Being a Christian is not simply believing, but a supernatural change of life. This change means submitting to all the commands of Jesus. Do you think you can go to heaven without surrendering to the leadership of Jesus? This is Straight Talk From The Bible for narrow road followers of Jesus.
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It is imperative that every true Christ follower understands what is important to God. Then alter their lifestyle to practice what God Almighty specifies is the way to focus and fulfill His will. From the very first day the church was formed God was clear.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 NKJV
They Gathered to Glorify God and We Do Not Have The Right To Do Things Differently!
Our weekly Sunday gatherings must be a composite of the elements that the early church devoted themselves to. The first day the Holy Spirit descended upon the church 3000 brand new believers were born again. The Apostles immediately focused on their spiritual growth as recorded in Acts 2:42.
They would not stop gathering together to teach the commands of Christ to the church; they persisted in fellowship by lovingly encouraging, testifying, exhorting, and building up each other in the faith. They faithfully had communion together examining themselves for moral and spiritual purity and clearing their consciences by admitting their sins and being cleansed through the shed blood of Jesus who died for mankind’s sins.
Also, they strengthened one another through confessing their faults one to another. And then the Apostles led the church with loud voices, crying to God for His mighty acts through prayer.
When the church was formed they did not have anything that our modern day church considers essential. There were no choirs, pews, Sunday Schools, youth groups, etc. Jesus Christ formed, organized, and empowered His church from the outset.
Just like the cells of our human bodies, each Christian still has his or her function to perform within the unified local church, but they need mutual edification and support from each other, and the spiritual cleansing of God’s Word by faithful shepherds [pastor]. From the beginning, the church needed discipline and organization to send out approved members by the church “body” to serve and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Therefore we must practice Christianity as God instructs us to in the Bible. Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ and gifted and called by Jesus Christ, the head, to fulfill his or her purpose. When we gather on Sunday mornings we meet as taught in Acts and 1 Corinthians 14. Like a four legged table, our church gathering stands on all four elements of spiritual growth: the proclamation of the apostles’ doctrine [teaching], fellowship [public testimonies, exhortations, and confessions], breaking of bread [the communion/love feast], and group prayer.
I highly suggest churches to deviate from traditional church services by preaching the Word of God first. James 1:14 has clear application for the House of God, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak.” The power of God’s Word is “as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) Therefore if you hear God’s Word first, before singing hymns and spiritual songs, people can keep from making promises to God they may not mean.
The reason is simple, we are warned “not to be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” [Ecclesiastes 5:2]. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and we need to hear His perspective on life. We need to learn from His vast wisdom. He does not need to hear us. We need to humble ourselves, rethink our application of truth, and repent and change our lifestyle.
This practice is in obedience to Acts 2:42 and basic biblical principles.
Next, to be “doers of the Word” and not just hearers of sermons a local church can respond to God’s Word and have fellow believers take the responsibility of fellowship. We know that there are over twenty “one another” commands given in the New Testament for believers to practice when they come together.
For example, we are told to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching” [Hebrews 10:25]. Any church that is serious about obedience, spiritual growth, and outreach must practice all the “one another” commands. Testimonies and confessions following a sermon provide powerful interaction of the “one another” commands. This always results in the true spirit of love inside the church.
And this is important after our hearts are cleansed and relationships mended and strengthened through the “one another” interaction of fellowship, we are ready for breaking bread together. We finalize our spiritual examinations, confess and repent of any sin God reveals, and have intimate communion with the Father while we remember the Lord’s most sacred act, the sacrifice of His life for our sin.
Refreshed and revived we are ready to shout out our praises to God. Most churches use music to try and prepare their people for the message. But, I have noticed that God’s word releases the saints to glorify God. True praise comes as a result of God’s Word working in us. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” [Colossians 3:16]
Finally if a local church practices prayer and crying out at the end of the church gathering God blesses. Paul emphasizes the importance of the kind of prayer that moves heaven. “In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.” 1 Timothy 2:8 (NLT)
“‘God opposes the proud but favors the humble.’ So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” 1 Peter 5:5-6 (NLT) When Christians lift their voices together as instructed throughout the scripture it forces everyone into humble pleadings and cries to God. Only churches who forget their pride and shout out together for help will be heard. Sincere supplications [intense begging] are heard by our Heavenly Father and He is answers the cries of His church.
Biblical Churches Disciple Christians on Purpose
According to Christ’s great commission every church that actually follows Jesus focuses, works at, and majors on teaching Christ followers to actually live the way Christ demands. Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT) is clear, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Again like Acts 2 illustrates big group and small groups are essential to solidifying the local church in loves and purpose. “They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47 (NLT) Christians who refuse to follow this formula are not blessed by God.
