Blessings & Responsibilities Of Being A Christian

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                        "A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD"

           Blessings & Responsibilities Of Being A Christian

INTRODUCTION

1. Every person has some big events in life (for example:  birth,
   graduation, marriage, death)

2. But the most important event for anyone is becoming a Christian!
   a. Why?  Because it affects both you and others for ETERNITY
   b. Unfortunately, many people become Christians and do not really
      appreciate it until late in life, if ever
   c. But our service for Christ would be more productive and
      infinitely more enjoyable if we began to grasp the true
      significance of being Christians, and as such, the children of
      God

3. This lesson is the first in a series designed to encourage and
   instruct one to have "A Closer Walk With God," and to be more
   fruitful in our service as disciples of Jesus Christ

[To help motivate us in fulfilling this goal, let's summarize just a 
few of the blessings and responsibilities we have as Christians...]

I. GOD AS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER - 1Jn 3:1

   A. CONSIDER THE BLESSING OF HAVING GOD AS OUR FATHER...
      1. He is the source of every good and perfect gift from above
         - Jm 1:17; Mt 7:11
      2. He provides us comfort in all our afflictions - 2Co 1:3-4
      3. When needed, in love He chastises us - He 12:5-11
      4. He has promised never to forsake us - He 13:5-6

   B. YET, THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HAVING GOD AS OUR FATHER...
      1. We must SUBMIT to God - Jm 4:7
         a. By submitting to His Word
         b. By submitting to His providential workings in our lives 
            - 1Pe 5:6-11
      2. We must also DRAW NEAR to God - Jm 4:8
         a. Just as an earthly father delights when his children want
            to draw near to him, so does God - cf. Mt 23:37
         b. We draw nearer to God by "cleansing our hands" and
            "purifying our hearts" - Jm 4:8
            1) That is, by obtaining forgiveness and then strengthening
               our resolve to serve Him
            2) For the Christian, this involves REPENTANCE, CONFESSION
               OF SINS, AND PRAYER - Ac 8:22; 1Jn 1:9

II. JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND HIGH PRIEST - 1Co 8:6; He 4:14

   A. THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THIS BLESSING...
      1. He who is our "Lord" is also He who rules over the kings of
         the earth - Re 1:5-6
         a. All authority in heaven and earth has been given Him
            - Mt 28:18
         b. All have been made subject to Him - 1Pe 3:22
         c. Yet, He calls us His "brethren"! - He 2:11-12
      2. As "High Priest", He intercedes in our behalf - Ro 8:34
         a. A High Priest who understands our every feeling
            - He 2:17-18
         b. A High Priest who "ever lives" to make such intercession
            for us - He 7:24-25

   B. WHAT ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES OF HAVING JESUS AS LORD AND HIGH
      PRIEST?
      1. If He is truly our LORD, we must do what He says - Lk 6:46
         a. We must be careful to observe what He taught - Mt 28:18-20
         b. We must keep His commandments - Jn 15:10,14
      2. We must also utilize His role as our HIGH PRIEST - He 4:14-16
         a. In other words, be quick to obtain mercy and find grace to
            help us in time of need
         b. Again, for the Christian this involves PRAYER

III. THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US - 1Co 3:16

   A. WONDERFUL BLESSINGS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT'S
      INDWELLING...
      1. He gives us strength to put to death the fleshly deeds of the
         body - Ro 8:11-13; Ep 3:16,20
      2. He also helps in our weakness when it comes to praying as we
         ought, by acting as an intercessor for us - Ro 8:26-27

   B. WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DO WE HAVE IN VIEW OF THE SPIRIT'S
      INDWELLING?
      1. To keep the temple of God, the church, HOLY - 1Co 3:16-17
      2. We are to GLORIFY God even with our bodies - 1Co 6:18-20
      3. We are to WALK in the Spirit, being so LED by the Spirit as to
         produce the FRUIT of the Spirit - Ga 5:16-18, 22-25
         a. This we do by setting our minds on the THINGS of the Spirit
            - Ro 8:5-6
         b. Which involves the WORD of God, which is the SWORD of the
            Spirit - Ep 6:17

IV. THE CHURCH AS OUR FAMILY - 1Ti 3:15

   A. THE BLESSING OF HAVING THE CHURCH AS OUR FAMILY...
      1. The members become like fathers, mothers, brothers, and 
         sisters - 1Ti 5:1-2
      2. They can even replace physical relations we may lose when we
         become Christians - Mk 10:28-30; Mt 12:46-50

   B. RESPONSIBILITIES OF HAVING THE CHURCH AS OUR FAMILY...
      1. We are to "edify one another" - He 10:24-25
         a. This necessitates assembling together frequently
         b. This requires each one doing their share - Ep 4:15-16
      2. We are to "bear one another's burdens" - Ga 6:1-2
         a. For such is the "law" of Christ
         b. This requires that we know each other well, and can be
            depended upon to provide support

CONCLUSION

1. There are certainly many more blessings and responsibilities that we
   have as Christians

2. But I hope that these suffice to IMPRESS UPON US...
   a. How blessed we are as Christians
   b. How important it is that we fulfill our responsibilities
   -- OR WE MAY LOSE THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE! - He 3:12-15
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