Jesus asked, who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15-16)." That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9), Paul added. Indeed, Jesus is our Savior and we are saved not because of our own righteousness but because of the works of Jesus on the Calvary. Salvation is not of our works but from God alone. Do these mean that we can do all things on our own? Technically, no!
Many Christian, even I always frustrates the grace of God; I always committed sin intentionally but never realized that I was bought with a higher price – the blood of Jesus. In Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” If we claim to be Christian yet still indulging on our own sinful nature, woe to us! Christianity is neither a mere religion nor a tag. It bears the Name above all names “CHRIST”. Exodus 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Friends, if we are still in this world (worldly desire) and claiming to be Christian we are blaspheming the holy name of our Lord.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). What a profound and a harsh words that were uttered of our Lord Jesus. If we genuinely made Him as our Lord and Savior we must to obey His command.
Firstly, to deny self. Self is the greatest enemy of man. Why? Because out of self comes, envy, lust, pride, hatred and wickedness. So the Lord teaches us to deny self that will hinder us from Him.
Secondly, to take up the cross. If we truly surrender our life to Jesus, tribulations and trials will come because we are now not in this world rather we are citizens in heaven. The world loves darkness and hates light. And when you are in Jesus you are in the light so the world will pursue you and even tramples you to defeat, but take heart the Lord Jesus had already overcome the world.
And lastly to follow Him, Jesus is our great Master. Paul said, I can do all things
through Christ that strengthens me. A professor once told me “to gain victory is to surrender”, means to say – to win the race by which eternal life is the goal is to surrender ourselves to the finisher of our faith – JESUS CHRIST. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).” To every moment of our life, we must to acknowledge Him, to communion with Him and be with Him. In a word CHRISTIAN if we take the word CHRIST, only IAN will be read, means I Am Nothing.
Romans 12:1-2 “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. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Many Christian, even I always frustrates the grace of God; I always committed sin intentionally but never realized that I was bought with a higher price – the blood of Jesus. In Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” If we claim to be Christian yet still indulging on our own sinful nature, woe to us! Christianity is neither a mere religion nor a tag. It bears the Name above all names “CHRIST”. Exodus 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Friends, if we are still in this world (worldly desire) and claiming to be Christian we are blaspheming the holy name of our Lord.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). What a profound and a harsh words that were uttered of our Lord Jesus. If we genuinely made Him as our Lord and Savior we must to obey His command.
Firstly, to deny self. Self is the greatest enemy of man. Why? Because out of self comes, envy, lust, pride, hatred and wickedness. So the Lord teaches us to deny self that will hinder us from Him.
Secondly, to take up the cross. If we truly surrender our life to Jesus, tribulations and trials will come because we are now not in this world rather we are citizens in heaven. The world loves darkness and hates light. And when you are in Jesus you are in the light so the world will pursue you and even tramples you to defeat, but take heart the Lord Jesus had already overcome the world.
And lastly to follow Him, Jesus is our great Master. Paul said, I can do all things
through Christ that strengthens me. A professor once told me “to gain victory is to surrender”, means to say – to win the race by which eternal life is the goal is to surrender ourselves to the finisher of our faith – JESUS CHRIST. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).” To every moment of our life, we must to acknowledge Him, to communion with Him and be with Him. In a word CHRISTIAN if we take the word CHRIST, only IAN will be read, means I Am Nothing.
Romans 12:1-2 “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. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
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