E109 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Foundations for Living the Christian Faith - Part 2

Hope’s Harbor

Gritty Bible Devotions

Episode #109

Title: Foundations for Living the Christian Faith – Part 2 of 2

Date: June 5, 2023

Contact: info@hopesharbor.net

Key verse(s): Matthew 22:37 – ‘Jesus said to him, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.”'

Intro: Is there a single foundation, or practice, for living the Christian life, that if taken away there is no Christian life? When I looked for an answer to this by going to several trusted sources online, I found a bewildering array of teachings on this subject. In episode 108 the foundation for having a Christian life was straightforward: to believe and trust in Jesus’s death on the cross as the only way to find forgiveness and thereby receive a new spiritual life, for all eternity. And there is certainly more to receiving GOD’s forgiveness for sin, but faith in Jesus’s death is the only way to find eternal life. That life is but the beginning.

But now, as far as living out the reality of a new life, I’ll go to the Bible for the answer.

Devotion focus: A foundation for living the Christian life is through obeying the commands of Jesus –

After becoming a Christian and learning about this life of faith, I heard it often taught there were non-negotiable truths about Christianity and that if any one of these were removed, there was no Christian faith.

This meant a person not living by each one of several beliefs was doomed to hell. I didn’t question this at the time. But now when I studied to write the show notes for episode 108 I discovered something surprising. There is only one foundational belief to becoming a Christian, and then several principles to live by as a Christian.

It may be argued that someone who doesn’t live by these principles of Christianity is not a Christian. Jesus did warn us that we will know a tree by its fruit. He meant either the evidence will point to a person being a Christian or it will reveal the person is false.

But we must use wisdom here. There were times I lived like anything other than a Christian after I prayed in faith, asking forgiveness for my sins. The evidence of me being a Christian was not apparent but was something I believed and could have explained if asked, how and why I was a Christian.

The reality is this: whether a person is a Christian or not is between them and GOD. But I can give a warning here: When a person transacts with GOD concerning the destiny of their eternal soul and that transaction is valid, GOD writes that person’s name in the Book of Life. At the end time when Jesus conducts judgment at the Great White Throne, He will read from that book and anyone not found written there is sent to hell. *The verses describing this are listed in the appendix of show notes at HopesHarbor.net

I give this distressing account to reveal how important it is that we live in obedience to GOD’s commands. Not to earn salvation. But to live in peace with GOD in love and joy. And again, I feel it necessary to explain, not all life for the Christian is easy and trouble or sorrow free. Those who teach it are sadly mistaken. Jesus tells us as much in John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 

However, back to the focus of this episode – living the principles of the Christian life.

There are blessedly only 7 basic commands of Jesus, even though there are countless ways to live them out. If we obey these to the best of our abilities we live the Christian life in a way that pleases GOD. (If you’re interested in studying these, I present them in greater detail in my book, A Bridge for Troubled Souls, available at hopesharbor.net)

And let me add something here – faith in GOD, trusting GOD, is essential. And this seems too weak of a word, for without faith it is impossible to please GOD. This truth is found in Hebrews 11:6 – ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’

 The 7 commands of Jesus are:

1.   Repent and be saved – This one-time event was examined in episode 108

2.   Be baptized – another one-time event symbolizing the spiritual reality of our death, burial, and resurrection with the Lord

3.   Take communion – this is something we do to commemorate Jesus’s sacrificing His life for our eternal safety, called salvation, being saved, etc.

4.   Love GOD and others

5.   Pray

6.   Give

7.   Teach (make disciples)

Are there other important aspects of living the Christian life? Of course, there are. But each aspect may be traced back to one of these 7. For example, to love GOD means we worship Him. An important way to worship is to attend a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church. Even then we may worship GOD in other ways too numerous to count.

Summary: Living the Christian life requires our obedience to His commands. GOD is a loving Father and just as with any good parent, a wayward, disobedient child, is dealt with according to whatever corrective action is required to teach that child to do what is right.

On the positive side, living the Christian life in close communion with Jesus throughout each day is a joyous delight. It took me a long time to reach this level of friendship with GOD because of toxic influences in my childhood that skewed my understanding of GOD. I got caught up in trying to earn GOD’s favor and if you’ve ever been on that merry-go-round, you know the maddening effects it causes.    

Action to consider: Study the 7 commands of Jesus and see where you are at with each one. Be patient if you’re not where you want to be. It’s a process of learning about and experiencing GOD, His Son, and His Spirit, in day-to-day living. But the rewards are more than worth it. Not only here, but also for eternity.

Next week’s devotion: Abiding in Jesus according to John 15:1-5

Appendix:

* From page 2:

Revelation 20:11 – ‘And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 

Revelation 20:12 – ‘And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

Revelation 20:13 – ‘And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

Revelation 20:14 – ‘And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

Revelation 20:15 – ‘And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.’ 

Matthew 25:33 – “And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.” 

Matthew 25:41 – “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…”