The Way – Part 1
Sitting in our previous church the pastor told us "I don't why we've made this so complicated. All you have to do is confess your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you to be saved."
Well...... that's not entirely true.
I'll tell you what the complicated part of this is. It's trying to live your old life while desiring to be a Christian. Now that's complicated. God gave us commandments to follow and Jesus did as well. A Christian isn't someone who ask for forgiveness and then leave church to watch ESPN and play video games all hours of the day avoiding sin. With that you're probably asking...Well what am I suppose to do?
Okay so let's get with the Basics -
Many of us don't understand the 10 commandments with all the "Thou Shalt's" and old english dialect but I can break it down very simply. Love and Honor God and Love and Honor each other. That's all the 10 commandments ask of us, nothing more and nothing less.
Next Jesus gave us jobs that we need to be doing as Christians and it doesn't involve sitting on your butt watching TV or smoking with your co-workers talking about the new hottie during break. What you need is to reflect the love God has given you to others. Witness and tell your story of how Christ saves you so others can relate. Be a friend to those who need a friend.
That's the basics to get you started but that still isn't all God ask of you. I found this excellent list online and instead of rebuilding the wheel I'm going to copy it for you. You can find it right here. Break out your Bible, read the chapters to see the truth in these things.
1."FORGIVE EVERYBODY OF ALL THEIR OFFENSES AGAINST YOU." Matthew 6:12 2."YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN." John 3:7 3."ABIDE IN ME, AND LET ME ABIDE IN YOU." John 15:4 4."LET PEOPLE SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS." Matthew 5:16 5."END DISPUTES QUICKLY." Matthew 5:25 6."WHATEVER CAUSES YOU TO SIN, GET RID OF IT." Matthew 5:29-30 7."DO NOT SWEAR OATHS AT ALL." Matthew 5:34-37 8."DO NOT RETURN OFFENSE FOR OFFENSE." Matthew 5:38-39 9."GIVE WHAT PEOPLE ASK OF YOU, AND GIVE MORE THAN IS REQUIRED." Matthew 5:40-42 10."LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND THOSE WHO WORK AGAINST YOU." Matthew 5:43-45 11."GIVE TO THE POOR TO PLEASE GOD, NOT TO GAIN APPROVAL FROM OTHER PEOPLE." Matthew 6:1 12."PRAY PRIVATELY AND SIMPLY, NOT TO IMPRESS OTHER PEOPLE." Matthew 6:5-7 13."MAKE YOUR PRAYERS BE LIKE THE LORD'S PRAYER." Matthew 6:9-15 14."WHEN YOU FAST, DO IT SECRETLY, NOT FOR SHOW." Matthew 6:16 15."STORE UP YOUR TREASURES IN HEAVEN, NOT ON EARTH." Matthew 6:19-21 16."DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR MATERIAL NEEDS." Matthew 6:25-26 17."DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE." Matthew 6:34 18."MAKE GOD YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR NEEDS." Matthew 6:33 19."DO NOT JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE." Matthew 7:1-2 20."DO NOT GIVE HOLY THINGS TO DOGS OR CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE." Matthew 7:6 21."ASK GOD FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO HAVE." Matthew 7:7 22."FEED THE HUNGRY, CLOTHE THE NAKED, SHELTER THE HOMELESS,COMFORT THOSE IN DISTRESS." Matthew 25:34-36 23."FOLLOW THE NARROW PATH TO LIFE." Matthew 7:13-14 24."BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS." Matthew 7:15 25."EXERCISE POWER OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS." Matthew 10:1, Matthew 10:8 26."LOVE LITTLE CHILDREN, DO NOT DESPISE THEM." Matthew 18:10 27."DO NOT TAKE THE TITLES 'MASTER' OR 'FATHER' FOR YOURSELF." Matthew 23:8-12 28."RESOLVE DISPUTES IN AN ORDERLY WAY, LIKE THIS . . . "Matthew 18:15-17 29."DO NOT OPPOSE OTHER BELIEVERS IN CHRIST WHO ARE NOT IN YOUR GROUP." Mark 9:38-40 30."HAVE TOTAL FAITH IN GOD FOR EVERYTHING." Mark 11:22-24 31."BE LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITAN." Luke 10:30-37 32."LOVE OTHER PEOPLE AS I HAVE LOVED YOU" John 15:12 33."EAT BREAD AND DRINK WINE IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." Luke 22:19-20 34."WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET." John 13:14 35."BE MERCIFUL." Luke 6:35-36 36."GO AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM." Matthew 28:19-20 37."KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS." John 14:15 38."BE PREPARED FOR YOUR MASTER TO RETURN." Luke 12:40
I'm going to break these down over the next few weeks then compile them into a single post for better understanding. I'm hoping this sets a foundation that will shine the light of Christ through you for all to bear witness to. Please please please respond to this because we need to discuss these things openly. Not just read and let it go, but to learn it and live it. God Bless!