Christian Living
CHAPTER 1:
THE SOLDIERS OF JESUS
Behold a once peaceful city now under the siege of great host of armies; tumult of war had ravaged the beings of the hapless victims of warfare. The cries of the woman and children reaches the heavens, the men stood in dread as the great armies approaches. The hearts of the men grew faint, quaking on their feet, powerless to withstand the prowess of the great armies.
The host of armies’ marches on to destroy sound of their shod feet quakes the earth. These armies were not humans, but myriad of monstrous demons. Their aim is to destroy the humans and made desolate their world. They pounced on the people, slaughtering them, sparing no women and children. The killings were severe, blood of the slain flowing like Reddish River.
The wailing’s of the people reaches the heavens, falling slain before these great hosts of armoured demons. But lo, at a sudden, beams of light gleamed out from the east, and there appears host of armoured armies, saddling on white horses. These soldiers bore on their armours the mark of the cross of their saviour; those redeemed to him as the chosen ones.
They pounced on the legions of armies of demons on earth, fighting the war. Sword for sword spears for spear, and shield for shield the battles goes on. They withstood the flaming darts of their enemies with their shields, some sacrificing their lives for their exalted King of kings.
Those are the Christians, the soldiers of Jesus Christ. Without the Christians in the world today, the world could have been perished long ago under the ravages of the hosts of demons on earth. Their voices are pleasant to the ears of the Almighty God; it gives him great joy seeing their glorious faces. The untold love he has for them kept him back from destroying the wicked world we are now.
God said to Abraham when He sent his angels to destroy the evil city of Sodom and Gomorrah. For Abraham thought there might be some righteous ones in these cities, so will God destroy them along with the wicked? But God answered him and said; “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” How merciful and righteous is He, ever ready to receive sinners!
In the world today, there are millions of the righteous ones of God Most High, the Christians. These kept him from destroying the world now and the desire for some sinners to repent. Beside this, the fierce anger of God can be soothed by the love of his children that loved him; their fellowship with Him mean very much to Him.
You might ask why the Christians are the best in the world among those claiming to know God. They are the best because they are the chosen ones of Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. In the history of the world, there was no man either living or dead great like Jesus Christ and those who are of him cannot be compare with the people of the earth, in future glory and power of the Holy Spirit.
Christianity is not just another sect of religion in the world, but it is the living spirit of the exalted Christ Jesus in humans, which makes them Christ-like. Islamic is another sect of religion that claimed to know God Almighty, but there are too many Islamic religions in the world today, but only very few of them truly worship their Allah. And if those can be of Christ Jesus who is the only way to God, God will be glad since no one can come to him except through his beloved son Jesus. Even the revelation in the book of Koran testified to Jesus that He shall come after the close of age to rule the world with holiness and righteousness!
Judaism is another sect of religion based on the Christian Old Testament Bible, and the Talmud {Torah}, Judaic tradition or law. But too much hypocrisy and condemnation of Christ, the only way to Jehovah God had made the religion foul in the presence of God. “I am the way the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” [John14: 6].These are the words of Jesus to all human beings, which still stands for all time.
Buddhism is another sect of religion in the Asian continent, based on the teachings of Gautama Siddhartha, also known as Buddha. To be sincere this religion is fully grounded on occult practise; it glorifies violence and honour killings. In this religion they worship Buddha, an ancient Asian emperor, thought to be god because of his power and teachings.
Hinduism is another sect of main religion in India, which worships several gods and belief in reincarnation. Obviously this is very demonic, fully set against God Almighty. However, most of them claimed to belong to God, but there are varieties of Hinduism who practise occult and black arts. Voodoo is also another sect of religion in part of Africa, Haiti and Caribbean, which is based on the practise of magic and the use of witchcraft. This is also demonic and can not save anyone to God of Light. Thus, there is no religion in the world today that is said to be better than Christianity, in terms of power, righteous and holy living towards God, which will lead to eternal life in the coming paradise.
WEAPON OF THE SOLDIERS
The soldiers of Jesus do not fight with swords nor with physical weapons, they wield no weapons of ammunition nor participate in any kinds of violence. They do not practice occult arts neither do they put their trust on anything, except on the name of the Lord God Almighty. This makes them like Mount Zion, which cannot be move but stays forever. As it is written:
For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war. For the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
[2 Cor.10: 3-4]
The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the source of the power of the Christians, which can pull down all strongholds. The Holy Spirit is their strength, which makes them more divine and greater in Spirit than ordinary people, which are not of the folds of Jesus Christ.
They stand up for Jesus in all aspect of life, devil and his hosts always trembles when the Christians are wielding their weapons of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The prayer of a single faithful Christians can confute the gathering of thousands of demons. They are the greatest enemies of Satan the Devil and all his hosts of wickedness, because their presence on earth greatly hinders the free flow of works of darkness.
