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Christ-and they are "one," as
Jesus said-you need to
experience
the kind of character they possess.
And God 's ve r y characte r is
expressed in bis law-the Ten
Commandments.
Notice! "For God is !ove"
O
John 4:8).
Again, " For this
is
the love of
God, that we keep bis
command–
ments:
and his commandments are
not grievous"
(I
John
5:3).
So a true Christian will "walk
with God." He will literally live by
God's law of love- the Ten Com–
mandments. And, by exercising
this kind of godly character, he will
come to understand and "know"
God. The true Christian will have
God living
in
him.
HOLY SPIRIT Glves POWER
At this point, many are wondering
how they can be so " perfect. " Most
theologians are saying, "The law is
spi ritual, and you can't keep it."
Both are absolutely right! The
law of God
is
spiritual. And man,
by himself, cut off from God, can–
not keep that spiritual law perfect–
ly.
The answer?
First, God does not demand
instant perfection. Rather, through
his inspi red Word, he tells us, "But
GROW
in grace, and in the knowl–
edge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ"
(11
Pet.
3: 18).
The true Christian life is one of
learning, overcoming and growing
toward the God-like character
that is our ideal. But it is not a
life of excuses, or a life of misun–
derstanding-saying that we
do
not even try
to keep God's law
and follow the example J esus set
for us. For Jesus said, "1 have
kept my Father's commandments"
(John
15:1
0). And Peter wrote of
J esus that he left us "an example,
that [we] should
fol/ow his steps"
(1 Pet. 2:21).
But, as many modero theologians
insist, how can we keep the spiri–
tual principies of the Ten Com–
mandments when we ourselves are
weak, physical and inherently sin–
fui human beings?
Notice the apostle Paul's de–
scription of the problem: "The car–
nal [natural] mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can
36
be. So then they that are in the
flesh cannot please God" (Rom.
8:7-8). Paul is clearly saying that
wbat ·causes the normal , fleshly
(carnal) human being a "problem"
with God is that he is antagonistic
to God's law and will not submit to
it!
You and
1
are certainly "in the
flesb," in the sense tbat we are
human,
aren't we? But is that what
Paul means? Continue reading:
"But ye are not in the ftesh , but
in
the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of
God dwell in you. Now if any man
have not tbe Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his" (verse
9) .
In other
words, unless Christ dwells in you
through the Holy Spirit, you are
not bis; you are not a truly con–
ver ted Christian!
Again: "For as many as are led
by tbe Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God" (verse
14).
Tbis is the ultimate key to true
Christian ity!
If
you bave been
deeply humbled and converted by
your Creator, have surrendered–
even tbough not yet perfectly- to
allow God and Christ to litera lly
live
in
you through the power of
the Holy Spirit , tben and only
then are you truly a Chris tian!
Of course, you will still have
human nature, the world around
you and the invisible influence of
S atan tbe devi l to overcome. You
will still make mistakes and com–
mit many sins- thougb fewer and
fewer as you grow in grace and in
knowledge. You will be studying
the Bible for instruction with an
open mind and heart. You will be
praying for understanding of what
you read and for the spiritual
strength to live God's way.
Then, tbrough the guidance and
power of the Holy Spirit, you will
be growing in the knowledge and
in the very character of J esus
Cbrist. God will be l iterally mak–
ing you his child by putting his
very nature in you through tbe
Holy Spirit ( 11 Pet.
1:4).
Step by
s tep, you will reflect in your daily
life the character and the obe–
dience to God the Fatber that
J esus demonstrated in bis human
flesb. You will become more and
more Christ-like. You will tben
truly become "a C hristian"-one
in wbom C hris t literally lives
through the Holy Spirit!
This is the Bible definition of a
Christian.
Christ Must Be " In"
the True Christian!
With his help, and through bis
Holy Spirit , it will not seem so dif–
ficult to refrain from killing, com–
mitting adultery, steal ing, lying
and dishonoring your parents. As
you truly study and research tbe
Bible to understand it, and as you
pray to God dai ly on your knees for
guidance and strengtb, God will
become more and more real to you.
You will see that bis laws are
living
laws- just like the law of gravity.
They work
automatical/y- no
matter whether you, or this or that
theologian , believes in them or
not.
With this in mind, it will become
progressively easier for you not to
have any other gods before the true
God, not to bow down to or worship
images or idols, not to take God's
name in vain. And, as God becomes
increasingly the very center of your
life as a true Christian, you will
want to keep holy his Sabbath- tbe
very day Jesus made holy.
Through all of this Bible study,
prayer and dedication of your life
to live as Jesus did, you will come
to know God in a way very few
people in our modero age ever
experience. For Christ will be liv–
ing
in
you. That's what true Cbris–
tianity is all about!
The apost le Paul stated:
" 1
am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I
live; yet not
1,
but Christ liveth in
me: and the life whicb
1
now live in
the flesh
1
live by the faith of [not
merely "in") the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave bimself for me"
(Gal. 2:20).
How will Christ literally " live"
bis life in you througb the Holy
Spirit?
Will he r efuse to keep his
Fatber's law- tbe Ten Command–
ments-which be faitbfully kept
and even magnified dur ing bis
human life on earth? Will he keep
different days holy than the ones
his Father commanded and that he
kept during his physical lifetime?
No!
For your Bible says very plainly,
" Jesus Christ tbe same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever" (Heb.
13:8).
The true Cbrist of the Bible
The
PLAIN TRUTH