JUST WONDERING
Have you ever wondered just what God requires of you as a Christian? Many about this or that requirement and that have told me if I didn't do this or that God was not pleased with me. This particular philosophy has led to much discouragement and frustration.
Even to the point of failure and giving up.
In a recent conversation with a long time good friend of mine we were discussing the requirements for living for God (read Christ).
His were long and arduous; relating to
- How I dress,
- What I say,
- How much I give,
- How much I pray,
- How much I fast,
- Go to church,
- Obey the pastor,
- Ad infintum and so on & on;
I told him he requires more than Christ ever required.
That brought the response of,"Who are the epistles for then? Aren't they for us?"
He was a bit incredulous that I would ever even make a statement like that.
"I then completely blew his mind by saying with tongue in cheek, "No!"
He then fell off his chair in dead faint.
My mind was racing. How did I get myself way out on a limb where squirrels fear to tread? How can I explain to him that, True, some of what is written in the epistles are for instruction to the Christian but a great part was written to stop what the Jewish priesthood was teaching by going behind Paul and taking away the precious freedom from the Law that Christ gave them by reestablishing the law of sacrifices and sin and death.
"What about sin? What are you going to do with sin?"
I told him I was free from the law of sin and death by the blood of Christ and that I exercise this precious freedom in loving him and living for him and demonstrating the fruit of the Holy Ghost.
That those that are led by the Spirit cannot sin because they do the things that please Christ.
I have contended for years that true Spirit led Christians don't need fences.
Do I fail at this Spirit led life?
Of course I do.
There are times that I do not listen to the Spirit and find myself in trouble.
What then?
It's covered in the epistles (there! there's an instruction.) If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father----- Definition of sin is simple: Not Spirit led, that’s not listening. What then does Christ require of you after salvation? {SEE THE PAGE CALLED “WHAT HAPPENED AT CALVARY?” FOR INFO PLEASE}
- (John 13:34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
- (John 13:35) By this shall all know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
- (John 15:12) This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
- (John 15:17) These things I command you, that ye love one another.
- (Romans 12:10) Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
- (Romans 13:8) Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
- (Galatians 5:13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
- (Ephesians 4:2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
- (1 Thessalonians 3:12) And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all , even as we toward you:
- (1 Thessalonians 4:9) But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
- (Hebrews 10:24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
- (1 Peter 1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another with a pure heart fervently:
- (1 Peter 3:8) Finally, all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, pitiful, courteous:
- (1 John 3:11) For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
- (1 John 3:23) And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
- (1 John 4:7) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
- (1 John 4:11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
- (1 John 4:12) No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
- (2 John 1:5) And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
My LORD and God how plain can it be?
One says we must take communion with one cup to be saved while another says multi cups are the way to go. Another says that you must was each other’s feet. Another and another and another and another
I urge you to diligently study to show yourself approved. Work out your own understanding of salvation and Remember that the Spirit of Christ will lead you into all truth in spite of what the leaders say.