Christian Living

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When a person comes to know Christ as his Lord and Savior, he becomes born-anew - but that shouldn't be/isn't the end of what it means to be a christian. The person who is born-anew must walk higher into Him and follow Him deeply. But in the process of following and growing into Him, there are circumstances/storms on the way to obstruct us from trusting God.

From this, we can tap two things-
1. Coming to Christ
2. Growing into Him

When we accept Christ into our lives, we become a part of His body but at that stage, we haven't grown into Him. To be born-anew is 'to be led to Him and He comes into us but we haven't grown into Him. Paul explained that such new believers are those for whom milk is for. They are still new in the faith (as unto spiritual babies in the affairs of GOD), having an elementary knowledge of God. He needs an equipper who is advanced in the gospel than he is, to equip him in the christian ways. Such new believer needs to grow and get into Christ.

Some people who are new in Christ and haven't grown into Him are further divided into two groups after conversion:
1. those who repent and never grow again, and
2. those who repent and become willing to grow higher into Christ beyond the elementary stage.
Both stages are present in today's church, where some think that once they become born-anew, that's the end.


THOSE WHO REPENT WITHOUT FURTHER GROWTH

These christians get hooked on the way, immediately after repentance. Examples can be drawn from the days when Christ was on earth and from even today's experiences. The crowd that came to John the Baptist to repent, repented of their sins. However, when the Lord came and taught the HARD TRUTH, many refused to listen to Him but they came to Him for fish and bread to fill their empty stomachs. Infact, such believers may have a filled stomach and a heart not RULED by Christ. It's same crowd that hanged Him on the Cross, shouting 'crucify Him! crucify Him!' They never grew further.

Many christians refuse to grow to maturity and so they settle for shadows without getting deep into God's heart. To them, the cross is a symbol that they aren't loved by God. When they suffer, they complain, and if there is a slight mistake, they argue until the very end instead of believing God. They are like the Israelites who knew that they are God's own nation but always complained anytime they fell into trouble, then they cease to trust God. The reason for this is that they aren't grounded in the Word nor do they know the power of God. To put it more clearly, they trust men than they trust God and are very comfortable in that particular stage of christian life. These ones love riches of the earth and don't consult God before they carry out any action [mark 10:24].


THOSE WHO REPENT, GROWING FROM THE ELEMENTARY STAGE

These christians aren't satisfied with remaining in the elementary knowledge and they move forward into the glorious plans which God has for them in Him. The christians here are real and they live the life of His presence, obeying Him as He establish His life in them. They move forward to crucify the old man (Sin), so that they will become FREE from the power of sin. One important character about them is that they don't talk about things that are against Him and in their words is perfect wisdom. Theirs is no pretence because their hearts are pure. They don't struggle to find a place to worship God but are aware that it doesn't matter WHERE but HOW they worship (John 4:21-24). They desire to live daily as living sacrifices unto Him not desiring the things of the world but storing up treasures for the kingdom of God. They continue in the life of Christ and continue to be filled by the Holy Spirit. Their works aren't 'dead works' and they are in Christ's image and have been in God's light.

They keep trusting Him for the courage to endure sufferings and persecutions and their objective is to be in Christ. They aren't only led to Him but have grown into Him - Christ in them and they in Him. They treat all thesame; even those who don't agree with their christian teaching. They cease from being proud and are ready to be counted as NOTHING by others, knowing that only God is something. They aren't in conflict with forgiveness; instead, they promote it. They are willing to remain unrecognised and cease from false humility. They desire to move further into God's plans which He has for them before the founding of the world.

I will say that I couldn't have changed for better if it wasn't God doing the job of transforming me. He helps me to quickly forgive others and also love them. And I won't say I am 100% in all these good characters; instead I will say, 'I am still learning.' Therefore, it's that way: transformation doesn't come at once but comes by painful process, as we deeply follow God.
Therefore, it's about God, not us!


WALKING CLOSELY WITH CHRIST

When a christian walks very closely with Christ, he keeps moving from glory to glory. Wonderful growth and maturity begins to arise in his life as Christ uproots the root of self in him.


Believing God

As apostle Paul puts it; 'We know these things are true by believing, not by seeing' [2 Corinthians 5:7 LB]. Paul knew this truth because of his walk with Christ. Faith mattered a lot to him. Every christian who walks closely with Jesus has always received the grace to endure in any circumstances they find themselves because of their strong relationship with Christ. Paul also gave an example of this when he said, 'So you have everything when you have Christ...' [Colossians 2:10 LB]. His faith had grown for him to not only discover but also believe that when you dwell in Jesus, you have everything. Many christians who are in the process of putting their hopes in fish and bread find it hard to believe that with Christ all things are possible. They can quote it for others but don't live it. Paul had times when he talked with Jesus separately and as he did so, pains and hurts from the past didn't seem to bother him; and courage along with the grace of God was bestowed upon him without measure. He moved from height to height/glory to glory in Christ. He had so much trust in Christ to use him to help others grow in Him. Suffering, to him, was a reflection of God's love and not His anger towards him. So also it is with those who love Him.


OBEYING THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LOVING OTHERS

The wise apostle, Paul in every of his letters encouraged God's people to obey the Holy Spirit and love one another as Christ also loves them. When we obey the Holy Spirit, the more doors that are opened to hearing and walking with Him. Yes, the days are short but grace increases as we come to Him everyday to walk with Him with the words on our lips, 'Father, here I am'. Our daily living shouldn't be separated from our daily listening to the voice of the Spirit (His awesome guidance) and we should listen to the Ever-present Counsellor. Obeying Him helps tear the veils covering our eyes from seeing Him, and it destroys neglect from clogging our heart, so that we will hear Him even more.

We should so love everyone, friend or foe as Jesus did. I often have imagined what Jesus would have done if everyone on earth were saved and only one was a sinner. Would He have come to die for that one? He loves everyone so much and encourages us to do thesame, walking in His ways.
If we think we can love God and hate others, we are deceiving ourselves. Hating others and saying we love God is nothing to Him. He requires that we love Him 100%. And from this love relationship between He and us will come a true love for others. Man was made in His likeness, so Christians must love one another with a good and wonderful relationship existing among them. Love have always led to unity! It is the cement that holds those who love Christ, together. Among faith, hope and love, LOVE is greatest. Why? Because GOD IS LOVE. When you love God and grow up to love others, He will increase your faith and give you assurance that He is with you. Faith in God, without loving others, is useless.

Christians who want to be like Him must have Him as their ONLY Solution to all their fears and troubles. Those troubles may come but they will see God above the troubles, and will see Him stilling the storm. Should we go on with our lives without desiring to grow into Him?

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