To be Christian
Here’s some advice from James the half brother of Jesus to Christians. He writes,
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:7-11.
The early Church like the church today was expecting Christ to return soon. I don’t think they had any idea of the true scope of the job ahead of the church in taking the gospel to every one in the world.
God could have chose to show Himself miraculously to everyone in the world instantly but he did not do so. Instead He asked the early church and He asks the church today to present a message of faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,
Thus a monumental task lay ahead of that early church. A task that is still continuing to this day. A task that would see much hardship as well as success. That’s why James writes,
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:7-11.
The church needed to be patient. To stand firm in what it believes. To be unified and not grumble about each other. To endure suffering. To look back at the old Testament prophets and Job who went through a great deal yet emerged victorious and received the reward of eternal life with God.
Looking at the Church in the twenty-first century it’s easy to say where is God? Why as He not returned?
It’s easy to say he doesn’t exist. Using the excuse that it has been so long since Christ walked the earth that therefor the scriptures must be mistaken.
The Scriptures are not mistaken. The old and New Testament are true and Jesus will one day return to this earth to judge both the living and the dead.
The call to Christians to keep the faith no matter what the circumstances you are in. To work as if Christ will return tomorrow. To plan as if that return is still many years in the future.
Jesus when he left this earth left the disciple and all believers in Him a job to do. Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus are you doing this?
Please think about it.
Here’s some advice from James the half brother of Jesus to Christians. He writes,
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:7-11.
The early Church like the church today was expecting Christ to return soon. I don’t think they had any idea of the true scope of the job ahead of the church in taking the gospel to every one in the world.
God could have chose to show Himself miraculously to everyone in the world instantly but he did not do so. Instead He asked the early church and He asks the church today to present a message of faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6.
Asking people to believe what they cannot see can be very hard for many people. Additionally while the majority of people to whom they were taking the gospel believed in an after life and God in some way, the majority of people the gospel would be presented to had no knowledge of the Jewish scriptures.Thus a monumental task lay ahead of that early church. A task that is still continuing to this day. A task that would see much hardship as well as success. That’s why James writes,
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” James 5:7-11.
The church needed to be patient. To stand firm in what it believes. To be unified and not grumble about each other. To endure suffering. To look back at the old Testament prophets and Job who went through a great deal yet emerged victorious and received the reward of eternal life with God.
Looking at the Church in the twenty-first century it’s easy to say where is God? Why as He not returned?
It’s easy to say he doesn’t exist. Using the excuse that it has been so long since Christ walked the earth that therefor the scriptures must be mistaken.
The Scriptures are not mistaken. The old and New Testament are true and Jesus will one day return to this earth to judge both the living and the dead.
The call to Christians to keep the faith no matter what the circumstances you are in. To work as if Christ will return tomorrow. To plan as if that return is still many years in the future.
Jesus when he left this earth left the disciple and all believers in Him a job to do. Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus are you doing this?
Please think about it.
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