ARE YOU CONFORMING TO THE STANDARDS OF CHRIST? (Ser. Nts.)
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 10:33
"But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
JESUS SAID IN HIS WORD, IN THAT “IF YOU DENY ME BEFORE MEN, I WILL DENY YOU BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.”
OFTEN WHEN WE READ THIS PASSAGE WE THINK OF BEING TORTURED AND STRETCHED OUT ON A TORTURE RACK, WITH OUR BODY BEING PULLED FROM EACH END, TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. OR WE THINK OF SOME OBJECT BEING SHOVED UNDER OUR FINGERNAILS AND AN EXECUTIONER YELLING, “DENY CHRIST OR DIE! “ AND THEN YOU YELL BACK, “NEVER! NEVER!” WE HAVE THIS IMAGE THAT IN SOME COUNTRIES IS, IN FACT, TRUE. IT IS TRUE, IN FACT, THAT MANY ARE IMPRISONED AND OVER THE YEARS HAVE BEEN JAILED AND TOLD THAT IF THEY DENIED CHRIST THEY COULD BE SET FREE AND YET THEY REFUSED, OFTEN GOING TO THEIR DEATH SINGING PRAISES TO GOD AS THEY DIED OR INSTEAD PREACHING HIS WORD AS THEY WENT TO THEIR DEATHS….SOMETIMES WINNING THE CONVERSIONS OF THEIR OWN EXECUTIONERS AND WITNESSES IN THE PROCESS.
IN THE BOOK ENTITLED "FOXES' BOOK OF MARTYRS", WE READ STORY AFTER STORY ABOUT HOW SAINTS GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR FAITH.
NOTE: SKIP IF NOT REFERRING TO BOOK HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
READ FROM THE BOOK. (Readers of this article may want to reference the book and pick some of the examples you find on how early day Christians gave their lives for their faith.)
TODAY WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT CONFORMITY. SOME OF US MAY NOT BE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TORTURED FOR OUR TESTIMONY EACH DAY, BUT WE MAY BE DYING EACH DAY FOR OUR FAITH IN CHRIST. WE ARE ALSO TOLD THAT WE MUST DENY OURSELVES. YOU MAY ASK, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?”
1) Matthew 16:24
[ Discipleship Is Costly ] Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
2) 1 Corinthians 15:30-32 (New American Standard Bible)
30Why are we also (A)in danger every hour?
31I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, (B)I die daily.
32If from human motives I (C)fought with wild beasts at (D)Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, (E)LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
I. JESUS SAID IN ORDER TO COME AFTER HIM OR FOLLOW HIM, ONE MUST DENY HIMSELF. PAUL SAID THAT HE WAS CRUCIFIED DAILY OR DIED DAILY FOR CHRIST.
A. WHAT DID BOTH JESUS AND THE APOSTLE PAUL MEAN BY THAT?
1. PAUL MEANT THAT HE GAVE UP HIS OWN LIFE AND DIED TO HIMSELF IN ORDER THAT CHRIST MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM.
2. MY QUESTION TO YOU TODAY IS "ARE YOU DYING TO YOURSELF AND INSTEAD FINDING YOUR DESIRES FOR CHRIST…LIVING FOR HIM?"
3. IS YOUR LIFE REALLY A TESTIMONY FOR HIM?
4. WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN UP FOR THE WORLD IN ORDER TO SERVE HIM AND BE A WITNESS FOR HIM?
5. SOME OF US THINK THAT WE CAN STILL GO OUT TO THE CLUBS, GET DRUNK AND GET HIGH AND THAT EVERYTHING IS OK…WE ARE STILL CHRISTIANS.
6. SOME OF US THINK WE CAN HANG OUT WITH THE SAME FRIENDS AND DO WHAT THEY DO AND YET STILL BE CALLED A CHRISTIAN. YET CHRISTIANITY IS SEPARATION. THE BIBLE SAYS “WHAT FELLOWSHIP DOES LIGHT HAVE WITH DARKNESS? WE DON’T DISASSOCIATE WITH OTHERS WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS BUT WE DO NOT HANG OUT WITH THEM AND DO WHAT THEY DO EITHER. WE ASSOCIATE AND RELATE ON CHRIST’S TERMS…NOT OUR OWN AND NOT THEIR OWN EITHER.
BUT HOW MANY OF US REALLY “DENY OURSELVES” AS JESUS SAID IN THE ABOVE PASSAGE?
7. ARE YOU REALLY "DYING TO YOURSELF" WHEN YOU CONFORM TO THE WORLD AND ITS WAYS?
8. OUR LIFE SHOULD CONFESS JESUS NOT ONLY IN WORD BUT IN ACTION. WHAT ARE YOUR ACTIONS WHEN YOU ARE AROUND FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES WHO DO NOT COME TO CHURCH?
9. DO YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN YOUR FRIENDSHIPS & RELATIONSHIPS SO BADLY THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO CONFORM TO WHAT THEY DO IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM? IF SO, THEN EACH TIME YOU DO THAT, IN A WAY, YOU ARE DENYING THE LORD AND HE SAYS THAT IF WE DENY HIM, HE WILL DENY US.
10. YOU SEE, DENYING JESUS DOES NOT JUST HAVE TO BE IN WORD AND IN A TORTURE SITUATION. IT CAN OFTEN BE IN OUR DEEDS AND CONDUCT AROUND OTHERS WHO ARE WATCHING.
