Christian Living
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BY COMMENTING
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
Continuing on from where we left off in Part One...
There will be no need to go around “beating others over the head” with a pulpit-sized Bible.
If one advances in the post salvation spiritual life outlined in Scripture, the resulting differences in his/her attitudes, outlook, and priorities will not go unnoticed by others.
These differences will generate persecution from some (2Tim. 3: 12), but will motivate others to make serious inquiries about the faith that they see in an advancing disciple. These inquiries are what open the door to the evangelism and edification of others.
If one does not really “interested” in becoming different, and does not want to be subjected to the inevitable rejection, isolation, and others forms of accompanying persecution, he/she is not really interested in the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship (Luke 14: 26).
I will be the first to concur that it is a lot easier to be a Sunday morning Christian than it is to be 24/7 disciple. Jesus told His would be followers to count the cost (Luke 14: 25-33).
All Christians want to go to Heaven, but not all want to deny self and pick up the cross each and every day along the way (Luke 9: 23)! Discipleship is not a “hidden cost” to retain salvation. All born again believers are assured of a home in Heaven (Romans 8: 1), but not all will be received or honored for having been a disciple throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life while here on Earth.
The self-centered, spiritually immature, born again believer is satisfied just to know that he/she is Heaven bound. For the Christ-centered, spiritually mature, advancing disciple that is NOT enough! The advancing disciple has come to experience that the execution of the post salvation spiritual life is the reason for which he/she lives. All else is secondary.
The post salvation spiritual life has characteristics that apply to all disciples, but there are some parts that have been tailor-made to fit the individual plans that God has in mind.
A significant part in the individual plan that God has in mind for each and every advancing disciple is his/her specific spiritual gift (1Cor. 12).
These gifts and their accompanying ministries (areas/type of service) will differ from one born again believer to another. It is God and not the individual that makes these choices (1Cor. 12: 8-11). These gifts and ministries are not primarily for the benefit of the one who receives them. They are intended to be means through which the advancing disciple has been called to serve others (1Cor. 12: 7).
The very reason that God places born again believers in all different walks of life and having different interests is so that they can serve Him as His ambassadors (2Cor. 5: 20) to bring about the salvation and/or edification of others. These others are the people with whom the advancing disciple interacts with while engaged in all the different activities each and every day. Again, this is what gives spiritual significance to all that we do each and every day.
Until the born again, Heaven bound, believer gets involved with saving the souls of unbelievers and edifying the souls of fellow believers, he/she is neither developing nor executing the type of post salvation spiritual life that God has in mind for the Church Age.
There is a time and a place for providing such things as food, shelter, and clothing to the needy (James 2: 15, 16), but unless the same souls are being given the opportunity to be saved and/or edified, the benefits received will all be left behind when he/she enters eternity (Mark 8: 36).
* * *
Some of God’s servants (Exodus 3: 10/Matt, 28: 19/20/Acts 9: 6. 15) are told right up front what their individual ministry is going to involve, whereas others discover it over a period of time. God may change where, when, and how one’s ministry (service to others) may or may not change over time, but the irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift itself does not.
God will inform his servant of the details as he/she moves forward in the plan that He has in mind.
During the course of more than the last fifty years of my post salvation spiritual life, I have tried my hand in various areas of ministry. But in the process, God has always brought me to (or back to) an environment of solitude enabling me to study and teach the Word of God by producing material in the written form.
If you have somehow gotten idea that the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship is going to be one of milk and honey, you have been greatly misinformed (2Tim. 3: 12/1Pet. 2: 21).
One may find a great social environment and be entertained in many of the alternate types of local assemblies. One may go there and receive logistical (food, clothing, shelter) support.
In the type of local assembly that God designed, there is fellowship and it is a place where God is worshiped as He desires (John 4: 24). But it is also a place where one is trained, prepared, equipped, and encouraged to engage in the spiritual combat (Eph. 6) of the Church Age.
Until one is born again, there is nothing that can be accomplished “in Church” other than it being one of many places where one might be presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message.
I say “might” because there are many individuals who go or have gone to Church” on a regular basis, but do not have an understanding of the true Gospel Message. This is evidenced by their perceived need to participate in the “traditions of men” to either obtain or retain salvation.
