Christian: #4 of 4

#4 of 4: If I went astray, is there a way back?

I Have Enough Reasons to worry that Jesus may say to me,

"I never knew you! Away from me!"

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

While Christ Jesus' heart is broken by Christ-less Christians, He is always merciful and gracious. Like the father of the prodigal son who returned to him, any time when we repent and turn to Him, He always welcomes us with open arms. What on earth are we waiting for?

Face WHAT HAPPENED:
Some common "diagnosis" for Christ-less Christians:
- fall into a Christ follower's dilemma, like the rich young ruler, Christ is not the choice
- Have known but unreconciled sins standing between you and the Father
- Never had a personal, divine encounter with Christ
- Never had the supernatural spiritual birth therefore the Spirit is absent
- Distracted by other priorities in life and push Christ out of His first place He deserves (the Bible calls these other priorities "idols")
- Ignorance of the Truth and fallen into the lies of Satan (e.g. "there is no hope", "I am not worthy" etc..)
- A heart filled with unbelief and doubts
- Self centerness and pride - thus self is the center, not Christ
- Others?

RESET by REPENTing!
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO STAY THAT WAY!

(1) REPENT from thoughts and deeds done in darkness
(2) SUBMIT to Christ Lordship afresh
(3) RELY on the Holy Spirit to walk in the light

Steps to Reset

                                    

Christ is always seeking us to return to Him.

How can a bad tree become a good tree?

1 John 3:9, 10a: "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are."

Christian: #3 of 4

#3 of 4: Am I a "Christ-less" Christian?

Corn soup without corn is just starch water with corn-like flavor.
How would you describe a Christian without Christ?

Jesus addressed all misconceptions of what it means to be a Christian heads-on, with no uncertain term. Jesus Himself said: Not everyone who calls Him, Lord, Lord, are truly His. Only those who DOES THE WILLOF THE FATHER.

To all others who think they are Christ's, but to Christ, their lives are not about Him, Christ will say to them, "I never knew you! Away from me, you evil doers!" [Matthew 7:21-23] Tree not bearing good fruit are cut down and thrown into fire [Matthew 7:19].

It is scary but yet not hard to understand.
A Christian's life, by definition, is a life about Christ. 

Consider this
Dating or marriage relationship is an exclusive relationship to forsake all others.
SO:
   * if my life is not at all about [my partner], but it's all about me;
   * if [my partner] is not a part of my life; and even if [my partner] is,
      [my partner] is only a small part but definitely not the focus;
   * if I don't really bother to find out or care about
      what [my partner] loves and hates;
   * Even if I know, I do not love what [my partner] loves,
        and hate what [my partner] hates;
   * if I never put [my partner] first above all other relationships,
        and above everything else in my life;
   * if I hardly ever talk to [my partner] as a person, if at all,
        but treat [my partner] as "a concept" (e.g. of a wife or husband)
        or "a belief" (e.g. in the marriage institution);
   * if I have no hunger to seek [my partner] out
        and let [my partner] speak deeply to my soul,
        but only go by second or third hand sources of
        rationalized, generalized "principles" that have no depth
        in the understanding of [my partner]'s heart and inner being;
   * Even if I heard what [my partner] has to say
         but I seldom act upon it right away out of love;
   * if I go on with my life, with everyday problems; decisions;
         dreams and aspirations; worries and fears, big or small,
         but never consult [my partner],
    * if I seldom talk about [my partner],
         or talk in high regard with my family and friends
         as someone important in my life,    
    * if I do not fight and defend for [my partner]'s honor
         when [my partner]'s name is
         abused & under attack, but instead feeling embarrassed
         because of [my partner]

What do you expect your boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband say to you in your face when you call him/her "My love, my love?"

So now, coming back to our own relationship with Christ,
Let's replace "my partner" with "Christ":

* if my life is not at all about [Christ], but it's all about me;
   * if [Christ] is not a part of my life; and even if [Christ] is,
      [Christ] is only a small part but definitely not the focus;
   * if I don't really bother to find out or care about
      what [Christ] loves and hates;
   * Even if I know, I do not love what [Christ] loves,
        and hate what [Christ] hates;
   * if I never put [Christ] first above all other relationships,
        and above everything else in my life;
   * if I hardly ever talk to [Christ] as a Person, if at all,
        but treat [Christ] as "a concept" (e.g. of God as a deity)
        or "a belief" (in Christianity as a religion);
   * if I have no hunger to seek [Christ] out
        and let [Christ] speak deeply to my soul,
        but only go by second or third hand sources of
        rationalized, generalized "principles" that have no depth
        in understanding of [Christ]'s heart and inner being ;
   * Even if I heard what [Christ] has to say
         but I seldom act upon it right away out of love;
   * if I go on with my life, with everyday problems; decisions;
         dreams and aspirations; worries and fears, big or small,
         but never consult [Christ], [let alone treat Christ as Lord,
         as someone who declared to be a Christian should];
    * if I seldom talk about [Christ],
         or talk in high regard with my family and friends
         as someone important in my life,    
    * if I do not fight and defend for [Christ]'s honor
         when [Christ]'s name is
         abused & under attack, but instead feeling embarrassed
         because of [Christ]

