Welcome back to my blog. We are in a series covering the Christian life. We spoke last time about the three sanctifications which delineate our Christian experiences:
· Salvation - Our legal sanctification by the blood of Christ by faith (Romans 3:21-26)
· The Christian life - We seek to become sanctified in our actions and thoughts as God is holy (1 Peter 1:16)
· Heaven - Christ takes us to our eternal home when our bodies will be sanctified (1 Corinthians 15:50 ff)
Importantly, when one sanctification is complete and we progress to the next, we cannot return to the prior sanctified state. This helps us know that we have eternal security and confidence in our relationship with God (please see the last blog for a review of this important lesson).
Goals
For this current blog then let us talk about scriptural based goals for Christian living and the tools God provides by which we can accomplish them.
· Be holy as God is holy - We should strive to develop godly characteristics in our life (1 Peter 1:16)
· Live a life of faith – God is pleased by our faith, not guilt and legalism (Romans 14:23; Colossians 2:6)
· Serve God with your entire life – In accomplishing this goal we have great freedom to live by faith within the broad bounds of the New Testament epistles’ commands (Romans 12:1-2)
Tools for leading the Christian life
What has God given us to accomplish these goals?
The Bible – We are to accept God’s word as a true guide for our lives (1 Thessalonians 1:6). In Paul’s informative prayer in Colossians 1:9-14, he indicates the importance of approaching our Christian life in a knowledgeable way (verse 9). Accordingly, to act correctly (verse 10) we first must know how to think. We do this first by knowing God’s Word, especially the epistles in the New Testament (Romans to Revelation 3). This is the section meant specifically to provide directions for the church age. How do we know the importance of the New Testament epistles in our lives? There is a process by which it developed:
· God the Father - All truth began with God and was given to His Son to give to man (John 14:24; John 17:14).
- Jesus Christ – He came and spoke to us, as recorded in the gospels, so people would believe in Him as Messiah. Upon the rejection of His message (Matthew 12), He taught the disciples about the coming age (Matthew 13-18; Matthew 24-25; John 14-17), later confirmed by the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:2-4; Colossians 1:25; Ephesians 3:3).
- The Apostles – Christ tasked the apostles to teach God’s truth to the church (Matthew 28:19-20, sometimes called “apostolic authority”. It was the listener’s duty to obey what they heard from the apostles, not yet having the written scriptures. Importantly, the authority of the Bible itself is established not just by direct statements that claim it is scripture (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Peter 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16) but also by verses which indicate the authority of the apostles (2 Thessalonians 3:4-6; Colossians 1:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:14). To them God gave the charge to teach His truth and later to write the epistles, because they were taught by Christ Himself.
- Second generation Christians – These believers received the word from the apostles and taught new believers under their authority (e.g., 1 Timothy 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:24).
- The biblical canon – The true Word of God was written down as epistles with guidance by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). These letters were circulated probably in the early church period when apparently an informal canon of scriptures was formed. A generally accepted canon existed in the 2nd century (1). The New Testament in its current form was finalized at the Synod of Hippo in 393 AD. The late date of finalization occurred probably due to Christians could not openly meet until Constantine legalized Christianity after he became the Roman emperor in 313 AD.
- Biblical authority for the Christian life – The Bible speaks of accepting God’s word and using it as a basis for our lives (2 Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Peter 3:16). Consequently, through scripture, we gain not only the knowledge of the will of God and the benefits of the Spirit but also a healthy mind (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:7).
Far from being restrictive, the Bible liberates us by teaching us wisdom and truth … with very few commands! It allows us to live a life of faith without being deceived by damaging practices in the world (1 Timothy 4:4-5). The Bible is our guidebook for life. As we live it in faith we prove God’s working within us with the accompanying joy of seeing Him bring fruit into our lives (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9).
What great truths! What a privilege to know God through His word and to live a life that is holy and pleasing to Him.
Please join us again next time as we continue to examine the tools we have for the Christian life. We will discuss God’s power!
William C. Stewart, MD
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Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.
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