The Biblical Path of Life

Category: Picture with verse and blog

  • The Door

    Something has happened in my lifetime. When I was a young person growing up in church, everything was about Jesus. Jesus loved me. Jesus died on the cross for my sin.

    Sin?

    What sin?

    I learned that disobedience to any of God’s commands was sin. And that sin separated me from God. In church, I learned that that separation from God could be restored – but only by Jesus’ death on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. Once I heard this, I wanted to have that relationship restored. I didn’t want to be separated from God for eternity. Once I recognized that I had sinned, and wanted God to forgive me of that sin, I trusted Jesus was the only One who could take that sin away (see John 14:6).

    But something has happened in most churches. What Jesus did on the cross to take away sin is only mentioned once in a blue moon. Now the focus has turned to the thought that God loves everyone. He wants us to love everyone. The way to show the world that we love them is to bring them into the church, just as they are, and the church will minister to them. The church shows love by meeting any physical or emotional need they may have. Meeting those needs is a wonderful way to show the love of God – but only if one has first showed them that Jesus is that love of God. Remember “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s love is revealed in the death of Jesus on the cross to pay the penalty for individual’s sin in order to restore that broken relationship. By not making this the primary message in the churches today, many churches have in essence pushed Jesus out of the door and closed it. It’s almost as if many churches have made their own door (good works, meeting people’s needs) and replacing Jesus as the Door of the sheep. That is the condition of the church in the final church age, portrayed in Revelation 3:14-22.  They are doing so well, doing works, that they don’t even realize they are in need. Because the churches as a whole are so busy doing good works, they have forgotten to share the message of Jesus and His death to take away individual people’s sin as the Only Way to truly help anyone. Remember what Paul wrote: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3). Remember that the “righteousness of God” is Jesus. This is a picture of what is happening.

    But as we see in Revelation 3:20, Jesus is still available to any one who will open the Door (for Jesus is the Door, see John 10:7) to allow Jesus inside. He will come inside, and there can be sweet fellowship. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

    Are you someone who has allowed Jesus to be pushed out, forgetting why He came?

    Will you be willing to open the door and let Him back in?

    Make sure that you find a church that still faithfully presents the Gospel message of Jesus, the only way to be saved. Make sure that He is the primary focus of your life.

    “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 3:22).

  • A Living Sacrifice

    “1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

    There are some very important things we need to learn about how a Christian is to live.     

    Paul encouraged people who have given their hearts and lives to Jesus to understand the importance of living their lives in a pleasing manner. Romans 12:1-2:  “1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Just as Jesus willingly died for each Christian, each Christian is then to present their life to Jesus as a “living sacrifice.” 

    What does this mean?  Living sacrifice means the physical life and existence, as opposed to death or nonexistence, always with some duration as a living and constant sacrifice. God expects His people to live a life, always, as if they belong to Him – acceptable to Him. That is the very least we can do (“reasonable service”). 

    Paul went on to remind us that because we are now spiritual creatures, we are not to be “conformed” to this world. 

    • Not conformed means to be fashioned alike; one is not to be molded by the external and fleeting manners or ways of this period of time, but to undergo a deep inner transformation that can only be brought by the Holy Spirit.  Instead of being conformed (changed to be like the world by outside influences), we are being transformed. 
    • Transformed means that invisible process that begins to take place in a Christian during his/her life here on earth.  To be changed from the inside out. How are we to be transformed?  By renewing one’s mind. 
    • Renewing means a renovation which makes a person different than in the past.  A Christian is not to think like they always have according to the world’s system.
    • Prove means to put to the proof or examine; the notion of proving a thing whether it is worthy or not.  Once Christians know how to live, they are to implement those things into their life.

    A Christian is to live a life, not like the rest of the world, but different from the world! We are to always remember that our life is not our own, for we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20)!

  • Stand Fast

    Have you noticed that the world has changed? Did you also notice that things are not like they once were?

    What is different?

    Because Christians have not faithfully stood up for the truths of what the Bible teaches and the convictions that it brings, our word has changed.  It doesn’t appear that we have a voice in this world anymore.

    What does the Bible tell us we must do?

    “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13

    We must watch – stay awake and be vigilant.  The dangers, and sin, in our world are greater than many of us can bear. We have not been awake, watching, to prevent the godlessness of this world from becoming prevalent.

    Paul ended his letter to the Corinthian church with this warning.  He warned them to watch.  He told them to stand fast in the faith.  That meant he wanted them to be stationary, to persevere, in their convictions of the truth of God’s Word and the Gospel truth (their faith). They were not to compromise what God’s Word said.

    Is that an easy thing to do? Paul understood that many would not know how to do that. He encouraged them by telling them to be strong – much like a man has strength, and to use that strength to stand. Christians are to muster all of the strength we have deep down, take a stand, and not be moved from our convictions of what we know God’s Word tells us to do.

    Will you be one who will watch, not compromising, and stand fast in your faith?