Then such a life is NOT at all about Christ!

What will Christ say to me when I meet Him face to face and call Him "Lord, Lord?"

Even if I won all human arguments and have successfully defended my title of a "Christian", it will not change the mind of Christ who will say to me, "I never knew you! Away from me, you evil doer!"

What else can I expect?

Litmus Tests for Christians: Do I have a life for Christ by the Spirit?
#1: A "Purpose" Test
      Is He the primary purpose of what I am living for?
      Is He the primary motivation of my aspirations?
      Is He the primary reasons why I do certain things
         and not do certain things?  
#2: A "Connection" Test
      Am I emotionally connected to Christ through the Spirit?
      Do I intentionally protect my quality time with Him?
      Do I seek to find out what He likes and hates
        by studying His Word seriously,
        and not by my own impression of Him?
      Do I do what please Him?
      Do I hear Him speak to me through the Spirit?
#3: An "Obedience" Test
      Is getting His approval my paramount concern?
      Do I submit to do Christ's command even to the extent of
         going against my own will and regardless of the cost?
      Do I ask Him to empower me to overcome my unwillingness to obey
         by the Spirit in order to glorify God?             
      How is my use of time, money and resources reflect Christ's Lordship?
#4: An "Experience" Test
      Have I experienced Christ in a personal, intimate way over the years?
      Do I have a collection of answered prayers by His will such that my joy
         be complete knowing that I am His disciple (John 15:7,8)?
      Do I have a collection of evident divine involvements in my life?
      Do I have a collection of what He said to me over the years?
      Do I have a history of hearing from the Holy Spirit regularly?
      Do I have a collection of memory and actual personal experience
          (NOT just knowledge in the mind) of how He loves me and
          how He involves in my life?
#5: A "Fruit" Test
      In what way is my life: its purpose; its highlights; its impact; its
      significance; its legacy; all about Christ as Lord?
      [Luke 6:43: Good tree bears good fruit]
#6: An "Identity" Test
      Is my identity in Christ alone as my Father's child enough to carry me
        in all life circumstances?

Christ Follower's dilemma
Practically, we can only follow ONE TARGET at a time. When Christ is not really our focus to follow, but we still really want to be a Christian, we create a  dilemma for ourselves. What a depraved mindset! IF we have committed hearts to follow Christ, the only concern is how to follow closer.

                                                   

When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he must do to get eternal life, Jesus asked him to follow Him by first selling everything to give to the poor. The rich young ruler responded by keeping his great wealth, though they were rightfully his. Between Jesus and his wealth, he put his wealth higher than Jesus and therefore not qualified himself to follow Christ as a Christian [Luke 18:18-23].

So watch out for this kind of rich young ruler syndrome of the Christian's dilemma in our lives!
But they are everywhere:
- Do I put Christ first by ending relationships that I know Christ disapproves?
   Or do I love these relationships over my love for Christ?
- Do I put Christ first by at least making tithing a financial priority before any spending?
- Do I put Christ first by sharing Christ in my life with my family and friends even when I feel uncomfortable? Or do I feel embarrassed of Christ?

The ORIGIN of the term "Christian" is from Acts 11:26, first used by the citizens of Antioch as a nickname to call the disciples of Jesus Christ who witness and follow His teachings, so:

A Christ-less Christian is the most tragic oxymoron.

Christian: #2 of 4

#2 of 4: Costly Misconceptions about "Christians"

Misconception #1:
Christians are people who share common Christian ideals
While it is true that all Christians do share a set of common beliefs, it is wrong to define Christians as people who shares the same Christian ideals. What is so wrong about it?

Well, first of all, such definition misses the most important essence of what makes a Christian, namely the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the restored Father and child relationship between the Maker of the universe and man. Such definition is lifeless and loveless. It fails to reconcile the very fact that even the demons believe what we believe and shudder (James 2:19). So just sharing the same belief, same theology is insufficient to make one a Christian. We cannot reduce God into a set of concepts. God is the Father to be close with via Christ by His Spirit. True Christians will not only know about Him intellectually from the mind without intimately loving Him from the heart.

