WHEN WE LIVE OUR CHRISTIANITY DAILY
The church of Christ as found in the Scriptures was a living body made up of converted souls. In Acts 3:19 Peter said, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19) People who are genuinely converted to Christ live their Christianity daily. Gratitude for redemption by the blood of Jesus leads to godly thinking and godly living. This same spirit of thankfulness leads to evangelism. We have been redeemed from the hand of Satan and we should say so. “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” (Psalms 107:2) God must be real to us and our Christianity must be practiced daily. Today the church of Christ is plagued with "unpracticed Christianity." I beg you to never be among that number, instead live your Christianity daily!
When we live our Christianity daily, God is pleased and the world is blessed. Faithful Christians shine forth as lights in a dark world. Paul encouraged the Christians at Philippi with these words, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15) Christians make the world better as they live a pure life without fault. When a person learns the word of God, becomes a Christian and lives their Christianity daily the name of God is glorified. Christians show by holy conduct that they are partakers of the Divine nature. Let us show the world that we are “children of God.”
When we live our Christianity daily, salvation is the result. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) Just think about this, you do the will of the Father in heaven while you live on earth and you will enter the kingdom of heaven for eternity. The one who learns and continues in the will of God will be blessed in his deeds. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:22-25) A person who lives their Christianity daily is a blessing to the church and a joy to our Heavenly Father!
When we live our Christianity daily, spiritual strength is added. Spiritual strength comes to those that are hungry for it. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6) Spiritual strength comes to those who practice godliness daily. "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." (1 Timothy 4:8) Spiritual strength is a by-product of the practice of righteousness on a daily basis. Unpracticed Christianity will always take away from our spiritual strength. However, the closer you walk with God daily, the more spiritual strength you gain!
In a world where God is left out, those of us who make up the church of Christ must make our world better by practicing our Christianity daily. Those who want the best life now and eternal life hereafter are excited about Christ and His church. Their desire is for Christ to be formed in them. Paul wrote, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19) Christ is formed in us through the continual practice of New Testament Christianity in daily living. If you are not a Christian, the most important thing for you is to become a Christian today. We must believe that Jesus died for our sins. (John 3:36) Jesus will not forgive our sins if we do not repent. (Luke 13:3) If we truly believe in Jesus Christ, we will confess our faith in Him. (Romans 10:9-10) We must be baptized for forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2:38) The practice of daily Christianity follows our baptism into Christ. Let the world see Christ in the lives of Christians as salt for a tasteless world and light for a world of darkness. (Matthew 5:13-16) It is time for Christians to put on God's armor and stand up and fight daily for our Lord. (Ephesians 6:10-18) God will give victory to the faithful through our Lord Jesus Christ.
By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, 306 Walnut Street,
Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA