Archive for the ‘Identity in Christ’ Category

Gospel Community: Imaging God to One Another

In Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus, author Bill Clem explains that Christian communities serve as witnesses to show what the kingdom of God is supposed to look like. They model grace, love, forgiveness, truth, and identity. They demonstrate…

Love: “People will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Peace: “Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess. 5:13).
Hospitality: “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9).
Service: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13).
Instruction: “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another” (Rom. 15:14).
Care: “That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another” (1 Cor. 12:25).
Forgiveness: “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Col. 3:13).
Kindness: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).
Submission: “Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 5:21).
Honesty: “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices” (Col. 3:9).

This gives you the idea that gospel community is nothing short of imaging God one to another. This means mirroring to others the transformation that Jesus is doing in each of us individually. This means championing Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This means being a community that calls for sin to be dealt with rather than excused.

Modified from Disciple by Bill Clem. Learn more or read a sample chapter.

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November 16, 2011 | Posted in: Church Membership,Fellowship & Hospitality,Identity in Christ,Loving Others | Author: Angie Cheatham @ 9:26 am | 0 Comments »

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5 Things All Christians Have

Adapted from Am I Really a Christian? by Mike McKinley

How do you know if you’re really a Christian? This can be a dangerous question if taken the wrong way, so you have to check your intentions (not asking as a means to judge others or to beat yourself up for an area in which you think you fall short).

At the same time there’s a concerning trend: There are far too many people who think that they are Christians, but aren’t actually in Christ. We have a genuine love and concern for those in the church who may assume salvation is by association. Are we depending on church attendance, family background, and good intentions?

Genuine faith shows evidence of regeneration. Scripture gives us five criteria by which you can evaluate faith. If these things are present in your life, they are indications that you are truly being transformed by a vibrant and real faith.

Belief in true doctrine. You aren’t a Christian if you simply like Jesus. Lots of people like Jesus. Gandhi wrote fondly of Jesus’ gentleness, the Dalai Lama applauded him as “enlightened,” and most people enjoy seeing his face around Christmastime sprinkled somewhere in the commercial jungle. To be a genuine Christian, you must have sincere faith in Christ and his atoning work on the cross. That must be the central drive of your life. (Rom 16:17-18; Eph 4:11-16; 1Tim 4:6-8; 1Tim 6:3-5; Titus 1:9)
Hatred of sin in your life. All Christians struggle with sin. But if you have real faith, you will not enjoy your sins, but work to stamp them out. We all sin, Christians and non-Christians alike. The difference lies in the the effort and desire to improve ourselves and sin less vs. allowing sinful practices to be the enjoyable, ongoing trajectory of our lives. (Psalm 38:18, 119:11; Mark 9:42-47; John 8:11; Rom 6:1-2, 11-18; 1Tim 5:20; Heb 12:1-4; 1John 3:9-10)
Perseverance over time. You’re not a Christian if you don’t persevere in your faith and endure through the spiritually dark times. God is certainly there to sustain you, but you are also responsible for making the conscious, and sometimes painful, effort to endure in the faith. (Col 1:21-23; 2Tim 3:14-15; John 15:4-11; 2John 1:9; Heb 3:13-14)
Love for other people. Genuine Christians have care and concern for other people. This includes brothers and sisters in the faith, the poor and downtrodden, and, hard as it is, your enemies. (Matt 22:36-40; Luke 6:35; John 13:34-35, 15:12-13; Rom 12:9-10; Gal 5:13-14; Heb 13:1-3; 1John 2:9-10, 3:17)
Freedom from love of the world. You aren’t a Christian if the things of this world are more valuable to you than your faith in God. Prosperity is not inherently bad, and it can be evidence of obedience and wisdom. But it is tremendously easy for those with wealth to rely on money more than God. Money has an uncanny power of numbing peoples’ need for the Lord. Only God can meet your greatest needs. (Matt 16:24-26; Mark 4:2-20; Luke 14:25-33; Rom 12:2; Gal 4:3-9; Heb 13:5; 1John 2:15)

Learn more about Am I Really a Christian? or read a sample chapter.

