Hi, it's Kinslayer again. Sorry I haven't been writing up the Bible studies or keeping you posted. I just have had, I hate to say, more important things to tend to. I had to take care of myself for once.
Basically, last week's Bible study was about Who Christ is and how it applies to US. I'll sum this up in as short a manner as possible..As Christians, we are to bear fruit. We aren't to be spiritually lazy. We are to, hate to use this term, use the ABCs of Christianity.
A - Admit that you are a sinner and that Christ died for you, and that He is the only way to heaven
B - Believe in God, and that He sent His one and Only son to die for you
C - Confess publically that Christ is Lord and you have given your life to Him through believer's baptism (I think those are it..)
Is that all? NO. That is only the beginning. We don't get "saved" and then that's it. We have to GIVE OUR LIVE TO HIM. Meaning, serve Him, obey Him, love Him. You serve and obey Him by loving Him. As Klayton wrote,
"It's that simple. That verse sums up the ENTIRE Christian existence in a nut-shell. Christ is the WAY into Heaven. Christ is the TRUTH about everything and what is and isn't true. Lastly, Christ is the LIFE that we should lead. Three steps: The Way, The Truth, The Life"
That sums it all up. We must live our lives for Him. Love Him more than anything else..and..take up our cross DAILY and follow Him. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).
Being a Christian
–Who Christ was and is Applies to Us
(part 2)Now, onto this week's study. This is part 2 of how Christ applies to us.
This Bible study is honestly brilliant. Klayton states that when you ask a child what it means to be a Christian, their common answer is, "to love Jesus and read the Bible" Now, I had a discussion with a woman I've known named Terry, about childlike faith. When she was little she was on a plane with her mother, and she asked, "Mama, aren't you afraid?" and her mother replied, "No, why would I be? I know where I am going if I die. A much better place than this." If only we could all have childlike faith..Not only a child's faith, but a child's love. A child's purity. Christ, Himself, told His disciples this when they shunned the little children from seeing Him.
Matthew 18:3 – Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. (CEV)
I'm gonna quote Klayton on this one, and it's important, something we should focus on:
Look it up. Those are Jesus’ very own words. In the ASV (American Standard Version) it says that Jesus said “Verily I say unto you…” which is a very serious thing. In the time of the ASV translation, to use the word “verily” in this context was used only to show people that you are very serious and that you speaking the truth about whatever subject you were speaking on. So for Jesus to say, “Verily I say unto you…” is something that we should spend some serious time dwelling on.
Remember to never take someone's word for anything. Klayton is very learned and intelligent, but look it up yourselves. Don't take my or Klayton's word for anything. Only God's word is complete truth. The Bible tells us we MUST love Jesus. How? We obey Him.
(Matthew 22:37 – Jesus said to him, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.')
With all your heart. With all your soul. With all your mind. WITH EVERYTHING. Every single thing you have you must love God. For He loves us with everything He has.
We are also to read God's word. To study His word. Why? God wants us to have a personal relationship with Him. How can we get to know someone, how can we have a relationship with someone, without knowing who they are, and who they were? Well, God's word reveals to us who Christ is and was. These past Bible studies have taught you that.
(Luke 4:16 – Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures (GNB)). As you can see from the GNB (Good News Bible) translation, Jesus read the scriptures in the synagogue to the others which only goes to show that if we are indeed to be Christians we MUST read the Bible and love God.
To sum it all up, "As I said, Jesus lived that simple little child’s response and told us to live it to. So think on that one this week and when you respond, I want you to give me your insight on that child’s response. I even encourage you to go out and ask a little child (who belongs to a church) that question, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” and see what kind of response you get from them."
Here is the prayer and it is an honestly a great prayer to pray each day.
Dear Father
Thank you so much for being compassionate and for living the simple child’s answer of what it means to be a Christian. Without that simple little, but very important, answer and life style, we truly would be lost and wouldn’t know what the fundamental element of what means to be Christ-like.
In you precious name, Amen.
His Love Endures Forever,
Hayley
