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Articles

How Should Jesus’ Claims Impact the Way We Live?

Gary Henry
02/25/04 - The Exclusive Claims of Jesus

 

Introduction

  1. Text: Jn. 8:31,32.
  2. The faith that leads to eternal life is that which produces a lifelong faithfulness to God.
  3. We will not continue to be numbered among the disciples if we do not "abide in" Jesus' word, and the truth, as powerful as it is, will not set us free if we don't maintain our grasp of it - Jn. 8:31,32.
     

A Faith That Respnds Faithfully

  1. Is the quality of our faith such that Jesus can have faith in our faith? Cf. Jn. 2:23-25.
  2. Saving faith is a faith that steadfastly "confesses" Christ - Jn. 12:42,43.
  3. We must not only acknowledge or "accept" the truth, we must make a penitent, obedient, faithful response to it-Col. 2:6.
  4. The love produced by our faith must be a love in deed as well as word -1 Jn. 3:18.
     

"Keeping" the Word of Christ

  1. In Revelation, a blessing is pronounced on the person "who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it" (Rev. 1:3).
  2. If we love Christ, we will "keep" His word-Jn. 14:15,23,24.
  3. It takes "patience" (endurance) to "keep the faith": "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12).
     

 "Abiding" in Christ

  1. We are commanded to "abide" in Christ - Jn. 15:4-8.
  2. As the "Faithful and True Witness" (Rev. 3:14), Jesus could say, "I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love" (Jn. 15:10).
  3. Similarly, He said, " If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love" (Jn. 15:10).
     

What Being a "Martyr" Means

  1. We are called upon to risk death rather than deny what we have said is true about Jesus Christ - Rev. 2:13.
  2. Even when it was dangerous to verbally acknowledge who He was, Jesus did not back down from the truth -Jn. 18:3-6,37.
  3. Like Him, we are to confess the truth - we are to openly admit who He is and what our relationship to Him is, even if this should mean our death - Rev. 6:9; 12:11.
  4. To unashamedly confess the truth about Christ is to make the same "good confession" that He did - 1 Tim. 6:12,13.
  5. If we know the truth about Jesus Christ, we ought to be "unable" to hide it - Ac. 4:20. Cf. Jer. 20:9.
     

 Lifelong Faithfulness

  1. Many accept the evidence for the truth about Jesus Christ and begin living as Christians, but at some point suffer "shipwreck" concerning the faith -1 Tim. 1:19.
  2. Such is the most tragic thing that can befall a human being - 2 Pt. 2:20-22.
  3. As important as faith is, it must be "added to": "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pt. 1:5-11),
  4. We are called upon to be faithful until (or, unto) death - Rev. 2:10.
  5. It is necessary for each of us periodically to "examine" ourselves as to whether we are "in the faith" (2 Cor. 13:5).
     

Conclusion

  1. The message of the Gospel of John is "faith" - the message of Revelation is "faithfulness."
  2. Then Jesus said to those jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:31,32).

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