This single word covers so much territory when it comes to "application" of faith. Some think it to be a doorway to religion, others have the prospective of faith in Christ (the right one), some just link it to a "way which seems right" defining it with secular humanism and diverse choices.
We have "Christians" that cover the whole field of opinions from moral to immoral, and from righteous to debased. Some believe that once "saved and sanctified" you can sin no more, and if you do sin it isn't sin at all because the Blood of Jesus auto erases it as it happens. That is reminiscent of the Hebrews having the law to be accountable to with the sacrifices to "cover" their sins so they went out to buy the sacrifice needed to satisfy the law then went out to commit the sin. After the sin was committed they stopped by the temple and gave the sacrifice to the priest and confessed the sin. Instant forgiveness.
Then we have some Christians that "believe on the name of the Lord Jesus" but live like the devil because "once saved always saved." No accountability for "Love thy neighbor", or "be conformed into the image and likeness of Christ", or having any moral convictions what so ever.
Then there are groups who have Christ as a base and the Bible as their guide but need other books to be complete. Like the Jewish Christians in Paul's time who wanted others to be circumcised and to follow the law on top of believing the Gospel.
When Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead He opened the door to eternal life which is not just a "mansion" in heaven but also, by the cleansing us of our sins, a deeper intimacy with "Our Father in Heaven" wherein we have inherited all the precious promises. We are born again into a "new life" the old man being dead and the new man being alive, vivacious, passionate, and willing to serve our new Master instead of sin. Not only does He give us a new life but He also empowers us with His Holy Spirit (the mind of Christ) so we can know and do His will, replicating the life of Christ when He was on earth. And the amazing part of this "grace" is that all we have to do is "ask and believe". Doesn't sound too complicated to me. BUT the heart of men sure like to add to "the Gospel" because " someone has to take authority over the masses and guide them." To man, since the presentation of the Law of Moses, God can't be seen so someone has to interpret what He is saying, and while we do so lets get some advantage out of this. This moral decay of the intimate relationship God wanted to have with His people was short circuited by the people asking for Moses to represent them because "He will kill us" for our disobedience so stand in our stead Moses. Then they sinned again with asking for a king to rule them, so God again gave them the "desires of their heart" and made Saul the king.
From the beginning God has never been enough in the eyes of His people, not matter what miracles, provisions, deliverance, or blessings His people always needed more. Even to Christ's face the disciples asked "show us the Father" to which Christ replied "you have seen me you have then seen the Father." Even today a great number of "disciples" rely upon the Pastor to fill in the gag between their personal relationship with God and them. Sad to say many pastors enjoy that place so many talents go unused in the church because believers fail to mature in their calling and elections or gifts. "There is nothing new under the sun."
In case you are wondering when God started to be "not enough", or when the first thought that man didn't need to be obedient to Him was in the Garden of Eden. Man and Woman walked with God. God walked with man. Period. They stood in the presence of God daily. They walked and talked with Him daily. They seen His glory and experienced His wisdom. He gave man all things to be in submission (except for Himself), just like all things were in submission to Him. Do you see that in the Garden of Eden Man (in 'Gods image and likeness) was so in all ways including (except for God) dominion over animals, plants, herbs, trees, creatures in the seas, and sky. Man was truly in the image and likeness of God. Ruler over all things created. As it is said in Scripture "there are gods" (small g). We were the small gods. We were given dominion under the One True God as His creations proprietors. Not equal in the divine rule but partaking in the carnal dominion. Being "in the image and likeness of God" has more implications than we can begin to understand in the carnal mind. That is why it is no small thing with God to give us the ability "through Christ" to "do those things He did and greater" because God is our Father, Christ our brother, the Holy Spirit our teacher/empower-er and the promises pertinent for those who ask, seek and knock. Prayer and fasting brings a higher level of participation in the preforming of these things. One might also add here that we were later, though Christ, given authority over all the demonic presence in the world too.
When we look at Scripture in context as a whole plan complete and without a contrary mind it would be clear to us that the plan that God had for us in the beginning is the same as it is today. The only difference in the OT was that so few men actually followed/obeyed God that He worked His promises and manifestations through the few that did. Mostly the prophets, even the priests lost out on allowing God to be real to the people. Now in the New Testament we who believe ALL have the same promises and gifts if we are desirous to go after them. So with us now begs the question "do you believe (have faith) in the Word of God to where God can wield his manifestations through you? Or is the comfort of going to heaven enough and the world that we are in more satisfying than the effort of "glorifying our Father in Heaven. This is what we were created to do. This is our testimony as Christians to do. This is not of ourselves but of Our Father in Heaven so that all may believe and have eternal life.
So that brings us to this explanation of True Christianity:
A true Christian "is born again" into God's Kingdom by the Blood of Christ and His resurrection through confessing and believing.
He no longer considers himself his own but Christ's and continually decreases so that Christ can increase in him.
A true Christian realizes that the "will of God" cannot be accomplished with out the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" to "give the gifts severally according to the will of God."
He grows daily in grace and faith so as to move forward in saying "the Kingdom of God is at hand", God bearing witness with signs and wonders.
There is never any need for more than the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, fasting and prayer, seeking, asking, and knocking, to know the full counsel of God.
Christ will take over our lives as we are conformed into His image and likeness, to lead and guide us as was so at creation now complete in "oneness" with Him.
All our thoughts, words and deeds will glorify our Father in Heaven.
This will be His power worked in us over time (but it really doesn't take all that long), as we dedicate our Love, and faith in Him and to Him.
A life of faith will be a life of both blessing and difficulty. One doesn't judge the other as to accomplishment of God's will. Both are God's will.
A true Christian is of a humble spirit and contrite heart knowing what Christ had done on Calvary.
A true Christian never fails Love because the nature of Love (God is Love) and nothing is impossible with God so God cannot fail.
Christians of faith and grace know their place in heaven and would not give up faith for anything here on earth. They are convinced that they are sojourners in a temporary land and seek the land who's builder and maker is God.
A true Christian has faith by God, and continuing revelation by the Holy Spirit, to Glorify his Father in Heaven.
Anything else is just a "looking through the glass darkly".
A true Christian will live and profess as one who sees "face to face" with His Maker-God!
Where are you in the claiming?
Though there be many "offerings" but there is only one True Faith and that is in the Scriptural revelation of God through Christ.
Be blessed as you believe and serve.
Love
J&E
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