being open minded... pt.2

So after some comment's on my last blog, i figured i'd clear the air about a few things. I was mearly just bearing my soul a little bit and talking about something i'm passionate about. I take my faith very seriously and i don't mean to confuse or belittle. There were a few things that i noticed in my comments that did understand on why my blog was misunderstood.

I am not saying as christians we don't need to live a christian lifestyle, but rather it is not a "christian lifestyle" that makes us christian. Anyone could live a "christian lifestyle" and not be a christian. It's called a false convert. Many people think that you can skate by and just go to church, and do good things and act like a christian. This is not the case. Jesus clearly said, "You must be born again."

One thing i noticed is that i said, "Jesus didn't come to this earth to live, he came to die." I am not saying Jesus' life didn't mean anything, but was trying to stress the importance of His death. Yes, Jesus did not come only to die. He came to live a sinless life, holy and spotless before God. He came to die on the cross, in our place. And He came to defeat death with His glorious resurrection. It is so very important to preach His Life, Death and Resurrection. One cannot stand alone, neither can two hold each other up, but only when the three are combined do they accomplish what Christ set out to do.

God is not looking for us to pay him back? Well of course he's not looking for us to pay him back! We can't! He knows this. BUT... there is still a fine to be paid. Christ paid that fine. It is when we accept Christ and REPENT from our sins that our fine, which we can't pay ourselves, is paid in full.

Well, what about if the christian life weren't the best way to live, then why don't we go to heaven directly after we get saved? What does the christian life have anything to do with going to heaven? It doesn't. You go to heaven if you are a born again believer in Christ. You either live your life for him or you don't. But let me ask you this: If you don't live your life like a christian and you claim to be one, are you really a christian? When you truly become a christian, your life changes. If there is no change, i urge you to seek out if you're really a christian. We become new in Christ, not the same with a different label. We don't live our lives trying to prove to God that we're worthy of heaven, because we're not. It is only through the Blood of the Lamb that we can enter into his presence.

The beauty of christianity is that we can be both a slave and a freedman. Oh, isn't it wonderful to know that my chains have been broken from sin but yet now i am CHAINED to the one called Christ? The glory of it all. It is a little difficult to understand, but when it comes to full understanding, how beautiful it is. I am no longer a slave to sin, but to Christ? Praise the Father! Paul repeatedly spoke of being a bondservant or slave to Christ. But yet Paul often spoke of the great joy of being free in Christ. I will gladly live my life in service to my Lord.

Liberty and Freedom. Two things America has fought and died for. Millions upon millions have given their lives for these two ideals in America alone. It is no different with christianity. Blood had to be shed. It was Christ who layed down his life for our freedom and liberty. Romans 6:7-8 says, "For he that is dead is free from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we should also live with Him."

It is through His life, death and resurrection that we are free from sin. Now how do we embrace that? Paul continues in verse 15 by saying, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." Just because we are free from sin doesn't mean we can live any ole' way we want.

Which brings us back to lifestyle.

If you are truly saved and born again, your lifestyle will change. "that our old man is crucified with him.." It is in my opinion that being a christian isn't a lifestyle. BUT being a christian will change your lifestyle. You'll act different, you feel different, you'll speak differently. This is my blog and it's a window to a lost world. I'm going to yell that the house is burning down, not to condemn, but out of love. Some may say i'm ranting, but i'll do whatever it takes to get people out of the house. Even if that includes running in.

Jesus said, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father , but by me."

The way of Jesus is the ONLY WAY to the Father. And if you know him, then you know the Father.