Christian Living

Do You Understand?

by paul hoffmaster
01/24/21
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A friend of mine bought a new car with all the trimmings.  He told me it took months to figure out all the gadgets, and there were some things in the “cloud” that had not descended into his understanding.  I wonder if there is not a parallel between understanding the technical and grasping the concepts of the Kingdom of God.  Observing the actions of Christians has caused me to pause and question whether Believers really understand who they are.  They go to church every week as long as there is no more than a dusting of snow.  They occupy the same seat at every service, sing softly, praise moderately, worship briefly, give sparingly, listen with divided attention to the messenger, and escape to their cars (if churches are still open due to the virus) with the sense that they have filled their “weakly” requirement.  During the week, they unknowingly misquote Scripture, pray with mild intensity, and witness only when it does not make them look like a religious fanatic.  They read the Bible when they can find where they laid it, and end the day throwing words into the air hoping they can stay awake long enough to finish their “childlike” prayers before they fall to sleep.

I know that the above observations do not fit many Christians, but there are a lot of church-goers who have no idea of the potential that a Believer holds.  This is evidenced by the low percentage rate of victories against the enemies’ challenges.

The Believer limits himself by the amount of Scriptural knowledge that he is willing to accept.  If he is simply a “highlighter” of Scriptures that contain promises and blessings, his stamina as a Christian is severely limited.  Some of the greatest Bible verses have been missed by the color marker.

One Scripture that holds the key to unlocking the endless possibilities for every true Believer is located in the Apostle John’s first letter to the general Church.  Have you ever wondered where Jesus is now, and what He is doing?  Have you ever thought of what power and authority He has?  Have you ever come to the place where you became awestruck by His personage, compassion, and love?  It almost takes your breath away when you think of what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do in the future!

I John 4:17 summarizes the status of a true Believer, “As He is, so are we in this world.”  The position that Jesus now holds is mirrored by the Christian today, at least that is what God’s Word states.   Sadly the evidence of that reality is lost in traditional teaching and preaching.    When you think of the power and authority that each true Believer has “in this world,” our boldness and authority will affect every person or situation that we come in contact with.  There is no room for defeat.  Paul realized the truth of that and confidently “penned” for all the world to know, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)  And for a booster shot read verses 38, 39.

When the Christian realizes who he is, he will live the Biblical life that God ordained him to have!

“AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD”