THE CHRISTIAN LIFE – AN OVERVIEW

We will look at the three aspects of the life of a Christian believer as portrayed by God through the apostle Peter (1^st epistle) and related Scriptures. Since I have not reproduced the selected texts in 1^st Peter and their contexts, I would urge you to read them in your Bibles for a fuller understanding of the subject. They will convict us, besides serving as reminders to renew and deepen our relationship with Christ.

1. Beginning of the Christian life: The ‘Christian’ life (life in Christ) begins on the earth with a new birth brought about by God and ends with physical death or final salvation on the day the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in all His glory. Alluding to physical death and the after-life of a Christian, the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:23, “We who have the first-fruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Physical death for a born-again Christian is the gateway to heaven, where he or she will be in the glorious presence of the Lord Jesus forever! (First-fruits of the Spirit refers to the first result of our being in Christ and Christ in us.) Read John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15-17; 1Corinthians 2:12

Peter wrote his two epistles to the Jews who were born again when they believed in Jesus as their Messiah. They faced persecution for their transformed lifestyle as God’s children and for the message of God’s kingdom they proclaimed. Peter’s message through the Holy Spirit applies to you and me today. Read 1 Pet.1:3-7

The lifestyle of the Christian believer: A hallmark of the life of a Christian is that he or she has a holy (separated/sanctified) walk that goes contrary to the lifestyle and culture of this world. Our Lord prayed for His disciples, and also for us who are in Christ, that God would sanctify them by the truth of His Word. As the Father sent His Son into the world, so the Son has sent His disciples into the world. Jesus sanctified Himself that we, His disciples, too may be truly sanctified (Jn.17:17-19). Read 1 Pet.1:13-16, 22-23; 2:1-3

1. The sufferings of the Christian believer: The two most persecuted communities in the world during the last twenty centuries have been, and continue to be, Jews and Christians – people chosen by God as His representatives or ambassadors to the nations of the world. In the Old Testament it was the Jews, the descendants of Abraham. In the New Testament it is both Jews and non-Jews who are united in Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1Cor.12:13). Read 1 Pet.4:12-19

Dear Christian, heed the warning!

As representatives of Jesus Christ, Christians have a solemn responsibility to demonstrate the lifestyle of Christ’s kingdom in this world by leading a life that reflects its values (Matt. 5-7 and Lk. 6:17-49 – the Sermon on the Mount). The apostolic teachings of the New Testament are founded on these kingdom principles of our Lord.

The only way to remain sanctified in our Christian walk is to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom.6:11). This is what our Lord meant when He told His disciples to take up their crosses daily and follow Him. As the cross of Christ symbolizes death and life for the believers, so the cross His disciples are told to carry symbolizes death to self and life in Christ.

There are serious consequences for the Christians who display a casual attitude towards their divine responsibility by knowingly compromising with the world’s standards that are hostile to God’s! There is also the potential danger of eventually falling away from the faith and from the will of God, if the spiritual downward slide continues unabated! And we may not even realize it!

Following are a few Scriptures that warn us about the consequences of failing to walk steadfastly with Jesus on the straight and narrow path that leads to life:

Read John 15:1-17 (Illustration of the vine and the branches); Romans 11:21-22. Christians who are casual about their responsibilities and their relationship to Christ are compared to fruitless branches that are fit to be cut off from the nourishing sap of the vine and thrown into the fire. These branches were probably superficially attached to the vine, and therefore failed to receive the nourishment provided by the vine.

Read 1Corinthians 5:5; Hebrews 6:4-12; 10:26-39 2Peter 2:20-21. While these are among the most misunderstood and disturbing Scripture passages, a careful study indicates that unconfessed sin, complacency, self-confidence and half-hearted obedience can lead believers to a stage where it will be impossible for them to repent. King Saul in the Old Testament and Judas Iscariot in the New Testament are classic examples of the tragic end for any believer who fritters away God’s gift of salvation by a casual attitude to God’s word and will!      

Read Matthew 7:21-23. Our Lord concludes His Sermon by illustrating the difference between the doers of God’s word and the mere hearers and preachers. The righteousness of those who believe and obey Jesus surpasses the legalistic self-righteousness of the hypocritical religious people who are indifferent to the atoning death of Jesus. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt.7:21).

Conclusion

The apostle John, one of the eye-witnesses of Christ’s glory, grace and truth (Mk.9:2-8; Jn.1:14), in his first epistle speaks about the light, love and life of God demonstrated in Christ Jesus. He wrote this letter to the new believers (those who had not seen Jesus) to encourage them to grow in love for God and for one another. These new Christians were gradually conforming to the world’s standards, failing to stand up for Christ, and compromising their faith. Although you and I have not seen the Jesus of Nazareth in the flesh, we have had the blessed experience of His salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts since the time we were born spiritually.

Therefore, as we journey towards our glorious Promised Land, let us keep striving to live a life that is holy and blameless in God’s sight. “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience” (Heb.4:11; cf. 2Pet.3:14).

Quoting Rev. Kuruvilla Chandy: “While being born again is a one-time experience, looking away from our sins and looking to Jesus has to keep on happening for the rest of our lives.”