A Theology of Christian Living – Part 1

A Theology of Christian Living Part 1

Father, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for your mercy. We thank you Lord for this time that you've given us to join in such a way and to learn about your word. We ask that you teach us your word through this session. I pray that you teach us about Christian living and why it is important so that we may live. And that life that you require of us through your word, through your scripture, so that you may receive honor and glory.

We ask for your forgiveness, O Lord, if we are not living that life. We ask for your guidance, O Lord, Holy Spirit God, that resides in us. Help us. Help us. We need your help. We need your help to live the right life that God requires of us.

I ask that you guide us, teach us your word, illuminate your word. Father, hold our hand. And guide us in every step of this life. May you be with us. May you be with this service. May you be praised. In Jesus name I pray. Amen and Amen.

The theology of Christian living is a very important topic. It is important because God wants us to live that life. Once we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, once we are saved, once we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the next important thing is to learn how to live, how to live our lives in a way, that is, in accordance with the scripture, in accordance with the Word of God, and a life that will bring honor and glory to God.

If our Christian lives are not bringing honor and glory to God, then we really are not living our lives as per His requirement. God demands us to live a life that is filled with holiness. God requires us to obey His Word. God requires us to search His Scripture so that we may learn what God is, who God is, and what He asks us to do, so that we may live that life and bring praise and honor and glory to Him.

So this topic had to do with Christian living. Why does Christian living matter? What is theology of Christian living and why does it matter? So, this also talks about how we ought to live our lives for God. This is very important as Christians. As Christians, again, the most important thing is how we are living our lives for the glory of God.

If we are not living our lives for the glory of God, then we are missing the main point of Christianity altogether. And God doesn't want us to miss that point. So the point and the purpose of this topic is to help, not just you, but all of us, to live a life that will bring honor and glory to God. The theology of Christian living must do primarily with how we are to live our lives that will please God.

And also the Bible clarifies about the Christian living. The Bible clarifies that we were once slaves to sin. Before we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were nothing but slaves to sin. We were worshiping sin. We were living in sin. We were surrounded by sin. There is nothing but sin around us and in us.

That is our past life before we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. But Jesus Christ redeemed us through his sacrificial death on the cross. We came. To be Christians, not because somebody told us to do so, not because somebody pressured us to believe in Jesus Christ. We came to become, or we became, or we become Christians.

Because of what Christ has done for our sake. When we understand what the Lord Jesus Christ did for our sake on the cross of Calvary, then we would obey Him, we would believe in Him, we would receive in Him. So, obviously, when we come to the knowledge of Christ, we came to the knowledge of Christ based on what Christ Himself has done on the cross for you and for me.

What Christ did on the cross is not a small thing. I ask you to take time. And to meditate on the passion of Christ. I ask you, I beg you to take time and to meditate what Christ has done. Forget everything in your lives. Every single thing that is happening now. Every single thing that is going on now.

And meditate on what the Lord Jesus Christ did on that cross. And why He had to do that. What is the reason, what is the purpose for Him to come down to this earth? Creator God. A holy God, a living God, what is the point for Him to come down, to leave His glorious state, and take a state, a form of a servant, come to this earth, go through that pain and agony for you and for me, what is the point?

If He doesn't love us at all, if God doesn't love us, what is the point of His ascending His Son? There is no point at all. Think what Christ has done on the cross. Think what that means to you. If Christ's work on the cross means something to us, then we will certainly do whatever it takes to change our lifestyle so that it will align with the Word of God.

It will align with the requirements of God. It will align with the moral standards that God has taught through His scripture. So I beg you, sometime this week, whenever you have time, or make time, whenever you have time is also not a right advice, make time for God. We have to make time, not, not look for time.

We have to make time for God. Make time for God and think about what He has done on the cross, what He has done on the cross, so that whatever I'm about to say, by the grace of God, by the help of God, will make sense. Not only that, so that we would learn really how we ought to live, when we understand the work of God on the cross of Calvary.

We will certainly try our best to change our lives, to be in alignment with Christ's life and character. So the Bible clarifies that we were once slaves to sin, but Jesus Christ, [00:06:00] glory to His name, but Jesus Christ redeemed us. through his sacrificial death on the cross. He doesn't have to, but he did. Why?