The prayers of the Christians can regulate the course of the world. It can bring joy amid sadness, peace amid troubles, and hope amid hopelessness. And beside this, they are righteous to the Lord their God, those who are still sinning are not of Jesus, or better still are still babies in Christ. For he who is born of God knows no sin, of course you might say the scripture said:
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does well, not even one.”
[Rom.3: 10-12]
Apostle Paul was quoting from Psalm 14 verse 3 to shows the state of human beings before Jesus came into the world with the gift of salvation and to cleanse it with His precious blood as atonement for sin. Now righteousness is attain through faith in Jesus, not by work or by the law, but by the grace given freely in Christ Jesus. Nevertheless, a Christian must show his faith in God by the works of righteousness, by living fully in Christ Jesus and all that he commanded without turning to the right or the left.
Judge for yourself, how can he who said “I belong to Jesus, I am of God,” still continue in sins? For sin is offence against God and his standard of living he has chosen for us to live. Then how can he whom claims to be of God but yet still committing offences against him, or defying his body through fornication or adultery is of Christ Jesus? No brethren, such one is a liar, even Apostle Peter wrote in his letter about Gods declaration to his children. “But as he who called you is holy, be holy yourself in all your conduct; since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” [1 Pet.1: 15-16]. And he also wrote:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
[1 Pet.2v9]
May the exalted Jesus Christ be praised! All his children among his holy folds are blameless before his father, our God Almighty. And thus those who are of him are above sins; they hated sins because their Holy Lord hated sins so much.
CHAPTER 2:
SPIRIT’S OF CHRISTIANS
But you are not in the flesh; you are in spirit, if in fact the spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
[Rom.8v9]
Indeed as the scripture said above, so it is. Not all that are called Christians are truly of Christ Jesus; they are different from each other. The real ones are those who are fully in Christ Jesus, having his spirit in them, and living their lives fully to him and accounting their deeds to him. The others are the ones who are trying to be Christians, but they lack the Spirit of Christ in them. This set of Jesus worshippers are still living under the influence of the flesh, sins are still found in them, and having not yielded everything about them to God they claimed to be serving. Thus they are not yet of Jesus, since Jesus wants all his worshippers to be holy and righteous to him.
Having the spirit of Christ is having the nature of Jesus, and living in his teaching without departing from it and living under the full power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.” [John 10v27-28]
The Christians are those who are following Jesus, not turning right or left, meditating on the teachings of Jesus and applying it in their lives without breaking down; this became holiness and righteousness on their own part. Though some might seems not to be perfect in all their ways, but certainly it must not be through sins, for he who is of God doesn’t sins. But it might be due to lack of knowledge, or not realising what they are in Christ Jesus, but the perfection in Christ Jesus has already made them perfect.
Albeit trials and temptations of life might make some truly Christians to bend into the ways of the world, but they are readily turning back to their Jesus for forgiveness with tears. Just as Peter, who once denied Jesus thrice but repented and was bold enough to die for Jesus on the cross; feeling unworthy to die like his exalted Lord. So the true Christians hold tight to their Jesus not because they were forced to, but because they love their Christ. Thus Jehovah God knew how to discipline them as his children if they erred; it is God’s own affairs, not the world.
Then what are those qualities in Christians that makes them Christ-like? Of course it isn’t only because they are active in the house of God and are living like Christians in aspect of their lives. The Apostles of Jesus took their times in their ministration to teach qualities the Christians ought to have in them and exhibit in their lives on earth; which I will take the liberty in Christ Jesus to teach about.
He who says, “I know him” but disobeys his commandment is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected…he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. [1 John 2v4-6]
You can not be living against the teachings of Jesus and yet claiming you are among his children, this is a great falsehood. By this you shall know the sheep of Jesus from the wolves in the folds of Jesus, those who are of him walks according to him. No matter how giant such one might be in the household of God, if his or her ways are not according to what Jesus teaches, such is a liar. The Spirit of God in Christians brings the burning love for Christ into their hearts, with readiness to follow the Lord wherever He leads. Whoever among them that has not this holy love is yet to be truly of Christ Jesus.
But if any one has the worlds goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abides in him? Little children let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. [1 John 3v17-18]
Love is the basis of Christianity; it was through love that God created human beings to look like him in form. It was through love that made Jesus left his glorious throne in heaven, and came into the world of humans and paid the highest penalty for their sins and salvation. Love will wrong nobody, it is not bias, love cares and helps, not selfish or greedy not violent or resentful; it easily let go the hostility of the past. Above all love is show not by speech but in deeds. True Christians exhibit this love in their heart for all kinds of people.
For by the grace given to me I bid everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him. [Rom.12v3]
Apostle Paul teaches against self-importance among the true Christians in the above scripture. If you thought you are important in Christ Jesus, then judge yourself is all your conduct in life faithful to what Christ laid down? Decide this according to your faith in Christ. Remember that Jesus said whom must be great in him must be slave of all, and ready to serve rather than be served. True Christians are meek and humble like their Lord.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honour.
