What is the secret to successful Christian living? The Apostle Paul in the scriptures provides some answers that will help the believer to continually grow in their spiritual maturity as well help them proclaim the gospel to unbelievers.
As believers we have been entrusted with the precious truth of the full meaning of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. God through Christ was reconciling the lost to Himself through the blood of Christ. We have been saved by the grace of God.
This truth we are not to horde but spread to the world. The Apostle Paul calls believers to action. We are “To Do”. We have a duty to serve God, bring the news of His Son to the world, and a responsibility to God to live accordingly.
Key to Success
This may seem like a daunting challenge but fortunately God has provided us with a set of full instructions for successful christian living in the scriptures. It will be through the study and application of the Word of God that we will be able to apply these keys to successful christian living.
—Philippians 4:9 NKJV “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
To help us achieve this purpose, the Apostle Paul lays out four ingredients to being a successful ambassadors for Christ. It is a call to action to apply the things we learned, received, heard, and saw in his ministry. The Apostle Paul’s life is to be an example for how the believer is to live and serve Christ.
We have have been given the knowledge of the mystery which was revealed to the Apostle Paul by Christ. Through Christ’s finished work on the cross gentiles are now fellow-heirs in Christ and enjoy all the riches of Christ. Salvation is now be offered freely to everyone apart from Israel.
Persevere In Christ
Knowing that Christ is the key to our hope, we must take to heart our call “To Do”. We need to stand firm in our beliefs. We are not to worry or be discouraged about the things beyond our control. As much as Satan and the world desire to detour us from our mission of sharing the good news, we need to persevere in bringing the message to unbelievers.
We will face many hurdles and tribulations in this pursuit. We can not avoid hardships but we can experience the peace of God by focusing on who we are in Christ. This focus will help us to walk in the Spirit and obey the Word of God. In doing this we will be fruitful in His cause.
Christ is the Remedy for Death
Unbelievers are faced with death but as believers we know the name of the person that offers them life. A name can be powerful and we are representing a very powerful name.
As ambassadors for Christ we have a responsibility to bring to the lost the knowledge of Christ and the meaning of his sacrifice on the cross. His name changes the lives of all of those who place their faith in His death, burial, and resurrection. The Lord Jesus Christ is life for the lost.
Thankful God through Christ has provided the remedy for our lost condition through the cross of Calvary. It is a great privilege and honor of every believer to carry His life giving Word to the world. We must be diligent in performing our duty.
Blueprint for our Lives
This teachings of Paul is the blueprint for Successful Christian Living. It will help us stay focused on God and give us encouragement to continually practice what we learned from him.
By following this plan our thoughts and actions will be guided by scripture. In This it will help mold our thinking onto heavenly things. This will help us avoid the snares in life that come with following a humanistic world view.
By continuing “To Do” what we learned, received, heard and seen our thoughts will become grounded in truth. We will seek truth and learn to avoid the deceptions the devil tries to ensnare us with.
Peace of God
Following the path Paul laid out in the scriptures is key to having a successful ministry for Christ. This path will help us to keep our focus and our mind on the Word of God. For where our mind is focused, so will be our actions. Through prayer, reflecting on God’s Word, and being secure in the knowledge of our heavenly position we can enjoy the peace of God.
How comforting to know that once we trusted in Christ, our salvation is permanent. We can never lose it or have it taken away from us. We are considered dead to sin and alive in Christ. The Apostle Paul implores us to live our lives reflecting this truth for it is the most glorious honor to serve the one who gave so much in love.
—Philippians 1:21 NKJV “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”