Because of the love of God, because of the grace of God. So, however, upon our salvation, our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved and are encouraged by the scripture that we should no longer serve sins. We were once slaves to sin. But scripture demands us, commands us, yes, God demands us. There's nothing wrong in God demanding.

So sometimes we may not take it rightly. Why would God demand me to do something? Well, God has every right to demand for us to do whatever He wants us to do. So, yes, Scripture demands us to live a righteous life. Scripture tells us that we were once slaves to sin. It makes it very clear, right? So we are saved and encouraged by the Scripture that we should no longer serve sinners, live as slaves to sin.

We are to live our new lives. And this is where the problem comes for Christianity. And in general, I'm just generalizing and paraphrasing all this. I'm not Pinpointing certain people, certain persons, but in general, a lot of Christianity is struggling. And within that lot of Christianity, most of them are living their lives on purpose.

They're married to the world. They cannot give up on the world. They cannot leave the world. Oh Lord, I want some of you, but I also want 80 percent of the world. I want to live with the world because I love the world, but I still, I still want you, maybe 20 percent of you. So please don't leave me. Stay with me.

Stay with me. I cannot, I'm not able to give up on this world. No, you're able to give up on the world. God made you like that. You can give up. You can resist the devil and the devil will flee. God made you in such a way that you're able to resist the devil. Don't complain to God and say, I'm not able to do this.

No, you are able to do this. The only reason why you're not doing it because you don't want to do it. Ask the Holy Spirit, God, that is in you to help if it is too difficult to leave the world. But this is the struggling that's going on within Christianity. Just like, you know, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

We just stop at that first, for I love the world. I am not able to give up the world for the sake of Jesus Christ, yet I want him to be in my life. We need to give up on this worldly stuff. We need to give up on this evil stuff. We need to give up on this sinful stuff that we are surrounded. We, we are having difficulty to leave that world.

We're having difficulty to leave that sin. Why is that difficulty? Because we're really not understanding what Christ has done on the cross on our behalf and why he did it. Why are we having difficulty to leave the world? Because we're just not willing. [00:09:00] Why is that people reject Jesus Christ? Not because He doesn't exist, and that's a willful rejection.

That is the whole point of Romans 1, where Paul makes that point. We ought to leave our old lifestyle and live our new lifestyle, but with, while we still, you know, have this desire of living with the world, where we still, you know, in our sense we're struggling to give up on the world, where we still want God.

We still talk. Godly talks, discuss godly things, where we're still married to the world. That is called double standard. God doesn't like that. God wants us to give up every single worldly thing. Our slavery, remove ourselves from the sin and give ourselves to God.

There are so called Christians these days who are living double standard. They want the world, they want Christ. When they come to Christ, they bow their head and worship. When they go out of the church service, or any other service, they become worldly people. Why? Because they're unable, they're not able, they're not willing, excuse me.

Why? Why? Because they're not willing to give up the worldly life. But God demands us to leave that old lifestyle and put on this new lifestyle, so we are no longer to live our old lives, but we are to live our new lifestyle, and that's what Scripture demands us. Romans 6, 6, knowing this, that the old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed.

The old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin, but we We do live such a compromised life. We are no longer to serve sin, but we still compromise and live with sin. And we still want God. This is, this is double standard life. This is double, this is, this is not a Christian life. We are to get rid of that old lifestyle and put on the new lifestyle. Read the scripture.

Read the scripture. See what God is saying. Understand the love of God for you, what He has done for you. And understand what He is asking you to do, to leave that old lifestyle and put on that new lifestyle. Why? Because we are something in God's eyes and we will learn about that in just a little bit.

God's word demands us, commands us to live. A righteous life to leave out that old lifestyle. We also learn in Ephesians 4. 22 that he put off concerning the farmer. Again, scripture is making it very clear that he put off concerning the farmer conversation. The old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust.

Our old lifestyle is not good. I mean, there is no word to describe it really. Our old lifestyle is so corrupt, there is no word to describe. We need to leave that old lifestyle. Colossians 3, 9. Lie not to one another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, including the works of the old lifestyle.