[Rom.12v9-10]
Honour must thrive among the soldiers of Christ, the scripture adjured them to show love and honour to one another, not quarrelling neither fighting. Likewise this must also extend to those outside the household of God, the Christians must exhibit love and honour to every human being created by God; hating anything evil while standing up for what is good.
Let every person be subjected to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. [Rom.13v1-2]
The Spirit of Christianity is not anti-governmental, they did not oppose the governing authorities; nor do they dance after human governments. Their government is not of this world, this did not mean that they lack patriotism, but they set their minds on things of God and of Christ whose is their Living Spirit sustaining them in this cruel world of humankind.
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to edify him. [Rom.15v1-2]
Indeed there are strong Christians and weak Christians among the sheep of Jesus. Just like the growth of human beings from babyhood to adulthood, the Christians grows from babyhood to mature adulthood in Christ Jesus, thus there are great differences among them. But the Spirit of Christians adjures the strong ones in Christ Jesus to endure the shortcomings of the weak Christians, not to proud themselves or lord their greatness over these weak ones but to assist them for their edification until they grew mature enough in Christ Jesus.
Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. [1 Cor.6v18-20]
Immorality is a graven sin against the temple of God in human beings; His dwelling home in them that can make Him closer to them. Every human beings created by God have His divine glory in them, but through immorality such glory in them became defy; their lives and destinies became vulnerable to demonic manipulation. Everything about them on earth will fall into the hands of devil; he will use immorality to torment their destiny and made them spiritual slaves and toys for demons to play with. The spirit of Christians strongly goes against immorality, it should not be found among the soldiers of Christ Jesus.
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
[Eph.5v11-12]
Light and darkness are in enmity; the soldiers of Christ had received the task of warfare with the evil ones of darkness. Beside this, the host of darkness hates them and are fighting strongly perhaps to weaken their strength in Christ Jesus. That’s why Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians six verse ten that the Christians should put on the whole armour of God, since they are not wrestling with flesh and blood; but spiritual host of wickedness in heavenly places. Thus the Christians have nothing in common with the darkness; rather they fight and expose them through the light of Jesus in them.
Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others. [Phil.2v4]
The spirit of Christianity is not self-centred, neither is it of pride. Love is the driven force of the Christians, they are not to set their desire first above others, nor are they to think about their interest alone, but also to cares for the interest of others. Albeit they are not fools of the world to be burdened because of their kind hearted. However if this lead to injustice against them, the Lord their God know how to defend them and reward them for their good deeds.
Look out for dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for those who mutilated the flesh. For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. [Phil.3v2-3]
Apostle Paul makes it obvious that there are false Christians among the Christians, who were there to tarnish the image of Christianity. Thus Christians are to search out for the false ones and the evil ones among them, though not through violent, Jesus will do the purification of his household at the appointed time.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as light in the world. [Philip.2v14-15]
The Christians are known for their forbearance, they have the excellent spirit to endure extreme situations in life without grumbling or complaining, while looking up to their Jesus who said “Come unto me all you that labour and heavily laden and I shall give you rest.” Their view of life and things are totally different from the ways of the world, but then they are not of the world.
But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. [1 Thess.5v12-13]
Honour and respect thrives among the Christians as directed by the Holy Spirit. Those that are to be honoured and held in high esteem among them must shows the qualities of Jesus, who laboured hard like slave for all, not esteeming Him to be served but to serve. Thus the leaders in Christ Jesus who are imitating Jesus by serving heartily and working harder for the growth of household of God on earth, are to be honoured and held in high esteem through love for them. But certainly the leaders must not be proud because they are leaders, in God’s eyes they might not be leaders, but devourers.
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
[Heb.13v16]
Giving and sharing is also part of the Christians, and this is to be done not with grudges but with love. Christians that lack these spirits in them are not of Jesus Christ or are still trying to be of Him. These and more are what make the Christians Christ-like in their life on earth.
In all, the Christians have wonderful spirits grounded in love. In them lives the Spirit of the Most High God since they are the sheep of his beloved son, Jesus Christ. Through them God can do his wonders; rebuke the fools, bring down the proud, bring the wickedness of the wicked ones back on their heads; console the broken heart, be there for the orphans and the widows; to help the helpless and bless the poor and speak to the world.
Thus the Christians are great, because God has chosen them through his beloved Son Jesus, who is the only way to him. And he loved because they are his heritage!
(Excerpt from my book, “THE CHRISTIANS (SOLDIERS OF CHRIST), by Samuel Olusegun Akinola, Published by Red Lead Press, an Imprint of Dorrance publishing Company, Pittsburgh: www.redleadbooks.com)
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