Page 1544 - 1970S

rhrone of grace as a mcek chi ld. Paul
said, "r am crucified wi rh Chrisr; nev–
errheless r live; yer nor l, bur Chrisr
liverh in me: and rhe life which 1
now livc in che flesh I live by che
fairh of che Son of God, who lovcd
me, and gave himself for me" (Gal.
2:20).
Afrcr rcpenring, and being bap–
tized, which symbolizcs che burying
of the old carnal sclf, whích was
formerly hostile roward God, che
Holy Spirir is rhen implanred wirhin
your mind, and ir changes your mind.
Jesus Christ begins ro motivare your
tb01.1ghrs, guide and direcr your every
acrion - live His life over again,
wirhin }'OU!
And He does ir rhrough rhe power
of God's Holy Spirir!
This is a grear mysrery to mosr
human bcings - and yer, che Spirir
of God musr encer our carnal minds
ro change rhose minds and make
rhem yiclding, humbk, and obedicnr
ro God, where rhey had been hosri le,
ancagonistic, resenrful, and birrer ro–
ward our Creator!
The receiving of God's Spirir ro
changc human narure is the recciving
of an ourside POWER - a begetral
which makes us His sons.
AChaoged Arcirude
If you are a rrue Christian, you will
nor be able ro blindly follow the cus–
toms and practices of chis sociery any
furrher. Insread, you will begin ask–
ing, "\XIhat is God's will and what
does God say abou t ir?" And you will
begin ro search che Biblc ro get ro
know the will of God.
Your outlook and arrirude will
gradually become Christ-like. You
will bcgin saying, wirh Chrisr, "Ncv–
errhelcss nor my will , but THY will be
done!"
Where you formerly ··went along
wirh rhe crowd" in social acriviries. in
cusroms of drcss, and in business prac–
rices. you will rhen begin to quesrion
rhe ways of rhe crowd. You will wanr
ro firsr ascerrain wbat God'; wifi is
concerning rhese ways of life.
32
THAT IS TIIE DEFI NITION OF A
CHRISTIAN!
A Christian is a person who UVES
BY EVERY \'<lORD OF Goo!
"Man sha ll nor fit1e by bread alonc,
but by evcry word thar proceederh
out of rhe mourh of God' ' (Marr.
4:4). So said )'OUr Saviour! Bm are
mosr professing Chrisrians really liv–
ing by every \XIORD of God?
Nor ar all! Mosr professi ng Chris–
rians do nor even know a small por–
rion of whar che Word of God says~
Since rhcy don'r srudy che Bible and
begin ro drink in of rhe \XIord of
God, rhcy g ullibly swallow and ac–
cepr wharever orhers say and believe.
What lt Means co You
A Christian, rhen, is conq uered by
God. His carnal will is broken! He re–
al izes he has sinned ! Sin is any acrion
rhar is concrary ro che Law of God
(1 John 3:4). He then cries out ro God
and asks for forgivencss for chose sins,
and a lifcing of che dearh penalty,
which every sin brings (Rom. 6:23).
He acceprs God's promise of forgive–
ness, on fairh, by accepring che sacri–
fice of Chrisr, accepring Jesus' death
in place of his own. The Christian
chen rakes che ordinance of baprism
which shows God he really means ir.
He expeccs God ro stand back of
His promise ro give him che Holy
Spirir, as a resu lr of che RllPENTANCE
and rhe baprism which God demands.
THEN - and NEVER until rhen -
will you BECOME A TRCE CHRISTIAN.
Finally, you wiJI begin ro pracrice
as a habir che very life of Chrisr. " He
rhar saith , l know him, and keeperh
nor his commandmenrs, is a liar, and
che rruth is nor in him" (I John 2:4).
" He rhar saich he abiderh in him [is a
Christian] oug hr himsclf also so ro
walk [live], even as he [Chrisr}
walked" (ljohn 2:6).
The rrue Christian, who has really
repenrcd, willlive as Chrisr lived! He
will keep rhe laws of God, being obe–
dienr ro God in every way, and be–
coming a recipienr of rhe greac
happiness and rremendous blessings
rhar come wich rhac obedience.
" For even hereunro werc ye calied:
because Chrisr also suffered for us,
leaving us an cxample, rhar yc should
follow his sreps'' (I Perer 2:2L).
Check up on yourself!
Srudy rhcse scriprures in your own
Bible. Many of you rhink vou are al–
ready "saved" and rhar you are already
good Chrisrians! Bur ''lec him rhar
rhinketh he sranderh rake heed lesr he
fa ll" (l Cor. 10 :12).
Remember, ro "examine your–
selves. wherher ye be in rhc fairh;
prove your own selves, how rhar Jesus
Chr isr is 1N )'Ou. excepr ye be repro–
bares?" (Il Cor. L3: 5.)
Serve Chrisr, obey Chrisr, live as
Chrisr lived, follow Chrisr. imitare
Chrisr! Thar is whar ir means ro give
yourself ro Him!
Bapriziog Counscl
I f you are one who really feels you
have come ro know whar real rcpen–
rance is - and you wanr ro repenr .
you really wanr ro obey God - rhen
here is good ncws!
The Worldwidc Church of God
has ordained minisrers available in all
pares of rhe Uniced Sraces and in
many pares of rhe world, rcady ro
counsel wirh you personally - ro an–
swer quescions - ro help you wirh
any spirirual problems- evcn w bap–
rize any who are ready for ir.
\X/e won'r send anyone ro sec you
unless you reguesr ir! Bur, if you
would like onc of our crained men,
graduares of Ambassador College, ro
call and counsel wirh you abour any
problems, answer any quescions, or
even explain anyrhing in rhe Bible,
chere is such a man near you! So
PLEASE feel fr<::c ro invite such a visir.
Thar's whar rh<::se roen are rhere for.
They, and wc here ar headguarrers
of chis Work, wanc only ro serve.
Bur remember - if you're nor
sure. rhen read chis anide again. O
And now you should rcad Al/
About IIYafer Bapti sm and "Just
What Is Thc Churcb?" This litera·
ture is free for che asking. W rite for
your copies.
PLAIN TRUTH Oecember 1972