We were once slave to sin, but once we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will, we will no longer be, we should no longer be slaves to sin. We should leave that old lifestyle and cling on to this new lifestyle that God has. Given us upon our salvation. 2 Corinthians 5, 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, if you and I are believers, we are, and we should be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Old things are passed away. Behold, all things become new. If all things are not becoming new, if we are still living in sin, if people are so called Christians are still living in sin, guess what? There is some problem with their relationship with Jesus Christ, and that needs to be fixed. Fixed how? Go to Lord in prayer and ask God to fix the type of life. Only God can, but we Christians are supposed to become new. We're supposed to remove the old lifestyle. It's almost like removing the dirty clothes off of us. Remove their dirty clothes and throw them away and put on the new clothes. That is the imagery that Bible uses to describe the old life and the new life.

So what are we learning here? This theology of Christian living. What is this theology of Christian living? Why does it matter? What does it matter? Let us learn first about the first part of it. So what is the theology of Christian living? The theology of Christian living is a doctrine that teaches how Christians should live during the time the Lord has given us in this world.

It is a doctrine of how we ought to live our lives. Very important, because that matters to God. Maybe it may not matter to other people, but it matters to God how we live our lives. Because God cares about our lives, and you and I, if you and I are believers, which we are, I believe, if you are Christian, if I'm Christian, which I am, and which I hope you are, then you and I are to give response to God.

We will answer God someday. There's no doubt about that. There's no question about that. We will answer God when He answers, because what do you do in the lifetime that I've given you? Are we ready to answer God? Are we ready to give a report to God? Now, you might think, if there are millions of Christians, is really God going to take all that time and question everybody else?

Oh, yes, He's got all the time. But we must be ready to answer God, because Christian living matters to God. So, a life living worthy of our calling by God is difficult. In other words, Christian living is difficult because you must meet God's standards. That is why, you know, it's easier to compromise, like I was saying earlier, it is easier to compromise with the worldly.

things than biblical standards. It is easy to compromise our lives and go back to the world then to really learn what we are to do based on the scripture and live our lives according to God because God has set some standards and we must meet the standards and those standards are God's standards. We must We must live like Christ.

We must put on Christ and walk in Christ. This is a whole new, different life. So when we, when we put on the old life, and we were called to put on the new life, when we were put, when we were called to put off the old life, and we were called to put on Christ, this is a completely different life. And we must accept that.

We must do what God asks us to do. We must clothe Christ. We must live according to God's moral standards. Yes, they're going to be difficult. Because all through our lives, we're used to live for the sinful world. We're slaves to sin. Now, all of a sudden, we are to live holy lives. Complete, uh, com That's the opposite of sinful life.

Holy life is the opposite of sinful lives. So, it's going to be difficult, but through and with God's help, we will be able to do that. We cannot do it on our own. But through God's help, yes, absolutely, we can do that. So, we must put on Christ and live that new life. We must forget about everything sinful that we have loved so far and learn to love what is holy, pure, and acceptable in the eyes of the Lord.

We must begin a new life. All these points is to live a life that is blameless and sinless, and that is what God wants us to live, and that is what this Christian living is about, to be blameless and sinless, and understand that we live in a world constantly bombarding believers with worldly things and desire of the flesh, so to live a life of that high Standard because God's standards are so high is only possible with the help of God.

We must ask God for help and without his help, it's going to be almost impossible to live that life. It's going to be impossible to overcome the worldly temptations because everywhere we look, there is temptation. Everywhere we look, there is sin. We are surrounded by sin. We are plagued by sin. This whole world is plagued by sin.

But we can live this life, that is Christian life, in this contaminated world by the help of God, by the help of God. So we must ask and seek God's help. So no matter where we look, obviously, we look, we see corruption, sin, pressure to sin, the pressure that stresses us to do what is right in the eyes of the world, but we must not give in.

We must resist that and do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. On the other side, so, on the other side, if you and I strive to live our lives [00:18:00] as we ought to, then we would be ridiculed by the world, right? For example, you and I are trying to live a Christian life, obviously, people are going to mock.

They're going to belittle, they're going to discriminate, they're going to humiliate and do much more injustice because we are trying to live our lives. As scripture demands us, that God, as God demands us to live. But we should not care about those, because our goal is to live righteous life for the sake of God.