June 21, 2011 | Posted in: Books,Identity in Christ | Author: Crossway Staff @ 8:31 am | (2) Comments »

Posted in Books, Identity in Christ | 2 Comments »

Become What You Already Are in Christ

Post modified from the 1 & 2 Thessalonians commentary by James H. Grant Jr. in the Preaching the Word Series

The Pattern of Biblical Obedience:
One of the greatest struggles in the Christian life is a failure to understand the basic pattern of Biblical obedience. If we don’t understand what God has done, we’ll constantly struggle to obey. If we don’t understand the indicative, the act of God, the cross of Jesus Christ, it is impossible for us to joyfully obey the imperatives, the commands of God. The gospel is so powerful that God has already transformed us. We have already been changed. As God’s people, we have received all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), and we are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We have been called, regenerated, forgiven, and adopted. The Biblical ethic is that we are now called to live like that. In other words, we are called to become what we already are in Christ.

We are called to live a life that pleases God. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, Paul was hitting on two aspects of the Christian life.

He was reminding them of how they started the Christian life. They received the word of Jesus Christ and obeyed it. They turned their backs upon the world and its sexual immorality. That type of repentance is a crucial start.
Paul was explaining that they must continue to obey Jesus and to persevere. Sometimes when we first believe the gospel, things seem to fall into place. Life makes sense because we are supposed to live this way. But as we continue in this walk, the path is often difficult to maintain in the face of all the obstacles. So Paul was urging them forward.

Do you see the progression?

We received the word.
We have progressed in the faith.
But we must continue to grow.

Why? Because the Christian life is not so much about how we start but how we finish. Where will we be in a year or two? What happens once we settle down into the long haul of the Christian life? When we get married and have children, will we still be faithful, or will the cares of the world draw us away? After a few years of marriage, will we still be committed to our spouse? Or will we be tempted to find excitement and pleasure somewhere else? Let us be committed to remaining steadfast in this journey and not view it as a sprint but as a marathon.

Learn more about 1 & 2 Thessalonians or see other volumes in the Preaching the Word Series.

May 10, 2011 | Posted in: Identity in Christ,Pursuit of Holiness | Author: Angie Cheatham @ 2:11 pm | 0 Comments »

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Jesus’ Death Should Lead to Your Own Daily Dying

Jesus’ death should lead to your own daily dying. Yes, Jesus died as a substitute for sinners, and that work is your hope of salvation. But Jesus did not die only to justify the wicked. His death is also designed to lead you in your own daily dying and living.

Peter says that Jesus died for our sins so that we would die to our sins. Jesus died for our sins by suffering the wrath of God in the place of sinners. By his wounds we are healed. Through the suffering of the righteous one, the wicked are justified. You, Christian, are justified. But his death should lead you in dying, as well. You die to your sins and live to righteousness through the ongoing work of faith and repentance.

What is it to die to sin?

To die to sin is to deny its influence and to recognize that sin is powerless over you.
To recognize your corruption and identify your temptations while resting in the deliverance God has provided through the sacrifice of Jesus.
To know you are no longer a slave, and sin is your master no more.
As you die to sin (recognizing and living in the reality that Jesus has set you free) you can live to righteousness. To live to righteousness is to follow Christ in holiness and to grow in grace.

The death of Jesus is not just what cleanses you of guilt, but it is also the means by which you experience transformation. Your progress in the faith, your sanctification, is not a result of will power or education, but the consequence of Christ’s atoning work. That is your confidence and hope. You can die to sin because he has died for your sin. You can live unto righteousness because Jesus has risen from the dead and in him you are now truly alive! Today is a day to die and to live.

Excerpt modified from Note to Self by Joe Thorn. Learn more or download a free sample.