God's Plan for Saving Man
PART EIGHT - THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Bible teaching and instruction concerns itself with 3 areas: doctrine, worship, and moral life. The life that the Christian is to lead is rich in blessings, both in this life and in the life to come; but it also has its obligations. Christian character and fellowship with God is the result toward which the doctrine and worship are aimed. When the Christian accepts Christ in his obedience to the command to be baptized, he is buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in a new life. It is this life that we want to discuss in this lesson.
I.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS LIFE OF FAITH AND TRUST.A. FAITH IS NECESSARY TO BE WELL PLEASING UNTO GOD( Heb. 11:6 ).
WHAT IS FAITH
?1. Belief in the God of the Bible - "must believe that he is."
2. Trust in the promises of God - "he is the rewarder..."
B. THE CHRISTIAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH( Rom. 5:1-2 ).
C. HE WALKS AND LIVES BY FAITH( Rom. 1:17; 2 Cor. 5:7 ).
D. HE IS GUARDED THROUGH FAITH( 1 Pet. 1:5 ).
E. THE END OF HIS FAITH, THE SALVATION OF HIS SOUL( 1 Pet. 1:9 ).
II. T
HE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE OF BLESSING AND PRIVILEGE.A. CHRISTIANS HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SONSHIP( Rom. 8:16-17 ).
B. AS CHILDREN, WHOSE FAITH IS IN GOD, WE MAY GO TO GOD AS OUR FATHER IN PRAYER( Mat. 7:7-11 ).
C. HE HAS ASSURANCE OF GOD’S CONSTANT CARE AND PRESENCE WHICH ENABLE HIM TO FACE LIFE, EVEN DEATH, WITHOUT FEAR ( Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Pet. 5:6-7 ).
III.
AS A CHILD OF GOD, THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE MUST BE ONE HOLINESS AND RIGHT CONDUCT.A. THE CHILD OF GOD IS AN IMITATOR OF GOD( Eph. 5:1 ).
1. We imitate God by imitating his Son( 1 Pet. 2:21 ).
2. What are they like?( Mat. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:15; 1 John 3:3 ).
3. We must imitate him not only in our outward actions, but also in our attitudes ( Phil. 2:5-9 ).
4. As Christ became the author of salvation through obedience, we may receive salvation from Him if we obey( Heb. 5:8-9 ).
B. THE CHILD OF GOD IS SANCTIFIED, SET APART, HOLY( 1 Pet. 1:15 ).
1. Though the Christian cannot completely sever himself from the world, he must be careful not to allow a love for the world to rule in his life(1 John 2:15-17).
2. The Christian must remember that his citizenship is in heaven( 1 Pet.2:11-12). Therefore, he is not to fashioned according to this world( Rom. 12:2 ).
3. We are not our own - we belong to God( 1 Cor. 6:19-20 ).
4. Since we belong to God, we must present ourselves to Him to do His will ( Rom. 6:12-13, 17-18, 23 ).
IV.
SUCH AN IDEAL IS ATTAINED BY THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE FLESH AND FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT.A. THE CHRISTIAN HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN; HE IS A NEW CREATURE ( John 3:3-5; 2 Cor. 5:17 ).
B. HE MUST PUT TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF THE BODY( Col. 3:5-11 ).
C. ONE MUST SACRIFICE HIMSELF BY CRUCIFYING THE OLD MAN ( Rom. 12:1; Gal. 2:20 ).
V.
CHRIST PLACED EMPHASIS UPON THE HEART.A. WHAT DO WE MEAN "HEART?" THE INNER MAN - THE SEAT OF ONE’S INTELLECT, EMOTION, AND CHARACTER.
B. LOOK AT THESE PASSAGES:
1. "Kill - angry" ( Mat. 5:21-22 ).
2. "Adultery - lust" ( 5:27-28 ).
C. IN EVERYTHING, JESUS SEEKS CONDUCT FROM THE HEART, THE RESULT OF A CHANGED HEART( Luke 6:43-46 ). THE KIND OF HEART THAT JESUS WANTS IS THE HEART THAT PRODUCES OBEDIENCE IN THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL( Mat. 7:21 ).
CONCLUSION
:Such a disposition is not developed in a day, or a month; it is a growth, the result of continual pruning, crucifying, developing. It is of such a life that Jesus was speaking when He said, "Enter by the narrow gate...few are they that find it( Mat. 7:13-14 ).
This lesson concludes this particular series of lessons. In this series, we have attempted to give more or less a general overview of what Christians believe and practice with some specific applications. It is hoped that this series will motivate those who are not members of the church identified in the New Testament to become such, and those who are saints to become better Christians.
Your soul is at stake
. It is possible that what you decide to do now will determine where you will spend eternity. It is too important to consider lightly what you’re going to do for your soul( Mat. 16:26 ). If you lose your soul, you have lost it all.