Living the Christian Life

 

 

After we become a Christian, we are a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are in Christ and have access to all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). We have a change of mind and a change of life (Colossians 3:1-17).

 

Responsibilites in Living The Christian Life

 

First, we must study the Bible, God’s word. This is the way we can have spiritual growth. This is the way that God talks to us. Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15). As newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation (1 Peter 2:2). Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11). For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for full-grown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.(Hebrews 5:12-14).

 

Second, we are to pray. This is the way we talk to God. The following verses tell us why and how we should pray. Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-7). After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.

 

 

Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9-11). The only thing in this model prayer we can no longer use is the phrase “Thy kingdom come.” We cannot use that because the Lord’s kingdom has already come (Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:14;Revelation 1:9). Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

 

 

Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (James 5:16-18).

 

Third, we are to assemble for worship. ...not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh. (Hebrews 10:25). Seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you(Matthew 6:33). If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments (John 14:15). As we noted in the lesson on the identity of the church, when we assemble for worship we sing, pray, teach, and on the Lord’s day, we partake of the Lord’s supper and contribute money to the support of the Lord’s work.

 

 

Fourth, we have the responsibility to teach the lost. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.(Matthew 28:19-20). And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16). And the Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:24-25). And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles...They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word. (Acts 8:1, 4).

 

Fifth, we must live a godly life. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2). For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-12). Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16). For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbing’s, reveling, carousing’s, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you (1 Peter 4:3-4). Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

 

 

Sixth, we must be faithful to Christ, enduring to the end. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters: but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. (1 Peter 4:12-16).

 

 

And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (Galatians 6:9). Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

Being baptized into Christ is not the end of our obedience, but the very beginning. We are born into the family of God. We must then grow in Christ. It is our hope this lesson will help each of us to better understand God’s will.

 

 

What is the church?

 

 

Why does the church exist? What is the purpose of it? What is its work? To find out, we will go to God's Word.First of all, let us observe that the church is not to be in secular business. It is not to run hospitals or to publish books for the purpose of making money. These things may be good. Individual Christians certainly have the right to do them. However it is simply not the work of the church. More and more the religious world has come to such activities.

 

They are just taking another step away from God's purpose for His people.Through God's Word, we will find that the work of the church is threefold:

 

 

• Preaching the Gospel

• Helping those in need

• Edifying the church

     Let's notice them one by one:

 

 

Preaching the Gospel

 

 

Christ taught the apostles, just after His resurrection and just before His ascension to heaven, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20). "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieved shall be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16). Later, Paul told young Timothy, "preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:2). Other verses could be given.the Lord's desire for the Gospel to be taught.Now what did the church do in the days of the apostles? The members did what the Lord asked them to do. They preached the Word. The book of Acts is full of examples of this. In all of the cases of conversion, a preacher was on hand to teach the Will of the Lord. Read Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, and 16. But who did the preaching and teaching? After a great persecution came upon the Lord's people in Jerusalem, the record says, "They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). Next, what did they preach? All you have to do is to read the cases of conversion in the book of Acts. You will see for yourself.But briefly, they taught: (1) Christ was the Son of God, (2) what one should do to be saved, (3) the importance of the church, (4) the items of worship, (5) the importance of the Christian's life, etc. Paul summed it up by saying, "For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).

 

Beside the fact that the Lord commanded that His Word be preached, Paul says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Again Christ said, "and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Again, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher" (Romans 10:14)? All of this is to say that a man is lost (Romans 3:23; 6:23). The love of God must be preached (Romans 5:8). It shows that man has a Savior (John 3:16). Through obedience to God, man can be saved from his sins (Romans 1:16-17; Mark 16:15-16). Those who are ignorant of God's will or who do not obey it, will be lost (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Thus, God's Word must be preached.

 

 

Helping those in need

 

 

not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher" (Romans 10:14)? All of this is to say that a man is lost (Romans 3:23; 6:23). The love of God must be preached (Romans 5:8). It shows that man has a Savior (John 3:16). Through obedience to God, man can be saved from his sins (Romans 1:16-17; Mark 16:15-16). Those who are ignorant of God's will or who do not obey it, will be lost (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Thus, God's Word must be preached.

 

 

The apostles called the disciples together. They had them to choose seven men from among them. They were appointed to handle this part of the work of the church.We read of Paul going to Jerusalem to help the poor saints there. He goes on to say, "But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem." (Romans 15:25-26). So Paul writes to the brethren at Corinth, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." 

 

 

(1 Corinthians 16:1-2).Who is to be helped? The needy in the church, first of all - that is the poor, old people, widows, cases of emergency, orphans of Christians, and so on. We read, "So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith" (Galatians 6:10). But not just everyone is to be helped. In 1 Timothy 5, we see that an individual is to be helped only when (1) that person cannot help himself or herself, (2) that person has no relative that can help, and (3) when that person has been proven to be a faithful Christian.

 

 

So the Lord's money must be used wisely. It is not just to be handed out to anyone who asks.Not only are members of the church to be helped. All people who are deserving of assistance can be helped. Read James 1:27 and also James 2. This is a way of reaching people with the gospel.

 

But from where do the funds come for this type of work? They come from the members, as they are willing to give (1 Corinthians 16:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). If Christians fail to give, the church is not able to help those who are in need.

 

 

Edifying the church

 

 

To edify means to build up, to strengthen, and to encourage. It is to help the members of the church grow spiritually. What are some of the things that edify? God's Word, fellowship, engaging in worship, helping one another, good works, love, etc. Read these passages: Acts 9:31; Romans 14:19; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 14:26; 2 Corinthians 12:19 and Ephesians 4:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

 

Many people wonder how the church can do these things without a world-wide organization, without a man as the head of the church, and without special fund-raising. The Lord's way is the best way. It is the one and only way to do His work. God can be praised.

 

 

He can be honored. He can be glorified only as we do His will and thus fulfill our purpose for being here. Christ is the head of the church. Each congregation, as well as each member, is to do his part. The church therefore can do its work only as the members give of their means to make it possible.

 

The preaching of the Gospel, the helping of those in need, and the edifying of its members are for the purpose of saving the souls of men, and that God might be praised are the work of the church. The church has no other work but this. Politics, business, and turning the church into nothing but a social organization, are not according to God's Word. The Lord's church is a spiritual body. It is in the world, but not of the world. It is to obey God and to serve man. It must remain pure and holy, to the salvation of all its members. It is to bring glory to its Creator. This is the Lord's church, and its work, and its mission.