The lifestyle of a Christian

 The lifestyle of a Christian

In the book of Colossians we read,

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17.

So what is a Christian called to do? The apostle Paul tells us we are to,

clothe yourself with,  

                                 Compassion,

Kindness,

Humility,

Gentleness,

Patience,

Forgive whatever grievances you have against other believers

“Put on love which binds them all together”

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Giving gratitude to God in your hearts. 

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through him”

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, are you doing this?

Please think about it.

In all circumstances

  In all circumstances 

Rejoice always, 

pray without ceasing,

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

                                                              1Thessalonians 5: 16-18.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus do you,

Rejoice always, 

Pray without ceasing, 

Give thanks in all circumstances

When I read this portion of scripture I think of Paul and Silas praising the Lord in prison.  The book of Acts telling us,

“... "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25 

They were in a bad situation. Roman prisons were not good places yet they were praising God with the other prisoners listening to them. Paul and Silas turning a bad situation into a opportunity to witness for Christ.

The other things we are called to do is rejoice always pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances. Things that can be hard to do sometimes yet if we look to God and train ourselves to do these things when things are going well. We will instinctively do it when things are going bad.

So the question becomes if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus do you Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances?

Please think about it.

How are you living?

 How are you living?

In the book of Galatians we read,

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:19-23.

Here the apostle Paul tells us how we should be living. 

He notes the sinful nature as being,  

sexual immorality, 

Impurity and debauchery; 

idolatry and witchcraft; 

hatred, discord,

 jealousy, fits of rage, 

selfish ambition, 

dissensions, factions 

envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

The fruit of the spirit being

        love,

        joy,

         peace, 

patience, 

kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness 

self-control. 

Telling us “Against such things there is no law.”

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus what are the fruit in your life? What are the fruit people see in your life?

Please think about it.

Abiding in Christ

 Abiding in Christ.

In the Gospel of John Jesus is recorded as saying,

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4,5.

Here is the simple explanation.

In order for the Christian to bear fruit we must abide in Jesus. A relationship characterized  by trust, prayer, obedience and joy.

Without abiding in Jesus we cannot do anything of eternal value. I would go as far as to say, a person who is not in a right relationship with Christ Jesus, is not a Christian at all.

So the question remains, are you in a right relationship with Jesus?

Please think about it.

How should Christians live?

 How should Christians live?

The apostle Paul writes,

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited" Romans 12:16

Here Paul is telling Christians how we are to live with one another. There should never be a class structure within the Church. All are equal and as such we should welcome one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The apostle Paul also tells us,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone.” 

                                                      Romans 12:18

If you consider yourself a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus, are you doing this.

Please think about it.

No one can stop us

  No one can stop us

The criminal crucified with Jesus is recorded as saying, 

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”

                                                                                                Luke 23:42,43

The following is a an inscription found on the linen wrappings of the Egyptian Mummy Thothmes II 1493-1479 B.C.

“Hail to thee, O my father Osiris, I have come and I have embalmed this my flesh so that my body may not decay.”

For thousands of years mankind has believed in an afterlife and a God or gods. Today if surveys are correct the majority of people around the world still believe in an afterlife.

The Egyptians created great pyramids for their kings laying in them vast amounts of grave goods thought to be needed in the afterlife.

About four thousand seven hundred years ago the Bronze age Beaker people buried their dead in the crouched position accompanied by grave goods that included food and drinking vessels and body ornamentation and even weapons.

In middle Iron age Britain some bodies were even laid along side carts to speed them into the afterlife. 

We all must die as Seneca the Younger said in 65A.D.

“Anyone can stop a man’s life, but no one his death: a thousand doors open onto it.”

The question is where will we spend eternity. I as a Christian do not believe we can live a life good enough to stand before a holy God.

Isaiah said,

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”   Isaiah 64:6

I believe God knew this that is why he reached down to us through his one and only Son Jesus Christ.

I believe Jesus when he said,

 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6

I don’t think God cares too much about our way of life, or whether we are a pauper, prince or king.

I believe God only care for us as individuals. The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians states,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

Ephesians 2:8,9.

At the beginning of this article I quoted a conversation recorded in the book of Luke between one of the criminals crucified with Jesus and Jesus. He said

““We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:41-43

That man did what I as a Christian believe all men must do. He recognized that Jesus was innocent of what he was being crucified for and that he was the Son of God. He then confessed his sins to Christ, who forgave those sins.

Jesus making it clear saying “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

At this point Jesus was either lying or telling the truth. 

If he is telling the truth and I believe he is. Then he must be the one and only Son of God. For only God can forgive sin.

If he is telling the truth then what the John states,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

 And what I have quoted from John 14:6 is true,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   John 14:6

No other faith in the world makes that claim. No other founder of any faith in the world makes that claim.

Therefore it comes down to the individual. Do you believe the claims of Jesus or not.

Think about it.

To him be glory forever

 To him be glory forever

I was challenged the other day to make a positive statement about God in less that two hundred words. The Apostle Paul made it easy for me.

This is what I wrote or rather what I borrowed from the Apostle Paul,

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36.

Think about it.