‘Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may
become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and
crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as
you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the
day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.’ – Philippians 2:14-16 NIV
Even though Christian Life is going to be hard as Jesus
warns us in Matthew
16:24-25: “Whoever wants to be my
disciple MUST deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For
whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their
life for me will find it,” we should do everything without grumbling or
arguing and for the kingdom and the glory of God, for “we know that we are children of God, and
that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1
John 5:19)
For, as I have often told you
before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the
cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and
their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our
citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord
Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his
control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious
body. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a
building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on
what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
(Philippians
3:18-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Since, then, you have been raised
with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, NOT on earthly things. For
you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is
your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. So whether you
eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (Colossians
3:1-4, 1 Corinthians 10:31)
Secondly, since Jesus gave us the GREAT commission to do: “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew
28:18-20), we also should admonish one another that we should become
ambassadors of Christ. This is because
He is the way of the truth and the life (John
14:6)!
Overall, we should become spiritual body-builders for ourselves
and other people as we wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to give us
ETERNAL life, which has been promised to every TRUE follower/disciple of Jesus!
Dear friends, remember what the
apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last
times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These
are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not
have the Spirit.
But you, dear friends, by building
yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep
yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; save
others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with
fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude
1:17-23)
No comments:
Post a Comment