Faith Life 34 (Mind with Faith 3)

GRACE ABOUNDS ONLINE BIBLE STUDY
THEME: FAITH LIFE OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS (Part34)
TOPIC: THE MIND WITH FAITH 3
SPEAKER: Peter Ayoola Fakeye (PAF)

In our two previous articles, we have shared the the first two points in how we can engage our minds with faith. So, you can refer to the first article here and second article here

1 John 3:1-3

3. Don't set out to impress the world!
When we look at verse 2 of our text, the bible made us understand that since we are children of God, the world does not know us because they don't know Him. It should not be strange to us when the world does not understand us. Many times, they call us names, just as they called Jesus names while He was on the earth. Brethren, because of our unique parentage by God, the world won't understand our move and the driving force of our life.

But in our days, we now see Christians that work so hard just to show the world how much like the world they can be. Brethren, You are unique! You are God's! For instance, when the life of God is born in you and as a result keeps you away from immorality and youthful lust, they can tag you as an 'ignorant person'. Or when the life of God is born in you and thereby created a passion to know God in you which always make you spend time in God's presence, they can tag you church boy/girl. They don't just understand. There are many other examples, and we know our peculiar situation where the world seems not to understand us since we are living as Children of God and due to the impact of life we have received. So, I am admonishing that there is nothing that can be traded with your sonship in Christ. 

As we have been considering from the patriarchs in Hebrews 11, those who will live in faith must live as pilgrims and strangers on this earth.

When Jesus was on the earth, the Jews didn't recognize him as the Son of God. But His bodily resurrection attests to and affirms His claim as the eternal Son of God. Indeed, the world does not know us yet. At times because we are not fighting for our rights, they tend to call us weakling just as they called Jesus while on the cross because they felt He can't save Himself. They aren't aware that He was saving their lives and the destiny of the whole world. 

4. We must desire now to live like Jesus!
When we say we should desire to live like Jesus or to be like Jesus, it means we must release ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and withhold nothing. And for you to pattern your life according to the life of someone, it means you need to see that person constantly. And this is the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of a man. He always gives us a picture of Christ and who we are in Him.

In all sincerity, we may not be able to comprehend the entire picture now just as Apostle John said in our text, but we need to go deeper and deeper into Christ. If a man desire to be like Christ, it will show in his life, appetites, and priorities. Brethren, how intentionally are we in our commitment to knowing Jesus?

A Christian that does not have a desire to be like Christ is not ready to be like Him eternally. When we understand that Christ is our eternal portion, then we will desire that from now, we will get used to living the life of Christ. And this we must know that there is nothing worth more than the life we now have in Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:23
Today when we look through the mirror, images are clearer, but in ancient days while Paul was writing that epistle, mirrors are made of polished metals and the images are not clear. So, Apostle Paul says that we see Jesus dimly just as we see our images not clearly seen in a mirror, but one day we will see Him in His perfect clarity. But we can grow in the way we behold and see Him until our heart is fully engulfed with the full light of the Gospel. And we are not just to see Christ legalistically, or attempt to view Him with human wisdom, but it has to be by revelation from the Holy Spirit.

The bible says that we shall see him as He (Jesus) is. Although, many have not been seeing Christ as He is, and that's why we are not manifesting the life He now has. To the extent of Jesus you see as He is presently, is the extent of how you will be like Him in this world.

5. We must know our destiny.
Every Christian needs to be conscious of his eternal destiny. The bible says knowing our eternal destiny and living in that hope purifies our lives. Although we must know that our Hope is not in Heaven, It is not in some locations because I hear many people, 'heaven is the goal' and this has caused a lot of havoc in the Christian community. Brethren, we must know that our hope is CHRIST - our hope is in a personality and not a location. 
Many Christians, believe our home is in some destinations. And this has given birth to legalism and lasciviousness on the other end. But when a man knows that Christ is his hope and that he is not going to have CHRIST'S life someday, rather he has him now, this gives birth to the fruit of the Spirit.
 
If we know that our eternal destiny is to be like CHRIST, body, soul, and spirit, it impacts faith in us to be more and more like Christ now. We must never set our hope on anything, be it a relationship, success, wealth, health, or possession. Simply put, the hope of the Christian believer is in CHRIST Jesus. You may not have all the money you need, you may be currently sick, you may not have someone to marry you now, you might have failed in business or academics. Friends, I am here to declare to you that your eternal destiny is not a function of all those. Jesus is your eternal destiny. Know this and know peace.

Although having all of those things mentioned above are not bad. In fact, they are what is expected of Children of God. But when a man begins to evaluate all those, and place value on them as though they are the essence of life, then such a man is missing the deal because CHRIST is the real deal.

No matter what you are passing through, just be engulfed in who you are in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to work on you and your situations, and I can assure you your situation will correspond to your position in Christ Jesus.

Shalom

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