Living the Christian life: The basis of walking with God
Welcome back to my blog. I am so happy you are visiting! Today we start a fascinating discussion, over the next several blogs, on the Christian life. It will discuss its foundation, the goals, tools, borders as well as research that supports how it helps our own wellbeing. Today let's begin with the important aspects of the foundation of the Christian life that allows us to serve God.
The foundation for a Christian life
The term Christian life refers to our how we live as a believer. The two preconditions below are the basis of a healthy Christian life.
- Salvation
- Being saved by grace, having received the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection to new life.
- Salvation by faith in Christ is the needed door that allows entry into all of God’s blessings on this earth and eternal life.
- Security of salvation – We can only adequately live a fruitful Christian life when we are confident of our salvation.
- If a person does not believe in Christ for salvation, they do not have the understanding or capacity to live the Christian life (Romans 3:10-18). Further, if we are not convinced that God keeps us to salvation then we will have only limited confidence to live as a Christian and serve God.
Progressing from Salvation (Hebrew 6:1-2)
Once saved and knowing we are secure, how do we mature in our faith?
- Three sanctifications – Critical to understanding the Christian life are the three different sanctifications. These are defined in the Dallas Theological Seminary doctrinal statement and are very useful. Sanctification as a term is defined by believers being setting apart as holy to God Please see Figure 1.
Figure 1: Three types of sanctification
First or past sanctification |
Second or present sanctification |
Third or future sanctification
|
Forgiveness of sins for all time
|
Our Christian life |
Perfect body at Rapture |
- The three sanctifications defined:
- First or past sanctification – This is legal holiness based on forgiveness of our sins by Christ’s death in the cross through faith. We are created new beings in Christ who can serve him.
- Second or present sanctification – This refers to our actions by which grow in holiness as we live a life of faith, obedient in our service to God throughout our lifetime.
- Third or future sanctification – This is the change in our bodies at the rapture that makes us become completely holy, completing the sanctification process.
- The sanctifications do not mix – Importantly, the three sanctifications are separate in implementation and do not mingle with each other. Further, we progress through them one at a time and we cannot return to the prior sanctification! Please see Figure 2.
- Transition from first to second sanctification – When Christ was resurrected to new life He then ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 8:1). This action signified that His glorious work in bringing salvation to man was finished! His sacrifice was sufficient for all sins for all time and did not need to be repeated (Hebrews 10:10-19). His sacrificial work being complete, Christ now heads continuously the church and helps believers in their Christian life.
- Likewise, as Christians when we believed at salvation and received forgiveness (Romans 3:23-26) it was once for all time. We also were resurrected to new life and sit at the right hand of God the Father with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-9).
- Consequently, our work of being saved is finished. We now serve Christ continuously through the church (second sanctification). We do not need to revisit our first sanctification.
- So as Christ was resurrected to new life, we also are resurrected to new life through Him (Romans 6:2-9). As Christ’s saving work was finished on the cross, so our process to salvation was finished at our conversion. As a new regenerated person, we are now able and free to serve Him, unburdened with insecurities over the state of our salvation or if God may not accept us for some sin.
- Transition from the 2nd to the 3rd sanctification – When Christ comes again in the clouds to take his church our bodies will be changed instantaneously to a heavenly body (1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 15:49-54). When this occurs, believers who are still living will be separated from their current Christian life and sanctification will be complete.
Therefore, to live the Christian life we must first have a foundation of being saved by grace through faith and created a new person through the resurrection of Christ. Such a born-again believer possesses the capacity to live a godly life and can have confidence in their relationship before God.
· If someone is not saved, they have no ability or knowledge to live the Christian life.
· If a saved person is not sure of their salvation, they do not have the confidence to live the Christian life.
Thank you for joining me today. Please come again next time as we continue our discussion on living a fruitful Christian life, specifically with the goals and tools for the Christian life.
Read more on similar topics at:
https://teleiosresearch.com/living-the-christian-life/
https://teleiosresearch.com/standing-before-we-walk/
https://teleiosresearch.com/tools-to-maturity/
William C. Stewart, MD
For questions or to view more of our research…
Email info@teleiosresearch.com
Website http://teleiosresearch.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh6wIbPgxeP0YvypwAn5-9Q
Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information. 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment