January 8, 2009 FB
A quick refresher on what a true Christian is:
A quick refresher on what a true Christian is:
First of all, a Christian is someone who believes two things about Jesus and then in turn takes the step of faith based on those facts and puts their complete trust only in him for salvation from sins. The two facts about Jesus are these: (1) Jesus Christ is eternal God born into time in a human body. This is because only God can take the sins of all mankind (that includes all your sins), and because human beings must pay the death penalty earned by sin. Jesus was the perfect Son of God who never sinned and, because he never sinned, he is able to take on the sins of others. (2) Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God chose to become human and die the most humiliating shameful death ever on the cross for your sins, his body was dead and buried for three days, and he was raised from the dead back to life in the same body on the third day. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 says “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”.
Now God does not save everyone, even though their sins are paid for. It is only the people who actually put their complete trust only in Jesus Christ, who are saved. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him [Jesus, the Son] should not perish, but have eternal life.” The step of faith comes, not when you believe that the two facts above are true (because they are whether you believe them or not), but when you actually ask Jesus to be your only Savior from your sins. He paid the penalty for your sins and wants to give you eternal life. All you have to do is tell Jesus you are a condemned sinner, ask him to save you, and tell him you are putting your complete trust in him to do it. And guess what? Jesus really does save!!
Now what does God require from Christians?
God only requires one thing: Love. Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Let that sink in. God only wants us to love him. He tells us ways to show this love, but behind it all is love. Not only that, the object of this love is Jesus himself. Jesus said that believers must abide in his love. If we love him, then he asks us to do some things: 1 John 5:3 says “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”
God’s commandments to the nation Israel were difficult and very specific. But his commandments to believers are not hard, they’re easy! Look at some of these easy commandments:
*Keep the Bible number one in your home life and make sure your church treats the whole Bible as the very words of Almighty God.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 "And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing [admonish means to stir up to action] one another”
* Sing songs and hymns with thankfulness in your heart
Colossians 3:16 “admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
* Remember that everything you do is in the name of Jesus, and give him all the credit
Colossians 3:17 “whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
* Here is a bunch of fun commandments that are really easy
1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances [this means to be teachable and willing to change]. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”
Philippians 4:8 “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”
There are a few more commandments than these, but these are an example of how easy they are.
Now Jesus tells us something that is very interesting: John 15:9-11 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
Jesus says that if we are to abide in his love we are to keep these commandments and when we do our joy will be full. He loves us and wants us to stay with him in his love, and when we keep these easy commandments he will give us the strength to make the right choices no matter how difficult they are. And he will be with us to encourage us to do the right things and will be there to help us through life.
Now let me go back to the beginning. The only thing a believer is required to do is love Jesus and then show your love by keeping his commandments. Jesus says in John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Now here is where it might get a little convicting to you and me. Jesus would also say that if we do not love him, then we can forget keeping the commandments. He doesn’t want us to do anything without love for him. And guess what, odds are that if we don’t love him then we won’t be doing anything for him anyway. And if you aren't doing anything for him, you can also forget abiding in his love. Now let me ask you something very personal: Do you love Jesus? Do you really love him? Not, is he the most important thing in your life, but do you truly and deeply love your Savior? If you truly love the Lord Jesus you will let his word dwell richly in you and keep his commandments, and you will be abiding in his love.
Nehemiah Ryan © 2009
Now God does not save everyone, even though their sins are paid for. It is only the people who actually put their complete trust only in Jesus Christ, who are saved. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him [Jesus, the Son] should not perish, but have eternal life.” The step of faith comes, not when you believe that the two facts above are true (because they are whether you believe them or not), but when you actually ask Jesus to be your only Savior from your sins. He paid the penalty for your sins and wants to give you eternal life. All you have to do is tell Jesus you are a condemned sinner, ask him to save you, and tell him you are putting your complete trust in him to do it. And guess what? Jesus really does save!!
Now what does God require from Christians?
God only requires one thing: Love. Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Let that sink in. God only wants us to love him. He tells us ways to show this love, but behind it all is love. Not only that, the object of this love is Jesus himself. Jesus said that believers must abide in his love. If we love him, then he asks us to do some things: 1 John 5:3 says “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”
God’s commandments to the nation Israel were difficult and very specific. But his commandments to believers are not hard, they’re easy! Look at some of these easy commandments:
*Keep the Bible number one in your home life and make sure your church treats the whole Bible as the very words of Almighty God.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 "And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing [admonish means to stir up to action] one another”
* Sing songs and hymns with thankfulness in your heart
Colossians 3:16 “admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
* Remember that everything you do is in the name of Jesus, and give him all the credit
Colossians 3:17 “whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
* Here is a bunch of fun commandments that are really easy
1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances [this means to be teachable and willing to change]. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”
Philippians 4:8 “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”
There are a few more commandments than these, but these are an example of how easy they are.
Now Jesus tells us something that is very interesting: John 15:9-11 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
Jesus says that if we are to abide in his love we are to keep these commandments and when we do our joy will be full. He loves us and wants us to stay with him in his love, and when we keep these easy commandments he will give us the strength to make the right choices no matter how difficult they are. And he will be with us to encourage us to do the right things and will be there to help us through life.
Now let me go back to the beginning. The only thing a believer is required to do is love Jesus and then show your love by keeping his commandments. Jesus says in John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Now here is where it might get a little convicting to you and me. Jesus would also say that if we do not love him, then we can forget keeping the commandments. He doesn’t want us to do anything without love for him. And guess what, odds are that if we don’t love him then we won’t be doing anything for him anyway. And if you aren't doing anything for him, you can also forget abiding in his love. Now let me ask you something very personal: Do you love Jesus? Do you really love him? Not, is he the most important thing in your life, but do you truly and deeply love your Savior? If you truly love the Lord Jesus you will let his word dwell richly in you and keep his commandments, and you will be abiding in his love.
Nehemiah Ryan © 2009
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