Requirements for being a Christian Part B

 
In the previous article, we saw that there are major things to do being a Christian. However, there is more to be said but we will say the ones the Holy Spirit help us to declare. At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit resides in our spirit and bears witness in us that we are sons of God. 

Let’s look at it from this perspective before we consider some other things. When Jesus walked this earth, he had 12 disciples and other disciples. Jesus related to his disciples and others by being the express images of His Person(God) by leading and being an example of what He wants His disciples to do. Taking the lead here means doing that which He wants His disciples to do amongst themselves and to others. You remember when Jesus deliberately washed the feet of his disciples as revealed in John 13:4-5,13-15? It says “he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

Why we needed to see this scripture is because Jesus was the first hand example of the things it takes being a Christian. Acts 1:1 & 2 expressly gave us an overview of what Jesus did. It says “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.” Jesus’ acts were to the very moment He was taken up to heaven. His acts were not periodic nor spontaneous.  He never taught what He didn’t do. His doing preceded His teaching. And His teaching were the very things He did. Not that He was doing one thing and He taught other things contrary to those things He did. If we consider the life of Jesus as against the life of the scribes and the Pharisees. 

A whole chapter was dedicated in explaining their deeds and conducts. The whole of Matthew 23 tells us of all their evil deeds. Matthew 23:3 gave a summary of all their deeds which says “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” Jesus isn’t like them, He first of all do and then teach those things He did.  What it takes being a Christian is not just limited to when Jesus began His ministerial work. What it takes being a Christian is a derivative of His whole life.

Let’s take a look at what it takes being a Christian from the birth of Jesus Christ. Before Jesus was at His Father’s business, He must be engage with some things. Some things we not expressly spelt out. In Luke 2:52, the bible made us realize the benefits of some of those things He engaged in. It says “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” What then are the activities Jesus engaged in that made Him increase in these things? What was not well spelt out in the gospel of Luke was said by one of Jesus’ disciples that became an apostle – the person is Simon Peter. 

In 1 Peter 2:2, this is one of the many things Jesus did to increase in wisdom. It says “as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” So therefore, one of what it takes being a Christian is read, meditate and do the word of God which is the bible. Someone might then ask that how can reading and meditating the word make Jesus increase in wisdom and favour with God? Proverbs 2:5-7 tells us expressly and it says that “then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”

Immediately Jesus was of tangible age, He was at the Father’s business. We saw that in one of the scriptures mentioned in the previous article. The wisdom He was blessed with was solely for the Father’s business. One of the known reasons why some people become Christians is because they want their needs to be met. Since they were told that as long as the Lord is their Shepherd, they shall not lack anything good. One of the many duties of a shepherd is to feed the sheep, but there is much more to the work of a shepherd than providing green pastures.

One of what takes being a Christian is being led. The scripture affirms it in Romans 8:14 that “for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Without the leading of the Spirit of God within us, we are not the sons of God. We will be sons unto another anyway. Even Jesus was led by the Spirit of God in the wilderness as seen in Matthew 4:1 that “then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Psalms 23:2 & 3 establishes this truth. It says that “he maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Even in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 reaffirm this same truth. In John 3:8, it says that “the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” In essence, the Spirit of God solely decides the leadings.

Another thing that it takes being a Christian is being at the Father’s business until we see all His good pleasure (will) fulfilled. What it takes being a Christian extend to our conduct with and among people. Jesus’ conduct with people will determine the extent of success of the Father’s business. The conduct we are talking about is beyond good morals. The conduct of which we speak about is the manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It baffles me that the bible never said fruits. However, the fruit is 9 in number but spearheaded by love. Jesus’ conduct with and among people is by the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit be it in healing, casting out of devils, staying for days in certain cities, multiplication of bread and fish and many others. Consequentially, manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit is also one of what it takes being a Christian (in our conduct with others).

There are so many of what it takes being a Christian. In the likes of consistent communion, obedience, humility, not neglecting the fellowship of the brethren and much more. A few of them is also seen in 2 Peter 1:5-9 which says “and beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

And finally, one of the most important thing that it takes being a Christian is to continually walk or/and work by the Holy Spirit. Jesus expressly told us the work of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26 that “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” And John 16:13-15 which says “howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” It is by the Holy Spirit that all what it takes being a Christian can be done acceptable and satisfactorily. It is the Holy Spirit that will guide us unto all truth. All truths into being a Christian in all our ways.
Thanks for reading.