…

Keep in mind the greatest commandment, and look at what the Lord tells us to do.

Proverbs 3:03- Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. – Emphasis mine.

Proverbs 3:19-24- The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.– Emphasis mine.

Deuteronomy 11:18- You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.– Emphasis mine.

Proverbs 6:20-22 – My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.– Emphasis mine.

The Lord says His word instructs us, helps us not stumble, and gives us strength. We see pictures of the command to bind God’s word around our neck and in our heart – the heart being the storehouse of who we are. We are told to have the word of the Lord affect us in every way – heart, mind, soul, and strength. Again, we must be reminded and ask the question, “What is the greatest commandment?”

Despite the Lord’s command, we cannot place ourselves in bondage to what is good, for we are a fallen and sinful creature, not a ruler. We do not have authority, rather, we need to seek authority from One Who has it. We need Christ to be our Master. He must be the One to direct our bondage to good spiritual instruction that starts and ends with Him. Thus, the image of a yoke begins to make more sense.

Matthew 11:29 – Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

When we become followers of Jesus Christ, He places us under His wing (yoke), as He is our Master, meaning we learn from Christ. We listen to His teachings, His words, and we follow His example. In the Lord’s command to bind the words of God upon our neck and heart, we notice these words of life relate to understanding godly knowledge, and godly wisdom, which come from the Lord alone. The words of the Lord affect us and transform how we live our lives unto God.

From the post: Who is the Holy One & Get Knowledge of the Holy One (God’s Will)

“When we look at wisdom defined as God’s word, scripture, we then see how scripture is all about the need of the Savior, prophecies of the Messiah – it’s all about understanding Christ. It is about understanding how Jesus teaches us the things of God, His attributes, and how to understand scripture through the Holy Spirit Who teaches us the truth, which full circles back to Christ.

Jesus is referred to as the Wisdom of God.”

Summary:

Everything in life has a spiritual reality.
We are either spiritually dead or alive.
A yoke involves more than one creature.
There is one of two yokes we can be under – either the bondage to the flesh or the bondage to Christ.
As sinners, we are under the yoke of the flesh, and our master is the devil. We learn and live on demonic doctrine.

Being in a yoke means we cannot rule over ourselves, there is someone to rule over us.
God instructs us to learn from His word (scripture.)
Scripture teaches us the wisdom of God.
Christ is connected to the wisdom of God.
If we want to learn how to obey the Lord, it starts with being under the yoke of Jesus.

If we want to bind the words of the Lord in our heart, mind, soul, and strength, we can do so only through the instruction of Jesus Christ, for He is the Wisdom of God, and He therefore teaches us the wise things of the Lord. This is why Bible reading on a daily basis becomes so important for us.

The Gospel Message– The Gospel message is good news, which means there’s bad news. We all are sinners and condemned. We all deserve the just punishment of God’s wrath. Christianity is unlike any other religion because we cannot earn our way into Heaven. God saw the weakness of man and his utter depravity. Yet, He showed us grace. Jesus, God, One Person of the Trinity, became God in the flesh, the God-Man. He was always perfect and sinless. And His humanity was perfected on the cross, living the full sinless life. He became our atonement sacrifice. Dying in our place, taking on the wrath of God upon Himself. He died on the cross, and He was resurrected because death could not hold Him. Jesus is the answer. We, as guilty sinners, need His blood to pay off our debt of sin. For all who put their faith in Him – meaning eyes are opened to the Gospel, we see ourselves as a sinner, we see the need for Christ, we desire our Savior, and we see the ugliness of our sin. Putting our faith in Jesus, we seek HIs forgiveness and repent from our sins, we turn away from our old way of life. We, through the work of the Holy Spirit, continue to become convicted of sin daily. Our eyes will never be the same again. We see things in a different light, and the truth of Christ affects how we live and serve Him. Christ tells us to count the cost. Salvation is a serious topic, it is not to be taken lightly. For a breakdown of this powerful message, understanding how Christ could be God and Man, why God required sacrifices, and more -please see: Why Did A Loving God Kill His Son? (Does God Hate?)

If you think you know the Gospel, check out these questions and see how prepared you are for the day someone might ask you why you believe: The Gospel Challenge (30 Question Quiz) – Are You Ready To Defend Your Faith?

Scripture To Meditate On – (ESV) Psalm 143:08- Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

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