Saturday 16 January 2016

What's a Christian to do?

What’s a Christian to do?

The apostle Paul writing to Titus said,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” 
           Titus 3:1,2.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
                                                                                                           Romans 12:18.
The writer of Hebrews said,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
      Hebrews 12:14
The Apostle Peter states,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.’” 
                                                                                         1 Peter 2:9-12.
The words above are not mine they are those of the apostle Paul, Peter and the writer of Hebrews.
Think about it these words were written to a church that was living under the emperor Nero who persecuted the church harshly. Yet they all said the same thing.
Live at peace with the people around you. 
Be subject to the governing authorities. 
Live a holy life.
I love those admonitions. In these turbulent times of the early twenty-first century they are very relevant.
Many Christians here in North America sadly are not looked on as people showing these traits. They are seen as people who object to various laws the government passes. They are seen as people who wish to restrict the rights of anyone they disagree with.
They are seen as selfish people who want things their own way all the time.
This should not be so.
To Christians reading this I would ask that you look at your life and ask yourself if you are following the above scriptures.
How do people see you? When a non-Christian looks at your life and lifestyle do they see the attributes of Jesus reflected in your life?
Are you following the teachings of Jesus to Love God your neighbour and even your enemy?
If so are you offering that love unconditionally?
  Are you obeying the words of the writer of Hebrews who said,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
      Hebrews 12:14.
Please think about it.

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