Blessings and Resposibilities of Being a Christian

A Closer Walk With God

Blessings And Responsibilities Of Being A Christian

Every person has some big events in life (for example: birth, graduation, marriage, death). But the most important event for anyone is becoming a Christian! Why? Because it affects both you and others for ETERNITY. Unfortunately, many people become Christians and do not really appreciate it until late in life, if ever. But our service for Christ would be more productive and infinitely more enjoyable if began by grasping the true significance of being Christians, and as such, the children of God. This lesson is the first in a series designed to encourage and instruct one to have "A Closer Walk With God," and to be more fruitful in our service as disciples of Jesus Christ.

To help motivate us in fulfilling this goal, let's summarize just a few of the blessings and responsibilities we have as Christians... We have the blessing of God as our heavenly father - 1 Jn 3:1 "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." Let's consider this blessing of having God as our father. He is the source of every good and perfect gift from above - Ja 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."; Mt 7:11 "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" He provides us comfort in all our afflictions - 2 Co 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." When needed, in love He chastises us. read - He 12:5-11. He has promised never to forsake us - He 13:5-6 "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"'

Yet, there are responsibilities for having God as our Father. We must "submit" to God - Ja 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." By submitting to His Word. By submitting to His providential workings in our lives - 1 Pe 5:6-11 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." We must also "draw near" to God - Ja 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Just as an earthly father delights when his children want to draw near to him, so does God - Mt 23:37 '"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" We draw nearer to God by "cleansing our hands" and "purifying our hearts" - Ja 4:8, that is, by obtaining forgiveness and then strengthening our resolve to serve Him. For the Christian, this involves repentance, confession of sins, and prayer - Ac 8:22 "Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you."; 1 Jn 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We have the blessing of Jesus Christ as our Lord and high priest - 1 Co 8:6 "yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist."; He 4:14 "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession."

Think for a moment about this blessing. He who is our "Lord" is also He who rules over the kings of the earth - Re 1:5-6 "and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." All authority in heaven and earth has been given Him - Mt 28:18 "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." All have been made subject to Him - 1 Pe 3:22 "who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him." Yet, He calls us His "brethren" ! - He 2:11-12 "For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise."' As "High Priest", He intercedes in our behalf - Ro 8:34 "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." A High Priest who understands our every feeling - He 2:17-18 "Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." A High Priest who "ever lives" to make such intercession for us - He 7:24-25 "but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

What are our responsibilities of having Jesus as Lord and High Priest? If He is truly our LORD, we must do what He says - Lk 6:46 '"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" We must be careful to observe what He taught - Mt 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."' We must keep His commandments - Jn 15:10, 14 "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." - "You are my friends if you do what I command you." We must also utilize His role as our High Priest - He 4:14-16 "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." In other words, be quick to obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Again, for the Christian this involves prayer.

There are certainly more blessings and responsibilities that we have as Christians. We will look at two more in the continuation of this lesson. The blessings of the Holy Spirit and the church.