Once born again, one’s choice of local assembly will neither increase nor will it decrease the integrity of one’s salvation, but
It will impact the quality of one’s post salvation spiritual life.
***
The Lord Jesus Christ clearly informed His disciples that He did not come (at that time) to bring interpersonal (Luke 12: 52, 53) or international (Matt. 24: 6) peace to this world.
This type of global peace will not take place until a future dispensation (Rev, 20: 4) is in view. In the meantime, the spiritual experience of His true followers here on Earth will be one dominated by conflict and persecution.
The type of peace on Earth that was announced by the Christmas angel (Luke 2: 14) was/is peace between God and the individual souls that are reconciled with Him by being born again (John 3: 5, 7).
This collective body of born again souls is what make up the “Church” that God designed (1Pet. 2: 9).
Being at peace with God, and especially if one chooses to take an active role in the promoting of the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20), will set the born again believer at enmity with the world (Matt. 10: 22). Being friends with worldly-minded individuals makes sets one at enmity with God (John 4: 4).
The Phil. 4: 7 type of peace that surpasses all human understanding is not found in a lifestyle that is void of adversity. This type of peace is experienced in the midst of the spiritual combat associated with the post salvation spiritual life.
That is what makes it surpass all human understanding.
Born again believers who follow the Lord by executing the post salvation spiritual life will frequently find themselves in the midst of spiritual combat (Eph. 6: 12) as they continue to fight the good fight (2Tim. 4: 7). The close one comes to reaching the next objective along the road to spiritual maturity, the more intense the battle will rage.
Paul once stated that if what one receives here on Earth was all that Christianity has to offer, that Christians are to the pitied more than any other group here on Earth (1Cor. 15: 19).
In closing, consider how God evaluates the quality of the post salvation spiritual life of a born again believer. It is by the fruit that it produces. The fruit of the post salvation spirit life is saved and edified souls.
Is that what your post salvation spiritual life is producing? This is the question that every born again believer must ask and answer when conducting a 2Cor. 13: 5 self-examination.
There will be no need to go around “beating others over the head” with a pulpit-sized Bible.
If one advances in the post salvation spiritual life outlined in Scripture, the resulting differences in his/her attitudes, outlook, and priorities will not go unnoticed by others.
These differences will generate persecution from some (2Tim. 3: 12), but will motivate others to make serious inquiries about the faith that they see in an advancing disciple. These inquiries are what open the door to the evangelism and edification of others.
If one does not really “interested” in becoming different, and does not want to be subjected to the inevitable rejection, isolation, and others forms of accompanying persecution, he/she is not really interested in the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship (Luke 14: 26).
I will be the first to concur that it is a lot easier to be a Sunday morning Christian than it is to be 24/7 disciple. Jesus told His would be followers to count the cost (Luke 14: 25-33).
All Christians want to go to Heaven, but not all want to deny self and pick up the cross each and every day along the way (Luke 9: 23)! Discipleship is not a “hidden cost” to retain salvation. All born again believers are assured of a home in Heaven (Romans 8: 1), but not all will be received or honored for having been a disciple throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life while here on Earth.
The self-centered, spiritually immature, born again believer is satisfied just to know that he/she is Heaven bound. For the Christ-centered, spiritually mature, advancing disciple that is NOT enough! The advancing disciple has come to experience that the execution of the post salvation spiritual life is the reason for which he/she lives. All else is secondary.
The post salvation spiritual life has characteristics that apply to all disciples, but there are some parts that have been tailor-made to fit the individual plans that God has in mind.
A significant part in the individual plan that God has in mind for each and every advancing disciple is his/her specific spiritual gift (1Cor. 12).
These gifts and their accompanying ministries (areas/type of service) will differ from one born again believer to another. It is God and not the individual that makes these choices (1Cor. 12: 8-11). These gifts and ministries are not primarily for the benefit of the one who receives them. They are intended to be means through which the advancing disciple has been called to serve others (1Cor. 12: 7).
