Simple Summary of True Christianity
Ξ May 11th, 2007 | → | ∇ Doctrine, Theology, Christian Living |
The scriptures are sometimes hard to follow in the sense that there is a lot of information to digest. So, if I had to distill the believer’s life - the true believer’s life - down to its essentials, I believe that there are 3 things essential. These 3 things are necessary for one to appear before the Lord and hear “Well done…” rather than “Away…I never knew you…”.
First of all, it is necessary to have a relationship with the Lord. Jesus said that to know God IS eternal life (John 17:3) and Paul’s whole life was spent pursuing the Lord that he might know Him. If Paul didn’t know the Lord, it is safe to say that many believers don’t either. Not that they don’t have some form of relationship with Him (i.e. are “saved”), but that they don’t yet know God as they ought. They aren’t really walking with Him personally and constantly. To know the Lord means we are doing HIS works, not our own. We are being changed by HIS righteousness, not trying to earn respect or salvation by anything good we might be able to do (which is, really, nothing). ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags and profit nothing towards eternal things. Only as far as we are in Christ can we perform acceptably before God. Only as far as we have the faith of Christ can we walk acceptably in His sight. Only as far as we submit to Him and are washed by the blood of the Lamb are we acceptable in His sight.
So the first thing is the saving blood of the Lamb.
Jesus said that Love was the fulfilling of the commandments. But He also chided those who claimed to love Him yet didn’t do what He asked (Luke 6:46). It seems, then, that love towards God is expressed primarily in obedience. John seems to believe this as well :
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever
1 John 2:15-17
So the second thing that is essential to the true believer, is obedience - doing the will of God even when it isn’t your own will. Jesus taught us that as well.
Finally, we must have the power of God at work in our lives. This doesn’t necessarily mean we will do miracles, but it also doesn’t simply mean that we are saved by the power of God. It must be a continual thing. If we are in relationship with God and knowing Him more and more each day, then we will have that which sets us apart from the world. We will be unique because we are walking a unique path and we are in communion with the One who knows us, loves us, created us and works ALL things according to His will. This walk is unusual. It speaks of weakness and strength at the same time. It is one of helplessness and victory simultaneously. In this walk, the believer WILL do exploits, but it will be apparent that it is not his own doing. He will do and God will gain the glory. But it is sure that the true believer must have the power of God operational in his life. He must be walking by faith and be able to testify to that which the world cannot grasp. It must be a walk of separation to the Lord (spiritually) such that every day the believer is more and more foreign - both to the vocal unbeliever and the nominal believer - the one who has a form of godliness but stops there.
There is one verse that describes this perfectly. It combines the saving grace of God with the ongoing separation, power and work of the Holy Spirit in the true believer :
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 12:11
We don’t have a word of testimony until we are walking with the Lord and operating in His power.
on June 26th, 2007 at 2:55 am
It’s interesting how love drives all three of these elements (relationship, obedience, and the giving up of self). Our love of the Lord grows as our understanding of His goodness and character increases. Our desire to please Him and be obedient to His righteous ways grows stronger. And as we grow in our relationship with him and seek to be more obedient, we find that to do both we must give up self. Not that don’t get to be ourselves, but rather that we are free to become who we were really made to be.
Great post Nik. Thanks for the pouring out of thought on this.
Chaz
on June 27th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
So are you saying that without these things you are not a “true believer”. They seem to be aspects of a mature Christian but what about the new Christian who has not had a chance to grow spiritually and who’s faith has not been tested.
on June 28th, 2007 at 3:36 am
A true believer MUST have those three elements in his life :
1. Blood of Christ
2. Walk of obedience
3. Power of God
None of them are things for which the believer can take credit. Even the obedience is simply a total submission to the will of God.
If these three things are not present, I say the scriptures are fairly clear that that one is not a true believer.
That’s not to say that all believers are yet perfect, but all three elements are at work in the believer. Jesus said “If you love me, you WILL keep my commandments.”. If one has true saving faith, they WILL bear fruit. It’s not a matter of one’s own will (except in submitting) - it’s a matter of one’s walk. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.
So having said that, the next step for anyone who has any doubts whatsoever about their walk with God is, as the scripture says, to “examine yourself” to see if you be in the faith. The one who knows they are God’s has that witness within him. “The spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God.”
on July 9th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
PERFECT ACCORDANCE WITH THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE FATHER’S HEART…
WALKING IN THE FULLNESS OF OUR INHERITANCE july 4th
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