WE MUST FOLLOW CHRIST By: G. Colleen Henry
WE MUST BE LIKE CHRIST We must be like Christ in every aspect of our lives in order to win eternal life. Christ was, is, and shall always be our example. “For even hereto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follows his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth,� 1 Peter 2:21-22.
IN HIS FOOTSTEPS It was important for Christ being the Word of God to be born like man and to live a righteous and holy life for us so that we would walk in his footsteps, ! “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth,” John, 1:14. He became the second man Adam, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all be made alive,” 1 Corinthians 15:22.
CHRIST DIED FOR US What did Christ do for us? He had great mercy for us and loved us before we were made flesh, “God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son,” John 3:16. This love that God had was for his children not the sons of men but only his seed that was predestinated from the beginning by God the Father, (John 17: 6 & 10). God made a way for eternal life for us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ but in order to be saved we had to believe on him, “that whoso ever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life,” (St. John 3:15).
BELIEF & OBEDIENCE Now if we believe on Christ, who is the Word of God, then we have to obey him because he is the Word and came forth from God, (John 3:18). The pseudoChristians teach that all you have to do is believe on Christ and you will be saved but what does their belief really mean? !
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BELIEVE? They believe in order to be saved you must accept Christ as your personal savior but we know that whatever truth they have, Satan will come along and pluck it from them. The devils also know, believe and tremble, yet they are condemned to death because they do not obey God’s commandments, (James 2:19 & Luke 8: 27-30). !
CONSIDER THIS PARABLE If you are a person in poor physical health and you want a personnel trainer to get you into good physical condition, you look for the best person that you can afford. In order to get physically fit you must believe that this person can help. You must be willing to follow all of his instructions which include diet, exercise, and giving up all those things that will keep you from your ultimate goal.
CONSIDER THIS PARABLE When you first start a program it will not be easy. You may not like the diet because it will be too strict with only a certain amount of calories and no sweets. You may not like rising at 5am to run and exercise. You may not like drinking 8 glasses of water or more and you may not like reading about people who completed their course for inspiration.
CONSIDER THIS PARABLE However, eventually you will start feeling better. You will become stronger and your trainer will add more weight for your muscle tone. You will look better and be stronger. You will appreciate your strict diet that your body now prefers. In fact, your body will reject junk food. You will be the person that gives 100% to your trainer and yourself. You will not be like the majority that may recognize the goodness and benefits of the trainer but is not willing to give him all of their effort.
BELIEF WITH NO WORKS To believe without obedience will not gain us eternal life. Let us review the scriptures. “Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works�, James 2:17-18.
CONSIDER THIS PARABLE Going back to the parable, we can see this person will remain in his poor physical condition and as time goes on his health will decrease until he is in very poor condition and becomes acutely or chronically ill. So much so, his condition cannot be reversed. The same thing happens spiritually. !
CONSIDER THIS PARABLE We must follow the first-fruit which is Christ who is our Personal Savior and Personal Trainer. We must not only believe the commandments but we must obey them each and every day of our lives. We must keep all of his testimonies every day of your life in order to be like Christ. When we read about Christ we can see how the Commandments and Testimonies were seen in his life and must be seen in our lives in order to be saved. Amen.
QUESTIONS? For questions regarding this presentation please contact us via phone at 219.980.8136 or by email at info@householdofisrael.org.
SPECIAL THANKS
This class was developed by: Colleen G. Henry