11. JUST LIKE THE TORTURER OR EXECUTIONER, A SO-CALLED FRIEND CAN BE SAYING, “C’MON CUZ, LETS GET HIGH.” OR "C’MON HOMES…LETS GO GRAB SOME BEER AND GET DRUNK.” EACH TIME IN FRONT OF THEM YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO "DENY CHRIST." WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE GOING TO BE? WILL IT BE, “OK, I’M WITH YOU, BRO.” OR WILL IT BE THE SELF-DENIAL THAT PAUL SPOKE OF WHEN HE SAID HE DIED DAILY FOR CHRIST? WILL THE ANSWER INSTEAD BE ONE OF SELF-DENIAL IN ORDER TO PRESENT A GOOD TESTIMONY? A TESTIMONY THAT SAYS, “I AM A CHANGED PERSON AND THE LIFE I USED TO LIVE, I LIVE NO LONGER?” WILL YOU SAY, “NO THANKS. GOD HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AND I DON’T LIVE LIKE THAT ANYMORE?”
12. SOMETIMES ANSWERS LIKE THE ONE I JUST REFERRED TO GIVE YOU A GREAT CHANCE TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITH OTHERS BECAUSE DEEP INSIDE MOST OTHERS ARE WATCHING YOU IF YOU PROFESS TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING REAL…FOR SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES...FOR SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVES IN WHAT THEY PROFESS AND IS WILLING TO ACT ON IT.
II. SOME PROFESSED CHRISTIANS THINK THEY CAN LIVE FOR THE WORLD AND “STILL BE A CHRISTIAN TOO.” HERE IS WHAT THE WORD SAYS ABOUT THAT:
A.
Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
GOD IS NOT MOCKED. YOU CAN’T PLAY GAMES WITH HIM. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. WHAT YOU SOW IS WHAT YOU WILL REAP. I WANT TO ADD THAT THIS IS EVEN TRUE AMONG CHRISTIANS WHO GOSSIP, TRY TO COMPETE WITH, ARE JEALOUS OF AND SPREAD RUMORS ABOUT OTHER BELIEVERS AND IT INCLUDES THOSE IN MINISTRY, WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER, AS MUCH AS THOSE IN CONGREGATIONS. THESE ARE ALL WORKS OF THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL IS BEHIND THEM. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL IN OUR INTER-FAITH RELATIONSHIPS JUST AS MUCH AS WITH THOSE NOT A PART OF THE CHURCH. TO READ THE REST OF THE SCRIPTURE SUMS IT UP BEST:
Galatians 6:8
8(F)For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap (G)corruption, but (H)the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
B.
Matthew 6:24
" No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
SOME OF YOU MAY THINK THIS MORNING THAT YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. BUT YOU CAN’T. I HAVE TRIED IT AND IT DOES NOT WORK. IF YOUR FOCUS IS ON WORLDLY THINGS, YOU WILL LOVE THOSE THINGS AND END UP DESPISING GOD AND NOT HAVING TIME FOR HIM. IF YOU FOCUS ON THE LORD, THEN YOU WILL NOT WANT OTHER WORLDLY CARES AND CONCERNS OF LIFE TO BECOME A DISTRACTION.
HAVING SAID THIS, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. GOD HAS NO PROBLEM WITH YOU HAVING GOOD THINGS. BUT YOU CANNOT IDOLIZE THEM. YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM AN IDOL BY PUTTING THAT NEW CAR, THAT HOME AND THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR ABOVE GOD. JESUS STILL HAS TO BE FIRST IN YOUR LIFE.
C.
1). 2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
2). John 15:20
"Remember the word that I said to you, ' A slave is not greater than his master ' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
PERSECUTION IS PART AND PARCEL WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. IF YOU DESIRE TO LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST, YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED FOR IT. JESUS WAS PERSECUTED HIMSELF. WE ARE NOT ABOVE HIM. IF IT HAPPENED TO HIM FOR HIS LIFESTYLE AND THE WORD HE PREACHED, IT WILL ALSO HAPPEN TO US.
III. HOW CAN WE BECOME STRONG ENOUGH SPIRITUALLY NOT TO CONFORM TO THE WORLD OR ITS STANDARDS, NOT TO COMPROMISE AND NOT TO WILT AND FADE UNDER TIMES OF PERSECUTION?
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
TRANSFORMATION COMES BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS. THE RENEWAL COMES THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE WORD OF GOD AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO SUBMIT.
THE QUESTION MAY THEN BE ASKED, “HOW CAN I BECOME MORE WILLING?”
Philippians 2:13
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work (meaning "to do") for His good pleasure.
THE ANSWER IS THAT GOD WILL WORK WITHIN US THROUGH HIS SPIRIT, HIS WORD, HIS MINISTERS IN ORDER TO HELP US IN THE AREA OF OUR WILLS. THE WILL DEALS WITH THE RENEWING OF OUR MIND AND GOD IS VERY WILLING TO HELP US WITH THAT RENEWED MIND IF WE ARE NOT STUBBORN AND WE ARE OPEN TO CHANGE. IF NOT, IT MAY TAKE LONGER AND WE MAY GO THROUGH MORE…BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL AND WHEN WE ASK JESUS INTO OUR LIVES, I BELIEVE THE PROCESS BEGINS AT THAT POINT. FROM THERE IT IS AS WALK OF FAITH AND TRUSTING GOD TO WORK THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES TO PRODUCE THE DESIRED RESULT. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT "WHAT GOD HAS BEGUN HE WILL BRING TO COMPLETION." IT ALSO TELLS US THAT "HAVING BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT LET US NOT TRY AND PERFECT WHAT GOD BEGAN IN THE FLESH.
WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO TRUST GOD TO COMPLETE HIS WORK IN US. OUR WALK IS ONE OF FAITH AND OUR GOAL IS CONFORMATION TO THE STANDARDS OF CHRIST.
MAY GOD BLESS THIS WORD TO OUR HEARTS.
By Evangelist Mischa Safdie’
Mischa Safdie’ Ministries
136 N. Grand Ave., Ste. 278
W. Covina, CA 91791
(951) 796-3936
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