Biblical Churches Love The World and Reach Out and Make Disciples
Mature believers spread out into their world and practice good works expressing love to their neighbors which leads to conversations and invitations to Christ. Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The Seven Practices of a Biblical Church
1/ The power of true leadership: God values holiness and obedience which means all leadership is carefully examined by God’s standard of character and moral purity.
2/ The power of conversion: God values His Law which convicts and converts through driving people to Christ for forgiveness. The Biblical church demands proof of life change and obedience through discipleship.
3/ The power of God’s Word: God values truth and the commands of Christ are foundational to a Christian’s lifestyle.
4/ The power of fellowship: God values love and true friendship so “one another” commands are practiced as normal Christian ministry.
5/ The power of communion: God values His Son and His sacrifice so discerning the Lord’s Body and spiritual examination are done often.
6/ The power of prayer: God values mankind so as a House of Prayer Christians cry to God for help for one another and the salvation of neighbors and friends.
7/ The power of service: God values servanthood so the work of loving neighbors through good works is non-optional as commanded by Christ.
If you look at 1 Thess. 5:23 you see that God divides a man into three distinct parts: body, soul, and spirit. Through careful study of scripture we can find that the soul is the mind, will and emotions. Even though it is hard to visualize this, our spirit is the center of our being and has other distinct functions. Hebrews 4:12 clearly declares that there is a division between the soul and spirit. But you might be saying, “Why does this matter?”
Well, first, we are commanded to love God with all our heart, also all our soul, our mind and all our strength. If we do not carefully study this we may be disobeying this command, and therefore rebelling against God. So if we are, then we will suffer the consequences of our ignorance instead of living in health and the blessing of the Lord through knowing and following God’s wise counsel and wisdom.
There will be no peace in your heart.
So let’s look back at Hebrews 4:12 AMP! “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.”
The meaning is clear, God’s Word pierces past a person’s mind, will and emotions and grips a person, convicting and judging them in the core of their heart, where the control center of their motives dwell.
For example this is recorded from Peter’s first sermon as he used the Law of God to point out to the crowd their sin of murder and rebellion against God. Here is how it is recorded in Acts, “Now when they heard this they were stung (cut) to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles (special messengers), Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:37-38 AMP]
As you see the people responding had their consciences so stabbed that they admitted their sin and immediately wanted forgiveness. Also, they had a new desire to change their ways. From this we can see that the conscience is a function of the spirit; not just emotion, reason, or an informed decision of the mind, nor a combination of the three parts of the soul.
And also notice the key to God’s peace and blessing is the gift of the Holy Spirit. What does this mean?
Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible states men are evil from the core of their being. Jeremiah 17:9 AMP states, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?”
The Bible talks about each person as dead in sin, meaning the spirit of that person is completely cut off from Jesus, who is “the way, the truth and the life.” In Rom 7:11 TM we are further instructed, “So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead.” So what comes out of a person with a stone dead spirit?
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, [21] envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” [Galatians 5:19-21]
Just like the orange tree produces oranges, a stone heart produces a hard resistance to the ten foundational commands of God and all the applications of these orders.
When a person has a diseased physical heart, death is certain unless they can somehow receive a gift of someone else’s heart. This is the same exact problem with humanity! There is no way to reform a person, they will never change. Therefore, God must do a miracle and give a new heart and spirit to cure them of their sick spirit. “I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands.” [Ezek 36:26-27 THE MESSAGE]
What this means is true and lasting change does happen to a person who receives this miracle from God. It is so radical and life-changing that Jesus taught, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.” [John 3:3 AMP]
This is different than many Americans experience who believe in Jesus Christ. Remember believing in your mind [your soul] is not the same as receiving a new spirit! Experiencing the fruitful change of heart is an explosive reality! “Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)” [John 7:38-39 from THE MESSAGE]
A born again Christian is living off the heart of Jesus Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is God’s Spirit pumping eternal life through the born again spirit and influencing the person’s mind, emotions, and will. God’s mighty grace [the desire and power to do God’s will] is active and powerful giving the miraculous ability to do what God promised, “to do what I tell you and live by my commands.”
John a close friend of Jesus wrote, “All who keep His commandments [who obey His orders and follow His plan, live and continue to live, to stay and] abide in Him, and He in them. [They let Christ be a home to them and they are the home of Christ.] And by this we know and understand and have the proof that He [really] lives and makes His home in us: by the [Holy] Spirit Whom He has given us.” [1 John 3:24 AMP]
Therefore a real Christian is more than a church attendee, more than an emotionally charged believer who does good works, and more than a well versed religious person. Many Americans have achieved these categories. Just because your mind is full of Bible facts and you firmly believe in them does not mean you will go to heaven. Life giving fruit from God’s Spirit is the only proof of life.
Read the Ten Commandments [Exodus 20] until you see yourself as a criminal who has broken them and deserving of God’s wrath. Read John until you see that Jesus took your punishment. Beg God to forgive you and accept His forgiveness through Jesus’ death.