The very reason that God places born again believers in all different walks of life and having different interests is so that they can serve Him as His ambassadors (2Cor. 5: 20) to bring about the salvation and/or edification of others. These others are the people with whom the advancing disciple interacts with while engaged in all the different activities each and every day. Again, this is what gives spiritual significance to all that we do each and every day.
Until the born again, Heaven bound, believer gets involved with saving the souls of unbelievers and edifying the souls of fellow believers, he/she is neither developing nor executing the type of post salvation spiritual life that God has in mind for the Church Age.
There is a time and a place for providing such things as food, shelter, and clothing to the needy (James 2: 15, 16), but unless the same souls are being given the opportunity to be saved and/or edified, the benefits received will all be left behind when he/she enters eternity (Mark 8: 36).
* * *
Some of God’s servants (Exodus 3: 10/Matt, 28: 19/20/Acts 9: 6. 15) are told right up front what their individual ministry is going to involve, whereas others discover it over a period of time. God may change where, when, and how one’s ministry (service to others) may or may not change over time, but the irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift itself does not.
God will inform his servant of the details as he/she moves forward in the plan that He has in mind.
During the course of more than the last fifty years of my post salvation spiritual life, I have tried my hand in various areas of ministry. But in the process, God has always brought me to (or back to) an environment of solitude enabling me to study and teach the Word of God by producing material in the written form.
If you have somehow gotten idea that the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship is going to be one of milk and honey, you have been greatly misinformed (2Tim. 3: 12/1Pet. 2: 21).
One may find a great social environment and be entertained in many of the alternate types of local assemblies. One may go there and receive logistical (food, clothing, shelter) support.
In the type of local assembly that God designed, there is fellowship and it is a place where God is worshiped as He desires (John 4: 24). But it is also a place where one is trained, prepared, equipped, and encouraged to engage in the spiritual combat (Eph. 6) of the Church Age.
Until one is born again, there is nothing that can be accomplished “in Church” other than it being one of many places where one might be presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message.
I say “might” because there are many individuals who go or have gone to Church” on a regular basis, but do not have an understanding of the true Gospel Message. This is evidenced by their perceived need to participate in the “traditions of men” to either obtain or retain salvation.
Once born again, one’s choice of local assembly will neither increase nor will it decrease the integrity of one’s salvation, but
It will impact the quality of one’s post salvation spiritual life.
***
The Lord Jesus Christ clearly informed His disciples that He did not come (at that time) to bring interpersonal (Luke 12: 52, 53) or international (Matt. 24: 6) peace to this world.
This type of global peace will not take place until a future dispensation (Rev, 20: 4) is in view. In the meantime, the spiritual experience of His true followers here on Earth will be one dominated by conflict and persecution.
The type of peace on Earth that was announced by the Christmas angel (Luke 2: 14) was/is peace between God and the individual souls that are reconciled with Him by being born again (John 3: 5, 7).
This collective body of born again souls is what make up the “Church” that God designed (1Pet. 2: 9).
Being at peace with God, and especially if one chooses to take an active role in the promoting of the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20), will set the born again believer at enmity with the world (Matt. 10: 22). Being friends with worldly-minded individuals makes sets one at enmity with God (John 4: 4).
The Phil. 4: 7 type of peace that surpasses all human understanding is not found in a lifestyle that is void of adversity. This type of peace is experienced in the midst of the spiritual combat associated with the post salvation spiritual life.
That is what makes it surpass all human understanding.
Born again believers who follow the Lord by executing the post salvation spiritual life will frequently find themselves in the midst of spiritual combat (Eph. 6: 12) as they continue to fight the good fight (2Tim. 4: 7). The close one comes to reaching the next objective along the road to spiritual maturity, the more intense the battle will rage.
Paul once stated that if what one receives here on Earth was all that Christianity has to offer, that Christians are to the pitied more than any other group here on Earth (1Cor. 15: 19).
In closing, consider how God evaluates the quality of the post salvation spiritual life of a born again believer. It is by the fruit that it produces. The fruit of the post salvation spirit life is saved and edified souls.
Is that what your post salvation spiritual life is producing? This is the question that every born again believer must ask and answer when conducting a 2Cor. 13: 5 self-examination.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 255 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Doug Laird or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 255 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.