Daily Christian Living By Bruce W. Robida

 

As a Christian, the Bible says:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom 12:2

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Col 2:8

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Pe 2:11-12

Christians should be all about the world conforming to the pattern of Christianity rather than conforming to the principles and patterns of this world. We are transformed and our minds are renewed when we read and hear the Scriptures as often as possible. We want to be good examples for non-Christians if we hope to make this world a better place. True Christianity is something to be grasped and clung to like a treasure, but because some people have done bad things in the name of Christianity, for some, it has become something to shun.

As you do good deeds in your own community, you become like a magnet. People will be drawn to you.

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 2 Cor 9:13-14

Many Christians go out and start telling strangers about Jesus, whether those strangers have been prepared beforehand by God, or not. This turns people away from Christianity more often than not. In your daily routine of life, God will make opportunities for you to talk about Him, especially when you are ministering some need to a non-Christian. The Holy Spirit will not only let you know when the time is right, He will also give you the right words to say. It is really very rewarding, but don't forget to give God all of the credit.

Everything that God wants Christians to do is clearly spelled out in the New Testament.

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus. 2 Cor 1:12-14

Christians are to be taught and to learn from Jesus, through the apostles that He chose.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." MT 28:16-20

It is important to remember that the original apostles died long ago. There are certain criteria that have to be met in order for a person to become an apostle. The first thing is that Jesus must personally visit and appoint such a person. He chose 12 originally. Judas betrayed him and hung himself, so the remaining 11 drew straws to appoint someone else (Matthias, Acts 1:23-26). It is interesting that we never hear about Matthias again. Then after Jesus was raised from the dead, He met Saul, who later became the apostle Paul when he was apointed by Jesus (See Acts 9:1-30, Acts 11:25-30, Acts 12:25-13:12, Gal 1:1). Other men and women claim to be apostles and even claim to have been persoanlly visited and apointed by Jesus. None of them however, exhibit the things that mark an apostle, e.g. signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor 12:12). They pretend to perform these signs, but they are all fake! Don't be deceived by their trickery. They are greedy for power, influence and especially money. You will know them when you see them.

Where the Bible is silent concerning how we are supposed to live, we have liberty to choose our own way, as long as it doesn't cause someone else to stumble or make someone else's faith, weak. This is a concept that you will learn with time.

In many churches, we see Christians doing things that neither Jesus, nor His apostles taught. Some of the leaders of these churches claim to be apostles and prophets just to get you to follow them and their agendas. Watch out for these so-called leaders. You'll see that their primary motivation is greed.

Please read my article on Authority to find out more.

The rest of your Christian life can be summed up with the following:

• Love God with all of your heart and soul (MT 22:37-38)
• Love you neighbor as yourself (MT 22:39)

How do you love God with all of your heart and soul?

First, there is a test.

If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 13:1-4

When a preacher, teacher, pastor, or other so-called man of God tries to convince you about something that God never said, it is your responsibility to reject that person. This is a false prophet and he or she is sly. They won't come out directly and say, "Let us follow other gods", but that is exactly what they are saying when they teach about things that God has not authorized them to teach.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 1 Cor 14:29

Test everything. Hold on to the good. 1 TH 5:21

Second, Obey God's commands

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. JN 14:15

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. John 14:23-24

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
1 John 5:1-4

Worship God

Jesus answered, "It is written: `Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' " Luke 4:8

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. RO 12:1

Read and study God's Word

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. MT 22:29

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Rom 15:4

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 TI 3:14-17

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 TI 2:15

Pray

"You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. MT 5:43-45

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. MT 6:5-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray James 5:13

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 TH 5:16-18

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

These are just some of the ways we love God with all of our hearts. You'll find many more as you read and study His Word.

Please read my articles, How Does God Speak To Us Today? and To Whom Should We Pray?.

How do you love your neighbor?

It's all about compassion, giving, and serving others. Your neighbor is anyone you come into contact with. Do you see a need in someone's life? how about taking care of it?

Jesus said, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:2

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. GAL 5:13

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 1PE 4:10

As a Christian, you are being made into a minister.

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2CO 3:6

God will give you all that you need to minister to the needs of others.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2CO 9:10-11

Why does God want to make you rich in every way?

...so that you can be generous on every occasion...

And why does He want you to be generous?

...your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

To read more about Christian giving, read 2 Corinthians, 9:6-15. This is not tithing and you can be sure that most preachers in the United States teach the principle of giving a tithe (ten percent of your income) to the Church. I strenuously oppose that teaching as it is not taught to Christians by Jesus or His apostles. Tithing was a requirement for the Israelites and is in opposition to giving from your heart, according to your ability (e.g. see Acts 11:27-30). To read more, please read my five part article, Tithing.

For more information about loving your neighbor, please read my articles,
The Work of the Church and Created To Serve.

This is Christianity in a nutshell. You will find all of the requirements of this exclusive religion in the New Testament of a good Bible. Read it carefully, diligently, purposfully, and often.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
PHP 2:12-13

You will stand before God one day to give an account of your life. There will be no one to blame.

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Rom 14:12

But have no fear.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev 20:11-15

And what had you done? Were you not cleansed by the blood of Christ, made righteous by His death, burial, and resurrection? Had you not received His gift of salvation when you confessed His name? Those that rejected Him and His mercy will be thrown into the lake of fire. Your name will be found in the book of life.

Don't get too caught up with religiosity, church rules and regulations that have nothing to do with Christianity. Spend your time doing the work of the Church as you are led by the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to lead you rather than some preacher. Listen for His voice and you will hear it. It won't be audible, but you will hear just the same.

After you master the basics (Christianity 101) and Daily Christian Living, Please read, Moving On To Maturity.

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