VI- The Doctrine of Christian Living
1. Q. What is Christian living?
ANSWER: It is love-controlled conduct that is grounded in and flows from our personal relationship with Christ. As we grow in our understanding of how much He loves us, we will grow in our ability to love God above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mt, 22:37-39; Jn. 13:34; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Cor. 13). While we may be ignorant without truth, we are nothing without Christ and His love.
2. Q. What are the evidences of a relationship with Christ?
ANSWER: Those who know what it means to love Christ and to be loved by Him will be marked by deep gratitude to God (Col. 3:12-17), regular conversation with Him (1 Th. 5:17), patient trust in Him (1 Pet. 1:6-9), humble submission to Him (Jas. 4:6-10), and careful attention to love others as He has loved us (1 Jn. 4:7, 11).
3. Q. How can we communicate with God?
ANSWER: By regularly and prayerfully expressing our own hearts to God (Mt. 6:5-15) and by carefully listening to him speak to us through his written Word (Ps. 119;2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).
4. Q. What are the conditions for effective prayer?
ANSWER: God answers our prayers when we pray in faith (Mt. 17:20) and in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18). We must also pray according to his will (1 Jn. 5:14), with a pure heart (Ps. 66:18), with a forgiving spirit (Mk. 11:25-26), and with absolute sincerity (Ps. 145:118).
5. Q. Why is patient trust so essential to the Christian life?
ANSWER: God is honored and will honor us when we patiently trust His wisdom, power, and goodness no matter how fiery our trials, how deep our griefs, how excruciating our pain, or how unexplainable His ways are to us (Job 1:20-22; 13:15; 19:25-27; 23:10;2 Cor. 4:16-18; Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-9’ 4:12-19).
6. Q. If love fulfills the law; why must we keep God’s commandments?
ANSWER: The commands of the Bible are God’s guidelines to show us how we can live out in daily practice the love we have for Him and our neighbors (Mt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Jn. 5:3). Those who do not mediate on the Word of God will soon become distracted and preoccupied with lesser thoughts, routines, and details.
7. Q. Why is telling others about Jesus an important element in Christian living?
ANSWER: Christ commanded it (Mt. 28: 19-20), and the eternal needs of others demand it (Rom. 1:16-17; 10:8-17). It is impossible to love others as Christ does without being concerned about their deep, everlasting need.
ANSWER: It is love-controlled conduct that is grounded in and flows from our personal relationship with Christ. As we grow in our understanding of how much He loves us, we will grow in our ability to love God above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mt, 22:37-39; Jn. 13:34; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Cor. 13). While we may be ignorant without truth, we are nothing without Christ and His love.
2. Q. What are the evidences of a relationship with Christ?
ANSWER: Those who know what it means to love Christ and to be loved by Him will be marked by deep gratitude to God (Col. 3:12-17), regular conversation with Him (1 Th. 5:17), patient trust in Him (1 Pet. 1:6-9), humble submission to Him (Jas. 4:6-10), and careful attention to love others as He has loved us (1 Jn. 4:7, 11).
3. Q. How can we communicate with God?
ANSWER: By regularly and prayerfully expressing our own hearts to God (Mt. 6:5-15) and by carefully listening to him speak to us through his written Word (Ps. 119;2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12).
4. Q. What are the conditions for effective prayer?
ANSWER: God answers our prayers when we pray in faith (Mt. 17:20) and in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18). We must also pray according to his will (1 Jn. 5:14), with a pure heart (Ps. 66:18), with a forgiving spirit (Mk. 11:25-26), and with absolute sincerity (Ps. 145:118).
5. Q. Why is patient trust so essential to the Christian life?
ANSWER: God is honored and will honor us when we patiently trust His wisdom, power, and goodness no matter how fiery our trials, how deep our griefs, how excruciating our pain, or how unexplainable His ways are to us (Job 1:20-22; 13:15; 19:25-27; 23:10;2 Cor. 4:16-18; Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-9’ 4:12-19).
6. Q. If love fulfills the law; why must we keep God’s commandments?
ANSWER: The commands of the Bible are God’s guidelines to show us how we can live out in daily practice the love we have for Him and our neighbors (Mt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Jn. 5:3). Those who do not mediate on the Word of God will soon become distracted and preoccupied with lesser thoughts, routines, and details.
7. Q. Why is telling others about Jesus an important element in Christian living?
ANSWER: Christ commanded it (Mt. 28: 19-20), and the eternal needs of others demand it (Rom. 1:16-17; 10:8-17). It is impossible to love others as Christ does without being concerned about their deep, everlasting need.