Our goal is to put on Christ and live for Christ. Our goal is to glorify Christ. Our goal is to bring honor and praise to God. Even though the world might mock us for living for the sake of Christ. There's going to be somebody in that world who's going to see how we live and that might lead to bring glory and honor to God and that might lead that person to the Lord.

We never know. God uses us to reach other people. God uses his people to reach other people. God use us to be an example. to other people in the world. So despite all this, we must still strive to live a life that will bring honor and glory to God. We must live a life that God demands us to live. And how is God going to demand us to live?

He's not sending us any visions and dreams. He's given his word in the scripture. We have to read his scripture, learn about him, and live what God wants us to live, or how God wants us to live. I ask you, this very day, to commit to the Lord. If you're living a Christian life that brings honor and glory to God, praise the Lord.

I thank you for who you are. I thank you for living that life and setting an example for others. I thank God for you. But if you're struggling to live Christian life, I beg you to commit your life to the Lord today. Pray daily and ask God to help you walk in Christ, because we need God's help. And we all have to live.

Once we claim to be Christians, once we Know that we are saved. We have a relationship with Jesus Christ. We must all live our lives according to the Word of God. And that is not an easy thing. We need God to come and aid us. We need God to come and help us. So pray and ask God to help you live that life.

Don't compromise with the world. Don't give in to the pressures of the world. Yes, the devil is powerful. The sinful world is also powerful. The devil wants us to live as far as possible from God. He wants to drag us away from God. But don't give in. There's going to be pressure. There's going to be stress.

There's going to be times where you would even question God. Where are you God when I need you? I'm living for you. I'm doing everything in my, in my, you know, everything that is possible through me. I'm living that life, but I don't see any response from you. Where are you? I mean, we're going to run into all kinds of stress and issues, but know that God is with you always.

Just because God doesn't answer your prayer doesn't mean he disappears. We must learn to patiently wait upon the Lord. That is the right thing to do. Just because God doesn't answer your prayer doesn't mean you give up on God and go back to the world. That is not a right Christian living. Put on Christ.

Look to Christ. Learn from the life of Christ. And try to live the life that will bring honor and glory to God. And when we do that, when we try to live, when we seek God's help, and when we try to live the Christian life, this is where the setting apart comes in. As we learn more about this Christian living, we're going to learn some important things.

That is, God has already sanctified us. And we are now in the process also of sanctification, and we will also be sanctified in the future. We can never go to God without being holy. There is, there is no room for unholy people. And we will learn about that in, in the future, about the past sanctification, present sanctification, future sanctification.

But this is where, when we start living our Christian life, this is where the setting apart comes in. This is where the doctrine of Christian living comes in. So, why does it matter? Why does Christian living matter? Living a sanctified life matters to God, because God created us to live. Even after sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, God's goal and desire is to restore humanity to its original state, a sinless, pure, and holy state.

So it matters to God. God saved you. It matters to God. God saved you, therefore your life matters to God. That's, that's our main important thing to understand. It matters to God. God is planning and trying to restore the world back to its original state. To its pure state, to its Edenic state. So what does it matter?

God is restoring us to himself through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. So it matters to God. What is Christian living matter? God wants us to become what we are created to be. This is to be holy. Adam and Eve were once holy, but after sin entered, they lost that original state. And God's plan is to restore us back to that state.

But we must also do our part. As long as we live in this world, we must live the life that God demands us to live. We must live a life that will make us holy. Whether we like it or not, ultimately we, you know, that's what God desires us. To be holy, to live a holy life. So that's why it matters. We were to image God.

We were to represent Him. We were made in the likeness and image of God. We were to represent God. So this is why God created us. However, because of sin, we fall short of the glory of God. But that doesn't mean we remain in sin. We must thank Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, for what is done on the cross.

Because of His gracious act, sacrificial death on the cross, we are saved now, and we will be restored back to our original state. And because of what God has done through His Son on the cross, and because of God, what God requires us through the scripture, we must set ourselves apart from sin and turn towards God.

That is, we must sanctify ourselves. That's what this Christian living is all about. To sanctify ourselves. And how are we going to sanctify ourselves? By reading the word of God and learning what God has to say to us. By learning what God asks us to do. And by doing, not just learning. If we just read and leave the Bible aside and not do anything, then what is the point of it?

