The Life of a Christian

Every Christian should strive to live the life that they have been raised to live. The apostle Paul said in the latter part of Romans 6:4 that “even so we also should walk in newness of life.” The life of a Christian is a life of faith (Romans 1:17). Our old life was buried and now we serve the Lord in “newness of life.” Paul said in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The “true” Christian realizes that the “old man” was crucified with Christ and now lives a “new”, pure life before God. John wrote: “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

The life of a Christian is also a life of self-denial. Jesus said that “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Some have trouble living the Christian life because they have NOT determined to really let Jesus rule their life, denying anything that would stand between them and their service to the Savior.

Peter writes: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8). The Christian realizes that Satan is active and working to destroy all those that try to do good. The Christian life is not an easy life. The apostle Paul told Timothy: “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). If we feel that we are suffering some type of persecution as we live our Christian life, then we must be doing something right. “Count it all joy when you encounter various trials and tribulations” (James 1:2). 

The life of a Christian is also a life of prayer. Every Christian should be spending time talking to God every day (Matthew 26:41). God wants and expects us to pray to Him (1 Timothy 2:8). Are we spending time talking to God? When we talk to God, it shows Him that we are trying to do His will and we are seeking his help and guidance, along with praising Him for all that He has done for us. The Christian life is a life of obedience to God, knowing that Jesus is the “author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).

In addition to all these things, the life of a Christian is a life of growth (1 Peter 2:2), and a life of abiding in Christ (John 15:5-6). May we all strive to live the life of a Christian because after all, we are wearing Christ’s name, aren’t we? Are we really living the kind of life that our Savior Jesus Christ would be pleased with? 

Godly Living

In 1 Timothy 4:8 it says: “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.” From this verse we can learn that it is godliness that is the most profitable for us because it is through godliness that we have the promise of eternal life. Therefore, knowing this, we should strive diligently to ensure that we are doing everything we can to live our lives in a godly manner which is formal (2 Timothy 3:5) and true (1 Timothy 6:3, 11). 

Finding True Godliness

We can find true godliness only in the gospel. In 2 Peter 1:4, Peter writes: “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” When we open the pages of the New Testament, we find what God expects of each of us as we journey through this life. He fully expects that we live our life in accordance with His will (Matthew 7:21). When we are determined to live godly then it will show in our daily walk, which everyone in the world will be able to see (Titus 2:12). 

Why Live Godly?

There are several reasons why we must strive to live a godly life. The Bible teaches that ungodliness is condemned (Jude 4:15). When we live an ungodly life, we will NOT get the opportunity to live forever with God. We need to live a righteous life because it is profitable (1 Timothy 4:8), and commanded (2 Peter 1:6). We can live godly by denying sin (Titus 2:12), professing our faith before others (1 Timothy 2:10), and by practicing living a Christian life daily (1 Timothy 4:7).

The Results of Living Godly

First of all, when we live a godly life, doing all of God’s will, be ready to suffer some persecution. Paul told Timothy: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12). Understanding that this will happen, we should gain strength through His Word because godliness will result in great gain (1 Timothy 6:6), and the promise of eternal life (1 Timothy 4:8). Are we living our life in such a way that it “professes godliness?”

Where's the Bible?

Have you ever found yourself asking at the conclusion of a church service “where’s the Bible?” Have you gone to church services, taken your Bible with you, and then realized after leaving that you never were asked to open it? In many churches today, sermons are given with little to no scripture included. Many times, lessons are developed and presented around the events of the day. This can help us to learn to deal with life, but it does not teach us, from the Bible, how to live our life. 

In our society, many churches have tried all kinds of things in an effort to bring people to church services. The one thing that is usually missing in most of these efforts is an appeal for people to come and learn more about the Bible. You may have even felt that churches seem to emphasize how the Bible should be made to fit our lives, rather than how our lives should be made to fit the Bible. Many churches today practice various doctrines and traditions that are not found anywhere in the Bible (Matthew 15:8-9). It would seem that if one is trying to please God in all aspects of their life, then one would want to make sure that everything that they are doing religiously is in accordance with the Bible — the Word of God (Matthew 7:21).

If you are interested in knowing this wonderful book of God, the Bible, we encourage you to visit the Poudre (Pooh-der) Valley church of Christ where only the Bible is preached, taught, and practiced. Many people today are interested in church sponsored entertainment to fulfill their needs. We, however, emphasize the necessity of learning and knowing the Bible; we emphasize the need for Christ in our life based upon His Word. We teach only the Bible because we understand the importance of what Jesus said in John 12:48: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”

The Poudre Valley church of Christ is a place where you can attend and learn the Bible. In our Bible classes, we study the words of Jesus and the inspired apostles. In this way, we can learn what individuals had to do back in the first century in order to be saved and then make those same applications to our lives. Today, most denominations trace the establishment of their church to a specific person on a specific date: anywhere from 600 A.D. to present time. However, Christ promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18), and we learn from the Bible that His church was established on the first Pentecost after His resurrection (Acts 2). The church of Christ is the church in which we belong; therefore, we strive diligently to practice only that which is authorized by God in His Holy inspired Word, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

We want to encourage you to come and visit the Poudre Valley church of Christ where you will quickly realize that the Bible is emphasized above all else. You will leave feeling loved and appreciated, not having to ask yourself “where’s the Bible?”