The way we live our lives demonstrate more clearly what we believe about the Bible and God than anything we say. Many call themselves Christians, 3/5 of Americans claim to be personally committed to Christ. Matthew 7:21-23 is a clear example of why we need to believe what the Bible teaches and live it, rather than claim we believe what the Bible teaches yet continue to live in opposition to those teachings.

• Does your life reflect what you claim to believe?
• Do you keep Christ’s commandments and abide in His love?
• Are there any areas of your life that are in opposition to Scripture and Christ’s commandments?

Bible Reading: John 15:1-17

 

Matthew 19:16-30: What did the rich young man claim to believe? What belief did the rich young man demonstrate? Who then can be saved, and why? What are the rewards of salvation in this scripture?
The young man claimed to believe the Word of God. His question to Christ demonstrated this as well as his answer. The fact that he turned away proved that he did not truly believe that he would forgo eternal life and burn in hell if he kept the cash.
Yet, regardless of all this, anyone can be saved! See my post: The Roman Road: A Well-Engineered Path to Salvation Because with God, anything is possible!

Matthew 7:13-14: How do these two paths relate to how we choose to live? Is there anything to suggests that living the life that leads to eternal life will be easy? Is there anything to suggest that living a life that leads to death and destruction will be difficult? On a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the most difficult “ five being a perceived average of the American dream, how difficult is the life that you live?
Everyday was can choose the easy was or the hard way. We can choose to follow the world and give in to the peer pressure around us, or we can stand strong, convicted that a life dedicated to Christ is worth far more than a mere breath of earthly pursuits. There is nothing to suggest that living a life that leads to eternal life is easy. As a matter of fact, the New Testament assures us that it will be difficult, yet for all of that my life is so easy it embarrasses me to think through what Christians in China are currently going through. How much easier it is to just go with the flow, and wake up on the other side of this life in hell. Unfortunately, my life is far to easy I’m probably an eight on the scale above. I pray this camel can find a needle that fits!

James 2:14-24: What good is it if someone says he has faith (i.e. “ believes the Scripture) but does not have works (i.e. “lives a life that is counter to the Scripture”)? Can that faith save him? List any ways that you can think of to show your faith without works?
No good! No good! No Good! That faith can not save! I stand with James and challenge you – show me your faith without works!!

I Corinthians 3:10-15: What beliefs did Paul demonstrate? How did he demonstrate those beliefs? What does Paul exhort us to believe? How may we demonstrate those beliefs once we accept them?
What a wonderful encouragement, to know that our works stand for something. That past getting into Heaven, we can look forward to rewards based upon how our faith was demonstrated through our works here on earth! It just makes me want to go out and exercise my faith more, to live more radically (read opposite of the society around me) for God and His Ways and His Law! Why? For Fear of God, for Love of God, and perhaps just a little bit because I want to be rewarded in heaven!!!

APPLICATION FOR LIVING: The bottom line is that you will absolutely live and show by your actions what you actually believe. We all live our lives, make our decisions, and execute our work based on what we truly believe, regardless of what it is that we "say" we believe. So the real meat is not in how you live what you believe (you are going to do that anyway), it is in what you actually chose to truly believe in which will quite naturally be made manifest in your life.
Like a rudder to a ship is belief to a life, your beliefs control your actions! It is not the other way around!

What does James 1:22-25 teach us about living our lives today?
I know far to many people that go to church each Sunday and perhaps a Bible Study here and there (look into the mirror) and then walk away and live thier lives by societies standards (forget what they saw in the mirror). Lord, I pray that I am never one of these, but that I remember the Law constantly and measure each decision against it.

List all the way’s found in the following scripture to demonstrate your belief in Christ’s commandments: Romans 13:1

• Follow the Speed Limit
• Submit to Your Church Leadership
• Honor Your Boss and Management Team at Work
• Pay your Taxes Faithfully

Philippians 2:14-15

• Do all the above with a cheerful heart!

1 Peter 1:13-15

• Study the Scripture
• Pray Continually
• Be Holy
• Be Sober Minded

Exodus 20: 2-17

• Obey The Ten Commandments!

Matthew 28:19-20

• GO! Don’t Stay.
• Make Disciples – don’t wait for them to spring up out of the ground
• Baptize Them!!!!
• Teach them all of Christs Commandments
• Enjoy the presence of Christ

List some common ways that "Christian’s" in our culture live their lives in opposition to Christ’s commandments. We gossip, we slander, we gripe and moan, we seek after our own desires, we lust for our neighbors possessions.

How may we live lives that are in agreement with Christ’s commandments? (Matthew 19:24, Ezekiel 36:27) Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, poured out upon us and soaking us through and through.