The Christian Life

The Christian Life
Someone said to me a few days ago,
“I have a feeling the new decade 2020 will be a time of revival.” They are not the first. Such feelings happen a lot in Christian circles at the end of decades, centuries and millennia.
That being said I thought it only right to address the issue. So for my next few blogs I am writing about what I believe God expects of Christians, believers in Christ Jesus. At the same time I am taking a look at the various types of churches that exist today through the lense of the churches mentioned in the book of revelations.
In this blog however I would like to look at what the apostle Peter says Christians are and should be doing.
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.
Do you do this?
Many years ago I was told by my first pastor to memorize the words of Jesus who 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.

He told me if you sincerely believe what Jesus is saying you will always remember to present the gospel of Christ in a respectful manner to all who will listen.
In following these words of Christ you will find yourself respecting those of different faiths, lifestyles, and positions in life.
Not only that you will find yourself being respected by others. And those who have the respect of others find it easier to present the gospel of Christ to non-believers.
The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.

Render to Caesar

Render to Caesar
“Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.  
They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.  
Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius,  and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” 
“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 
When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.” Matthew 22:15-22.
Here the Pharisees and the Herodians were trying to trap Jesus into saying something against Rome. That would cause Jesus to be jailed or put to death. Instead Jesus turned it to his favour and gave Christians an example to live by.
They asked Jesus is it right to pay taxes to Caesar. For Jesus to say no would be against Roman law. To say no could have brought a charge of insurrection against Jesus.
To say yes would be to possibly loose favour with the people who followed him.
Instead Jesus turned things around on them. He noted the head on the coin. The head being Caesar’s and said, “Give (or render, give back to) Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”
This is how we as Christians must be today. We are not citizens of this world our home is in heaven. However we live in this world and must follow the laws of the land in which we live.
It is only when the law of the land requires us to break God’s laws that we must disobey the law of the land and follow God’s law.
That being said, as long as the nation and government in who’s jurisdiction we live in does not casus us to violate God’s law, we must obey the laws of that nation.
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.
Please think about it.