Peace is the reality of a new relationship with God, once enemies, but instead adopted as a child of God with all the blessing and protection of the Almighty. Remember, peace is not freedom from problems or tribulation, but the calm resolve of the new fruit of God’s heart pumping inside you!
Do you know Him?
If you truly love Jesus Christ and want to grow up and be a mature useful member of God’s kingdom you must make four foundational commitments. These are not in word only, but in wholehearted steps of obedience to God Almighty. They are natural steps of obedience that will transform any Christian to a “good and faithful servant” instead of a “wicked and lazy servant.”
If you look at our circles diagram you see five concentric circles illustrating our four steps to God’s standard of discipleship maturity.
All of us start as lost sinners and are found in the community or crowd, the outer two circles. In the Bible, Jesus gives the following story: “The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” [Mark 4:14-20].
As Christians share the Good News with people of the community, some are so close minded [blinded] that they are like a paved road, so hard that they will not even listen or think about the truth of Jesus Christ.
Others have an interest and say they want Christ, but if their friends mock them or trouble and conflict comes their way, they figure Jesus was not really worth it. They go to church for a short time, but quit. Many others [of the crowd] are very interested and may make a commitment to attend church on a regular basis, but their hearts are so full of making money, pleasing themselves and having fun that they don’t really obey Christ, just attend church. This is why we are challenging you, this is not true Christianity.
Only those that really listen, accept, and bear fruit are real. So here is your first commitment, give your life to Christ Jesus. Have you admitted that you are a sinful criminal before. Yes, have you been caught by God’s Word and you know that you have committed the crimes God accused you of.
You are a liar, you know you have lied at least once, right? There are so many crimes you have committed! You broke the Law! Read Exodus 20. Read through a number of New Testament books until your hard heart is crushed and so softened by conviction [convinced of your wrong doing] that you know you need God’s merciful forgiveness. Only then will you be forgiven through Jesus’ sacrifice, because He died in you place. Only when you accept His provision of forgiveness can you make your first commitment.
You must become a born again Christian. Immediately, this changes your relationship from being God’s enemy, to being God’s adopted child. You are now a member of God’s family! Sometimes enemies sneak into churches, even understanding they are missing something. But they will not stay because they are not connected to the church through Jesus and the Holy Spirit that lives inside born again believers. They usually go and create their own church or organization.
Jesus tells his new believers, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” You magnify or glorify God when you clearly do what He commands in the New Testament. And believers must make the family connection!
1/ That is why you need to make your first commitment as a believer and leave the crowd and join the congregation. You 
must join solidly with a local church, the congregation of the Lord. You must become a responsible family member. You must help with the chores. Help with the children. Help with the responsibilities. You must learn to love your new spiritual family. You must join them because they do not know you yet. You must join them to fulfill God’s will.
2/ Your second commitment as a Christian is when you sincerely commit to grow spiritually. In our baseball diamond that means after you get to first base and start to become an active part of the congregation then you must focus on your maturity. See our site Seven Steps To Maturity for free help.
To really grow up we suggest a four-fold commitment to
1/ group Bible study for the purpose of completely understanding your responsibilities,
2/ group fellowship to practically learn to fulfill your responsibilities,
3/ group communion feasts to keep spiritually pure and healthy,
4/ and group prayer meetings to commune with God.
As a new baby family member you grow from copying and listening to your spiritual elders. As a mature member your example helps the younger develop their skills. And this discipleship training prepares you for the next steps in walking with your Lord Jesus.
3/ Your third foundational commitment is to serve and help others through motivated service to others [core lay minister]. See “Equipped To Serve: Spiritual Grace Gifts, One For Every Believer!” for details.
Jesus teaches in Mark 9:35, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” And Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
We all have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit when we were born again. We receive His gift as He enters us and through spiritual growth it begins to “light” and glow through us. We need to help each other discover this gift and serve others to glorify God.
See Romans 12 to learn of the seven grace gifts. When we speak of ministers we mean servants who serve God and people as God calls. This is a calling to all Christians to bear fruit, and is the true core of leadership. We are not leaders like the world defines authority, because God calls a leader, a “servant of all.” What is left for the core “servant-leader” church members to do?
4/ Finally as core lay ministers, we must commit to the mission Jesus gives all His followers. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We must fulfill the Great Commission! As we go across the planet supporting each other, we obey the Great commands [Matthew 22] and the Great Commission [Matthew 28]. Your city must feel your presence as a local church (Christians united to obey God) with god-like influence and a vocal call to repent and follow Jesus Christ.
You are now responsible for what you have just learned. You must make the transition from thought to action.
Go and climb the peaks of commitment with all your “heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
Glorify the Lord and change your world!