What we must do is to read the Word of God, and to learn the Word of God, and to live out the Word of God. That is when we are sanctifying ourselves. We're in the process of setting ourselves holy. Because through God's Word, we learn that we, we should no longer be Living according to the desires of this world.

Well, we should be living according to the desire of God and His word. Theology of Christian living is so important because God demands us to live that life. God wants us to live that life because number one, God is going to receive glory.

Number two, it is our responsibility to live out the calling of God. From the original Hellenic setting, we were to demonstrate the image of God in all facets. of our existence, which would bring glory to God. But we are marred by sin. But the sanctification process renews our original image in God.

Colossians 3:9-10 says, Lie not to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

We have a task to do what the Word of God has asked us to do, to sanctify our lives, to live a righteous life. All this boils down to obey the Word of God. According to 1st John 3. 2, the Apostle John puts the truth about sanctification this way. Beloved, now we are the sons of God and does not yet appear that we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

What is he saying? This does not mean that we will exact Christ in his deity. We're not going to be gods. It means that Christ's holiness will be expressed in our humanity, according to Roland McKeown. A true God likeness in human form. That's what we're going to take in future. We're going to be in future.

But we must live out our lives as long as we live here on this earth. Jesus Christ has sanctified himself, has set an example for us. John 17 and 19 says, And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth. And for the disciples sake, Christ set apart himself. What this means is that Christ set himself apart to serve God by being obedient to doing the will of God, accomplishing the atonement for sin, so that his followers, disciples, and us might set ourselves apart from sin to serve God through truth.

Setting apart from the sin is our task. So what is this truth here? The truth is God's word. The Holy Spirit, God, used the word of God to help us set apart from sin onto God. In the same chapter, Jesus says in 1717, Sanctify them through their truth. Thy word is truth. So the instrument here God would use to help set us apart from the sin is God's holy word.

It's God's holy word. So why does Christian living matter? We've been talking about this. Why does it matter? If it doesn't matter, why would even God care, seriously? It matters. That's why he gave his word. He gave his commandment so that we may obey and live and glorify God. So that we may obey and live and sanctify ourselves and set ourselves apart from the world.

So, sanctification is a fundamental doctrine for us to learn. That is why it matters. Why does it matter? Living up to God's standards is essential to God. That's why it matters. Our lives to God matters. How we live our lives to God matters. Living our set apart lives brings meaning to God's salvific work on the cross and to our relationship with Christ.

If we are not living our set apart lives, we should not claim that we have a relationship with God. That'd be a lie. When we make the claim that I am for Christ, I live for Christ, I'm a Christian, then we must show that we must live out that life. If not, that's going to be a big lie. And God obviously is not going to be delighting in lies.

He doesn't like lies. We must live true Christian life that will bring honor and glory to God. And yes, we live in this world that brings so much problems to our lives, but God is so bigger than these problems. Do not look at these worldly things and be afraid of these worldly things or the pressures of the world.

There is a living God in you who is mightier than this world. He will do all things, except sin, of course. But He will do the thing. He will help you. To live the righteous life. If you're committed to God and want to live that sanctified life, ask God to help you and God will help you to live. And as Christian, if you're a mature Christian, if you're a Christian already, know that we must all live That sanctified life, because it matters to God, and Christ himself, who is our Savior, our Lord, set an example for us to follow Him, to obey His words.

The scripture that we have in our hands is God's living word. In His word, He asks us to live a holy life, and that is our obligation. As Christians, we must live. Life. Will you make that commitment to the Lord today and ask God to help you to live out that life?

Let us pray. Father, we thank you for this time.

We thank you for this session on the theology of Christian living I pray Lord that you help us to live the life that you require of us Sometimes we, we pretend as if we are Christians. Sometimes we pretend as if we are doing the right thing. Sometimes we pretend as if you're not seeing our lives. And we justify ourselves.

Forgive our sins, O Father. You're God who is forgiving. And I beg, O Lord, that you help us all to cleanse ourselves. Our minds, and help us not to compromise with this world. Help us not to justify, come up with excuses, but to live out your standards that you have set through the Scripture. And Lord, use us to be an example, so that through us, that others might be led to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask that you receive honor and glory, in Jesus name I pray, Amen and Amen.