We can know all about God but not know God at all!

      Neil T. Anderson, "Extreme Church Makeover"

Misconception #2: 
Being Born again is sufficient, Christ's Lordship is only for the die-hard   
Others misuse this term "Christian" to only describe the birth of a Christian as a redeemed (a.k.a. born again) sinner, but omits the life long journey of finishing well by living by the Spirit for Christ. Such omission brings deadly consequence.

Birth alone only creates a new spiritual nature in a sinner's soul that has the potential for a Christ-centered life. This spiritual birth is only a seed (Matthew 13; Mark 4: Luke 8, 1 Peter 1:23). As time goes by, the seed grows up to be a good tree that bears GOOD fruit (Luke 6:43-49). That's how we know the seed is good: by its fruit.

In the same token, just having the spiritual nature that has the potential to do good is not enough. Over time, IF indeed the Spirit of God lives inside (Romans 8:9), it blossoms into a Christ-centered life actually lived, with perseverance of faith, hope and love in Christ, that's how we know that we are truly His disciples.

Yielding to the lordship of Christ is a necessary heart condition for a sinner's spiritual re-birth by the Spirit. But it is also a necessary heart condition to journey on to glorify Him until it's finished. If we think and live as if Christ's lordship is optional for Christians, it will for sure lead to spiritual disaster, including spiritual death, down the road.

Misconception #3: 
Living by the Spirit is too mythical for practical everyday living 
If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
For those who are led by the Spirit are children of God. [Romans 8:9, 14]
Therefore, living by the Spirit is the essential lifestyle of a Christian's everyday living. Learning and getting used to hearing and interacting with the Holy Spirit is very critical to a Christian's life and to put the spiritual nature to work. The "Do it yourself" Christian life style will never lead to anything fruitful.

Apostle Paul said, "brothers and sisters" [addressing to all redeemed sinners], "we have an obligation:
   - IF you live by the flesh, you will die,
   - IF you live by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,
     you will live."  [Romans 8:12, 13]

Christian #1 of 4

#1 of 4: What is a "Christian"?

A sinner redeemed as a Saint to live for Christ

Every time when I hear people use the term "Christian" to describe people who practise the religion of Christianity, my spirit crunches with an intense sense of wrong. It is like saying president of a country is another job category; or a trip to the moon with a seat booked on a space shuttle is another vacation. What words can sufficiently describe "Christians", who are individuals that God, the divine and the infinite, chooses to live within, out of His tremendous love and grace? How can anyone not be in awe of being in such a state of divine mystery?  Had Christians not taken this for granted, Christian life should be the most exciting that naturally attract others to God.

"Christian" is a term of a relationship of love,

 (initiated by God the Father; 

manifested in Christ the Son; 

enlightened by the Spirit)

 responded by those who receive Christ as Lord,

through the yielding our lives to follow Him as His disciples. 

"Christian" = a follower of Christ Jesus as His disciple 

                                                 

Christian Life takes a REBIRTH (by the Spirit) to Start;

and moment by moment RENEWAL (by the Spirit) to Continue into Eternity.

#1: REBIRTH by the Spirit:

A supernatural transformation of nature

Since the fall of the human race (Genesis 3), each human is born with a sinful nature that is intrinsically incapable of doing good that can meet the requirements of God. Our sinful nature is so much a part of us that blinds us from realizing that we are sinners! Then, by the grace of God, a divine initiation takes place in one's life. Such divine encounter may be a very long process or it may be instantly, but by and large, when a sinner is transformed to become a Christian, it has the following three essential pivotal points:  

[i] There comes the moment of epiphany of the in-the-face reality and agreement of one's sinfulness. Without identifying with my own shockingly dark side, and agreement from my heart with how much I deserved to be charged as guilty, there is no hunger for a new life. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who needs a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the 'righteous', but sinners." Mark 2:17

[ii] There is a personal encounter with Christ, with one's belief and faith, that His birth; His death on the cross and His resurrection can settle one's sins once and for all. There is a deep appreciation of the ultimate supremacy of Christ over ALL things (Colossians 1:15-23) ; and His act, so outrageously contrasting to His supreme status, of lowering Himself as human; and His ultimate humility of choosing to die the most humiliating death, then resurrected from it. All of these was done for my sake, out of His deep love for me, so that I now, through Christ, can have a way out from what I deserved, and be reconciled to God as the Father, and be restored as His beloved child.

