What Is Christianity?
Bottom line:
Christianity is walking as Jesus walked.
Indeed, Jesus will lead you everyday to walk as He walked.
Anyone not walking as Jesus walked is not a Christian.
God was very clear on this point in the book of 1 John.
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6
Going a little deeper, let us begin with the book of 2 Corinthians which tells us Christianity is not a matter of “ink.”
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink… 2 Corinthians 3:3
Christianity is not a matter of following a published Bible that used “ink” to create letters, index and chapters.
Christianity is not a computer code that generates Bible software.
Christianity is not reading and then discussing endless commentaries on what the Bible might be saying.
Christianity is the Living God writing upon your heart all the Bible.
Christianity is God by His Spirit of Truth teaching you what the Bible means.
Christianity is the Word of God made alive – but only to those crucified to their Bible studies.
Christianity is the Living Word of God unfolding itself with all the blessings and sufferings of Jesus into the life of a disciple.
Christianity is not a written track.
Christianity is not a book about the Bible.
Christianity is not a video about God. Rather it is God revealing Himself to those willing to lose their lives for His Son Jesus.
Luke 9:24
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Christianity is not following the Bible as we understand it.
Christianity is not a set of Biblical principles applied to our lives.
Christianity is not a conservative political issue to be debated and voted upon.
Christianity is not conservative values.
Christianity is not a matter of “can I do this” or “can I not do this.”
Christianity is not a matter of our understanding of right or wrong.
Christianity is not a church denomination’s tradition of worship.
Christianity is about one thing and one thing only.
From start to finish that one thing is the person Jesus.
A Jesus revealed only to those who are following hard after God’s will – no matter the cost or the blessing.
True Christians are those who, by hating their own lives, attempt to obey only God’s will by using only God’s power.
As Romans 8:14 states:
…because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Christianity is following Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit at all times unto death on a cross.
It is this suffering with Jesus that most though claiming to be a Christian seek to avoid and thus fall short of salvation.
This suffering with Jesus is the “if indeed” written about in the book of Romans that is rejected by most who claim The Name of Jesus.
As the Good Book teaches us, only those who “indeed” “share in the sufferings of Jesus” are Christians.
Notice the big “If indeed” in the book of Romans:
Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17
If anyone would desire the blessings of Jesus then they should prepare themselves to suffer persecution from sinful men.
If anyone would desire the resurrection power of Jesus in their lives then they should prepare themselves to suffer against the sins in their lives as the Holy Spirit leads.
If anyone desires to reach the gates of Eternal Life in heaven they had best be prepared for betrayal and to feel left alone from time to time.
Prepare to be “astonished” at the sufferings in Jesus that God has prepared for you if you want to be a Christian.
If someone is not suffering by the power of the Holy Spirit then they are not a child of God.
These sufferings in Jesus are powerfully God-ordained and will only make holy those who are willing to endure them by surrendered faith.
Jesus headed straight for the cross in Jerusalem and you will be led to walk as Jesus did.
A walk in the Holy Spirit’s timing that heads straight for the sufferings of Jesus that God has allotted personally for you.
You will be astonished while others are afraid.
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” Mark 10:32-34
Best to sit down and count the cost letting Jesus take you aside like He did the Twelve Apostles and teach you about the sufferings that come with believing on Him.
For only those who “indeed” share in the sufferings of Christ will also “indeed” share in the blessings of God.
The video brought to you by www.luke1425.org
Because Jesus said, you have better sit down and contemplate the sufferings of Jesus before claiming to be a blessed Christian.
Timothy Williams
Because Jesus Said “Sit Down”
www.luke1425.org
