The Purpose Of Christian Maturity
As Christians, we know that Jesus is the Christ - the redeemer of our souls. He is the God-Man who endured to become the avenue for us to achieve holiness and worthiness in God’s sight.
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them." (2 Corinthians 5:18-19a)
He is responsible for bringing us to fellowship with the Creator and Lover of ours souls forever, according to His great plan. For this, we commit to worship and to obey the commands of the Christ, because He has earned it!
"And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Now, He asks us to prepare our lives for this eternal communion with Him and with God while we are yet on this earth, both in a spiritual act of worship, and to point others toward the Kingdom of God.
"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." (Romans 12:1)
When we believe that Jesus is our Savior, He asks us to follow His commands (John 14:15) and to continue the works that He has started (John 14:12,) so that others will see that we are His followers (John 13:34.)
"If you love me, you will obey what I command". (John 14:15)
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing." (John 14:12)
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
Of this there is no doubt, as Christ repeated the same message multiple times, most obviously throughout John 14 and 15. The term ‘Lord’ is seldom used in common discussion these days, except in reference to Christ. Webster defines ‘Lord’ as ‘ruler, or master.’ When one concedes position of authority to a ruler or a master, one commits to following the rules of the ruler, or to learning and practicing the ways of a master, much like an apprentice would. By definition then, as Christians we place the commands and desires of our master above our own personal rules or desires, and follow the teachings of our master. Indeed, the very meaning of the word ‘Christian’ means ‘one who follows, or imitates Christ.”
Indeed, we become a ‘new creature’ once we receive the faith that produces salvation
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
In our new position as this new creature, and with our position of acceptance before the Father, we no longer must worry about the accountability of our sins to God, because Christ has taken care of that for us. We now have the freedom, not to sin, but to carry out these good works without worrying about the sin in our lives.
"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Romans 6:18)
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the
Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death
The whole of the commandments of Christ were summed up by the Master himself into two:
“The most important one (commandment) is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:19-31.)
Out of a life focused on the love of God and then the love of our fellow man, with the enabling of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, a changed life will occur. Think about all the evils in the world, they can all be generally traced to man’s focus on the opposite of these two commands. When mankind is focused on his or her own appetites and desires, at the expense of the next person or whoever is in the way, all sorts of evil arises. But a person is completely set apart from the normal pace of life if they are focused on the pursuit of God and the benefit of others. As we saw above in John 13:34-35, this is precisely how we will be set apart from the world as Christ’s followers. Following Christ therefore does not require a withdrawal from the world, as some think. In fact, the Master has sent us into the world with our obvious differences guiding us as we are a witness, setting an example for the world to attract them toward the redemption of their souls and the good news of the gospel (1 Peter 2:12.)
"As you have sent me into the world, I have
sent them into the world. My
prayer is not for them alone.
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that
all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have
sent me. May they be brought
to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved
them even as you have loved me." (John 17:18, 20,21b, 23b
"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 Peter 2:12)
And that is our most important calling as Christians, to live as the Master has commanded. He finishes His work in us when we mature, and He starts His work in others through our maturity as well!
Finally, we are to prepare ourselves for the great reunion with God. This is the final reason for our sanctification!
May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:13
WhyIBelieve.Org Ministries Copyright Pending 2002 M. Sutherland Questions or Comments? E-Mail Mike!! |
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