[iii] There is a deliberate invitation for Christ to come to one's heart, yielding one's life completely over to the lordship and control of Christ, out of the person's response to the sacrificial love of Christ. It is only with the agreement of the depth of my own sinfulness; and the extreme love of Christ for me, that I willingly to live on with Christ as the sole reason and purpose of my life.

Then, the extreme supernatural make over of the nature happens. The sinful nature of man is transformed into a spiritual nature. The gift of the permanent indwelling of  God the Spirit is given. A spiritual birth has taken place! God the divine lives in the heart of man as His temple! How can this not be a real big deal!! 

Each time it happens to an individual, heaven and earth rejoice! 

                                             

                             

The evident presence of the Holy Spirit is the trademark of all Christians, 

certifying their authenticity and telling the counterfeits apart.   

#2: RENEWAL by the Spirit:

Living by the Spirit in order to obey Christ's commands

The spiritual re-birth is just a seed and a new beginning. Such new life must journey on to finish well to bear good fruit that lasts for Christ. Such a life is characterized by Christ the Lord as the center purpose and focus. Choices, mindsets, thinking and decisions reflect a sincere motivation to seek obedience to Christ's commands. This is not to say that it is to the point of perfection, but it is for sure a conscious direction and sincere motivation. It is not for the fear of losing the benefit of eternal life, but instead,  it is compelled by a deep sense of Christ's love (2 Corinthians 5:14).

BUT we can't do it by ourselves with our flesh, even in this new spiritual nature! It is completely futile, and will only produce frustration and defeat, when we live our Christian life solely relying on our own understanding; common sense; determination; method and effort.

The more we come to the realization of the futility of the flesh, 
the more we yield to the Spirit for transformation,
the more fruit we bear, the more affirmation that we are His disciples. 

The only way to live a life that is approved by God is by willfully yielding to the Spirit that is now in his new nature. By the strength enabled through the Spirit, life is transformed, moment by moment, as supernaturally as the spiritual birth.


Learning to talk to and hear from the Holy Spirit moment by moment is as  critical to every Christian's spiritual life as learning to breath in air in our physical life. 

Why so? Because the will of the Father is ONLY known by the Spirit. Anyone who seeks to know and do God's will must go through the Spirit! To His children who seek with a pure and trusting heart, the Father reveals His will through the Spirit by providing wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9). The Spirit also provides comfort; guidance and strength to enable His children to do the will of the Father in all situations of this spiritual marathon! 

A Christian who lives INDEPENDENT OF the Holy Spirit is like

Driving a car without engaging the engine:

IT WON'T GO ANYWHERE!

The identity of a Christian is in Christ and Christ ALONE!. When we live with this identity:

• We are set free from being self-absorb. Life situations, good or bad, are just different context in which Christ glorifies Himself through us. 
• We are set free from people's rejections and approvals as we only need to please God, we are free to be who we are in Christ and we no longer need to live in the bondage of people-pleasing!
• We are set free from fear and insecurity as we claim Christ's promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. 
• We have Christ's authority over the evil one and therefore can live a life of victory over the evil one. 

Our identity in Christ gives us the privilege to be:

• A Royal Priest (1 Peter 2:9)
• A beloved child of our Heavenly Father (John 1:12, Romans 8:16) 
• An Heir of God (Romans 8:17) 

                                                           

Do I live out a lifestyle worthy of my status as a heavenly Royalty?
Or
Do I live in a pit with dirt & filth, not realizing that I'm actually a heavenly Royalty?

Christian Jargon

The word "jargon", according to http://www.dictionary.reference.com/, means the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession or group of people.

No doubt that there are lots of jargon widely used among the Christian circle that are not understood by the non-Christians: tithing; communion; fellowship, just to name a few. It is also sad but true that even among Christians, there is an unhealthy, widespread incorrect, compromised use of these Christian jargon.

I assert that all Christian jargon that matters to the core of the faith of Christianity originates from the Book of Life, the Bible. Therefore, these Christian jargon are originally vocabularies of life, used to describe a certain aspects of our own spiritual state; of a God of love; of relationships among people and between God and man.

Language matters because it communicates what we believe which will be lived out as reality. Therefore, it is of  great importance that the biblical authentic meaning of these Christian jargon be recovered so that we stop living out a compromised version of our Christian life. We need to stop using these Christian jargon from a third person perspective, with an emotionally detached intellectual mindset.

This blog is created to resurrect the life behind each Christian jargon and to trace the origin from the Book of Life. Please join me in this bold and daring endeavour!