So, you’re a Christian…. What does that mean? Part 2
Faith Filled Thoughts
January 22nd 2010
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So, you’re a Christian….
What does that mean?
Part 2
Consider I John 2
3. By this we know that we have come to know Him,
if we keep His commandments.
4. The one who says, "I have come to know Him,"
and does not keep His commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
5. but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God
has truly been perfected.
By this we know that we are in Him:
6. the one who says he abides in Him ought himself
to walk in the same manner as He walked.
7. Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you,
but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning;
the old commandment is the word which you have heard.
Christianity is a way of life…
The Christian labors toward righteousness.
This causes us to catch a lot of flack nowadays.
A homosexual recently sued a Bible publisher
because the Bible caused him emotional distress!
Repentance, the new birth,
a newness of life (all Biblical descriptions) is an essential element of Christianity.
If Jesus hasn’t changed you… you haven’t changed!
I John 3
3. And everyone who has this hope {fixed}
on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4. Everyone who practices sin also
practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
Jesus asks what was supposed to be a rhetorical question.
In our day it seems to be a debated question.
Luke 6: 46. "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”
I recently had a discussion with a religious leader of our community.
He made the comment,
“I know the Bible teaches that, but I just don’t buy it.”
What is really mind boggling is that an entire congregation knows
what he believes and follows him anyway.
It is almost as if they don’t believe that this value system
won’t infect their children at the deepest levels.
This same leader told another,
“Our relationship with each other is more important than the truth.”
Ultimately what he was saying without meaning to was,
“our relationship with each other is more
important than our relationship with God!”
How many people do you know that claim to be Christians
that (deep down) believe this way but would never say it out loud?
When people begin to pick and choose
what they want from Christianity…
what they have found isn’t a new way of life.
They have followed that old politician,
we know from the garden of Eden…
“you shall not die, for God knows that….”
This serpent has done business with all of us.
“They” replace substance with hype.
“They” replace knowledge with ignorance…
often a desire not to know.
You “vote” by what you choose
as your direction/guide in life!
Do You Ever Consider Your Spirit before Voting??
Jesus said…
"If you continue in My word, {then} you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32
Truth is not all that difficult to find…
but you have to want it to keep it.
Note that Jesus’ focus was whether or not you would “continue.”
Who do we love more, God or man?
That is the choice that all of us must ultimately make.
Ok… so we must believe,
confess and repent (meaning it and living it).
Anything more?
Romans 6
3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized
into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,
so we too might walk in newness of life.
5. For if we have become united with {Him}
in the likeness of His death,
certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection,
Compare Paul’s comment above to Jesus’ great commission
Mark 16
15. And He said to them,
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;
but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Obviously, according to the Apostle Paul,
this is when and how we crossover from a state of spiritual death
to having the gift of eternal life.
Much of the New Testament is dealing with how to keep this gift of life…
but it is here that we get it.
Peter’s assessment?
Acts 2
37. Now when they heard {this,} they were pierced to the heart,
and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"
38. Peter {said} to them,
"Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Notice that Peter doesn’t mention faith here… they had faith.
They needed forgiveness.
To receive forgiveness they needed to take the plunge!
Turn away from sin (repentance) and be buried for the forgiveness of sins.
I Peter 3
21. Corresponding to that,
baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh,
but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22. who is at the right hand of God,
having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
The Bible really is consistent on all this.
Man becomes inconsistent.
We may fail… the Bible is the Word of God.
It is trustworthy.
What is a Christian?
Would you rather let your local politicians define Christianity…
or Jesus?
This Answer Should Be Obvious.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MyC6kJzPg&feature=related
Part 2
Consider I John 2
3. By this we know that we have come to know Him,
if we keep His commandments.
4. The one who says, "I have come to know Him,"
and does not keep His commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
5. but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God
has truly been perfected.
By this we know that we are in Him:
6. the one who says he abides in Him ought himself
to walk in the same manner as He walked.
7. Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you,
but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning;
the old commandment is the word which you have heard.
Christianity is a way of life…
The Christian labors toward righteousness.
This causes us to catch a lot of flack nowadays.
A homosexual recently sued a Bible publisher
because the Bible caused him emotional distress!
Repentance, the new birth,
a newness of life (all Biblical descriptions) is an essential element of Christianity.
If Jesus hasn’t changed you… you haven’t changed!
I John 3
3. And everyone who has this hope {fixed}
on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4. Everyone who practices sin also
practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
Jesus asks what was supposed to be a rhetorical question.
In our day it seems to be a debated question.
Luke 6: 46. "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”
I recently had a discussion with a religious leader of our community.
He made the comment,
“I know the Bible teaches that, but I just don’t buy it.”
What is really mind boggling is that an entire congregation knows
what he believes and follows him anyway.
It is almost as if they don’t believe that this value system
won’t infect their children at the deepest levels.
This same leader told another,
“Our relationship with each other is more important than the truth.”
Ultimately what he was saying without meaning to was,
“our relationship with each other is more
important than our relationship with God!”
How many people do you know that claim to be Christians
that (deep down) believe this way but would never say it out loud?
When people begin to pick and choose
what they want from Christianity…
what they have found isn’t a new way of life.
They have followed that old politician,
we know from the garden of Eden…
“you shall not die, for God knows that….”
This serpent has done business with all of us.
“They” replace substance with hype.
“They” replace knowledge with ignorance…
often a desire not to know.
You “vote” by what you choose
as your direction/guide in life!
Do You Ever Consider Your Spirit before Voting??
Jesus said…
"If you continue in My word, {then} you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32
Truth is not all that difficult to find…
but you have to want it to keep it.
Note that Jesus’ focus was whether or not you would “continue.”
Who do we love more, God or man?
That is the choice that all of us must ultimately make.
Ok… so we must believe,
confess and repent (meaning it and living it).
Anything more?
Romans 6
3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized
into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,
so we too might walk in newness of life.
5. For if we have become united with {Him}
in the likeness of His death,
certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection,
Compare Paul’s comment above to Jesus’ great commission
Mark 16
15. And He said to them,
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16. "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;
but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Obviously, according to the Apostle Paul,
this is when and how we crossover from a state of spiritual death
to having the gift of eternal life.
Much of the New Testament is dealing with how to keep this gift of life…
but it is here that we get it.
Peter’s assessment?
Acts 2
37. Now when they heard {this,} they were pierced to the heart,
and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"
38. Peter {said} to them,
"Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Notice that Peter doesn’t mention faith here… they had faith.
They needed forgiveness.
To receive forgiveness they needed to take the plunge!
Turn away from sin (repentance) and be buried for the forgiveness of sins.
I Peter 3
21. Corresponding to that,
baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh,
but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22. who is at the right hand of God,
having gone into heaven,
after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
The Bible really is consistent on all this.
Man becomes inconsistent.
We may fail… the Bible is the Word of God.
It is trustworthy.
What is a Christian?
Would you rather let your local politicians define Christianity…
or Jesus?
This Answer Should Be Obvious.
May He Bless You and Keep You Today!
With Great Love
IN HIS SERVICE
Connie
Please click below to see something Jesus left your Spirit!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_MyC6kJzPg&feature=related
posted by Pastor Connie Ciccone | 8:08 AM
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