How to Live in Christ

HOW TO LIVE IN CHRIST!

As we go through todays lesson, I want each of you to think of your lives, and what you might have done that could be done differently and more importantly done in the way Christ would want us too. As Christians we are asked many times”what does it mean to walk in Christ?” It means living in Christ, and while the whole Bible does explain to us how to do that, there are some lessons to be learned from today's message.

How do I live in Christ?

Ephesians chapter 5 Verses 1-5 lay a ground work for this. It is here we see what is expected of us as Christians, and how to walk in the light of Jesus. It's not the 10 commandments, however, it is to be married with them, or rather a result of walking in those 10 commandments. We are to humble ourselves as children. We can not go to God and say "I am an adult,I know everything." It simply is not that way, we do not know everything and as our church covenant, and the word of God says; in 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 Verse 15

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,  all things are become new."

Nothing new ever just jumped up and knew everything that was supposed to be known, instead it took many years of learning and understanding and talking with someone who might know more than we do. In this we are to be like children, ever vigilant to learn new things in Christ. There's more though.. In verse 2 we are told to walk in love as he hath loved us. This means that whenever possible we should show love one for another, and become as Jesus wanted a loving person, who is not mean, who is not judgemental but who is there in understanding and compassion. Verse 3 is a bit hard to swallow. It tells us, as the 10 commandments do, to refrain from fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness. It says directly "Let it not be named once among you." and finally just like Romans 6:23 we see again in verse 5 that the wages of our sin is death NOT life everlasting...


Now it may be clear to any of us, from what we have learned here so far, and what we have read tonight that we are to keep ourselves clean, and live in love and harmony and peace. It doesn't stop there folks. Before going on, I would like to read from the book of Psalms Chapter 1 Verse 1. Which reads:

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

what does it mean though, to walk in the counsel of the ungodly? We go back to Ephesians 5 and look at verses 6-14 for a better understanding of this.

6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

In verse six we are warned against being decieved, and we are informed that the wrath of God will be visited upon those who disobey. In verse seven we are told not to partake with people who are not of our faith, this is compounded by verse 8 which tells us that we once were darkness, now are light in the lord, and that we should walk as children of light. in verse 9 it tells us that walking in that light, or walking in the spirit is where goodness and truth is found. and 10 tells us that walking this way proves that we are acceptable unto the lord. Verse 11 repeats almost to the word what is said in Psalms 1:1 in verse 12 we see that it brings shame upon our face, and that of our brethren and sisters to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. In verse 13 is a great promise that all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. In verse 14 we see the first glimpse of how we should witness to other people. We should try to awake those who sleep, and raise them from the dead, and allow Christ to give them light.




So we can't hang out with our old friends who are ungodly. Who then should we hang out with? Everyone needs companionship. Look no further than Genesis chapter 2 Verse 20- 22 where God made for Adam a "help meet" losely translated as a companion. Even then at the begining of our world God knew that we must have companionship. Lonliness is an emotion that can hinder our relationship with God, it is a problem because we feel as if we are alone and even though we know that God is always there watching us, and there to lend a hand to us, we feel that we need to have a connection here on earth. For this reason it is said that a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave only to his wife, and furthermore that we should have friends. If we can not fellowship with people of our past who should we fellowship with then?

Verses 15-21 give us insight into this:

15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

We see here first that it is important to walk circumspectly, which means to be watchful, prudent, and cautious. Here again another warning that we should know that we are in the Lord before we take even a step in any direction. We see also that we are to redeem ourselves at times because the days are evil. Again we are to be not unwise, nor drunk with whine, but filled with the will and spirit of the lord. We are to praise eachother, and give thanks in everything even while submitting ourselves to one another.


What does it mean though? I believe here is an idea of how a Church is supposed to be and I believe that these verses tell us how to walk in the counsel of the church. How to find companionship without going back to the dead life we left behind. Further more let's flip to chpater 6 for a moment, verses 10-18, where the word tells us..


That we are to be strong in the lord, and in the power of his might, that we are to put on his armour and breastplate ( not the armor of the world which happens to be the armor of lies) and we are to stand with truth bursting out of us, with a shield of faith and a helment of salvation and a sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. and we are to pray for eachother.


After this we are still left with the nagging questions, pray for whom exactly? Where do we turn for companionship? Who are we supposed to get advice from? Who are we supposed to learn from? If not the people in our past them whom?




Turn with me to Acts Chapter 2 Verses 41-47:

41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

This is the first hint to the answer of the questions above. We see here what might be called the first true apostlic church. Where the apostles become a church and God blesses them with more and more. Collosians 1:18 tells us that a church is like unto a body, and the "he" ( meaning Jesus) is the head of that body, and he has supremecy, but what of that Body? The bible tells us in Romans Chapter 12 Verse 5

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

and furthermore in 1 Corinthians 12 14:23 the functionality of that body..

14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

So the answers to those nagging left over questions can all be the same. We are to find acceptance, and understanding, and love within a church, but more importantly we are to foster that love, acceptance, and understanding. We are to be with one another, have fellowship with one another, and although Christ should come first in our lives, the Church should be a close second, because it is here we grow in Christ, we become the person we are meant to be, we find support for our lives in Christ, companionship without going to those who are ungodly, and love. We learn and we grow.


  In closing let us all remember Hebrews 10 verse 25.

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."