Sunday 23 July 2017

Christian Living

Christian Living
Matthews gospel records Jesus as saying,
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
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 Apostle Paul writes,
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”Ephesians 5:1,2. 
Matthew’s Gospel records this,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.
Prior to that Matthew records,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Matthew 5:43-47
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“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
These are not my words. They are the words of Jesus and the Apostles. Words summed up by Jesus himself when he said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:12.
This is how a believer in Christ is to live.
Are you doing so?
Please think about it.

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