Suffering As a True Christian
The bible speaks a lot about suffering as a Christian.
However, many do not realize how true Christians must suffer with Jesus.
Many believe suffering with Jesus to mean denying all natural pleasure of our body.
However, many do not understand the word of God spiritually.
The majority interpret the word of God naturally.
Those who interpret the word of God naturally corrupt themselves according to the book of Jude.
They speak wrongly of the things they cannot possibly understand without the guidance of the holy spirit.
When one truly understands the hidden wisdom of God they will suffer with Jesus as a true Christian.
How do we suffer as a true Christian? First, we must realize the word of God is a spiritual book with hidden wisdom contained therein.
To do this, we must be born of the spirit of God.
The bible tells us, the natural man cannot receive the teaching of the holy spirit.
We must have the spirit of God before we can receive the spiritual meaning of the bible.
Jesus must open our spiritual eyes.
Those who do not have their spiritual eyes open, read the word of God naturally.
They believe they must follow God by keeping his commandments by their own works of righteousness.
Many believe they must live a certain way to become or remain accepted of God.
They do this because they do not understand the hidden meaning behind the commandments of God.
They do not understand the hidden spiritual meaning.
The bible tells us plainly the law of God is spiritual.
However, the majority of the world try to follow God naturally by their own works.
We, however, can not possible earn or retain salvation by our own good works.
Salvation is a complete gift of God.
Jesus done all the work for our salvation, all we have to do is believe it.
The spiritual meaning of the word of God is hidden from those who are lost.
The God of this world has blinded their minds.
When we receive the spirit of God, our spiritual eyes are open.
Then and only then, we see what is required for us to suffer as a true Christian.
To suffer as a true Christian, we must proclaim or believe that faith alone in Jesus is sufficient for salvation.
When we truly do this, we will suffer as a true Christian.
Suffering will occur because the world will reject this idea.
The natural mind will not be able to see how this is possible with all the commandments given in the bible.
They will insist we must follow God's commandments in the flesh by our own good works.
Some will insist, those who are truly saved will have these works in the flesh.
However, true Christians worship God in the spirit.
True Christians understand the law of God is spiritual.
They understand the only commandment of God is to believe and trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
The world will never be able to accept faith alone is sufficient for salvation.
This is because they cannot understand the spiritual meaning of the word of God without first receiving the spirit of God.
When we follow God spiritually by trusting in Jesus alone, we will suffer persecution.
Try it and see.
Tell some professing Christians you do not have to live any certain way to be saved.
Tell them you only have to trust in Jesus for salvation.
Tell them you are free to live as you please without condemnation.
They will think you are evil.
They will think you must be twisting the word of God.
They will think you are crazy.
Many denominations will exclude you from their church if you speak this openly.
The world believes we must live a certain way to be accepted of God.
This is because they interpret the word of God naturally by what it says and not what it means spiritually.
They do not understand the law of God is spiritual even though this is written in the scripture.
They will not believe their is no condemnation to those who are in Christ even though it is written in the scripture.
The world trusts in their own natural ability.
They believe they can just begin living a "good life" and they will go to heaven.
However, our own good works are not required for salvation.
Faith alone in Jesus is required for salvation.
When we abide in the truth of the gospel we will suffer shame at the hand of the world.
Many will speak evil of us.
Some will cast out our name as evil.
They do this because they do not understand us.
They are naturally minded, we are spiritually minded.
The two are contrary one to the other.
The natural mind will not receive the things of the spirit of God.
The natural mind will never be able to see the commandments of God mean for us to trust in Jesus alone when understood spiritually.
For example the bible tells us not to lie.
Many believe we must no lie naturally.
However, spiritually, a liar is one who denies Jesus is the Christ.
This is found in 1John 2:22.
Therefore, when we are commanded not to lie, we are commanded not to deny that Jesus is the Christ.
When we are commanded not to lie, we are commanded to have faith in Jesus.
When we carefully study the word of God with the guidance of the holy spirit, we can see the spiritual meaning of the word of God that is hidden from the natural mind.
So, to follow this commandment spiritually is to trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
To follow it naturally is to try to never tell a lie naturally.
This is why the natural mind will believe we are twisting the word of God when we follow it spiritually, by trusting in Jesus and not our own works of righteousness.
If we add natural commandments and requirements to salvation, the world will accept us.
They will then receive us.
However, if we abide in the faith of the gospel, we will suffer.
The gospel of Jesus offends those who are naturally minded.
The world will never receive that faith alone in Jesus is all that is required for salvation.
The world will try to add natural commandments to live by to be or remain accepted of God.
Let us suffer people speaking evil of us for the gospel of Christ.
Let us suffer shame for the gospel of Christ.
Let us suffer with Christ for his gospel's sake.
Remember, the religious leaders in Jesus' day said he could not possibly be the son of God.
They said, he was eating and drinking with sinners.
The said, the son of God would never do such things.
They believed in following the law of God naturally by their own works of the flesh.
The world will do the same to us, if we abide in the gospel.
They said Jesus had a devil.
If we follow him, they will say we have a devil.
They will say the devil has a hold on us because they do not understand us.
If we agree with the world believing our own good works are a necessary part of salvation, we are denying Jesus.
The bible says, many profess to know him, but deny him with works.
If we add one of our own works to salvation requirements, we deny Jesus.
The bible says, if we suffer with him, we will reign with him.
If we deny him, he will deny us.
We must believe and trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
There is no other way.
If we believe this, we are true Christians.
If we are true Christians, we will suffer.
There is no maybe about it.
If we are truly following Jesus, we will suffer.
The bible tells us all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
If we try to live godly in ourselves by our own good works, the world will accept us.
However, when we trust in Jesus alone, the world will reject us.
The suffering of this present world is not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us who are saved.
Suffering with Jesus is to abide in the faith of his gospel.
Let us never add our own works as necessary for salvation.
Let us not add to or take away from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let us suffer with him.
He suffered for us.
Let us suffer with him.
However, many do not realize how true Christians must suffer with Jesus.
Many believe suffering with Jesus to mean denying all natural pleasure of our body.
However, many do not understand the word of God spiritually.
The majority interpret the word of God naturally.
Those who interpret the word of God naturally corrupt themselves according to the book of Jude.
They speak wrongly of the things they cannot possibly understand without the guidance of the holy spirit.
When one truly understands the hidden wisdom of God they will suffer with Jesus as a true Christian.
How do we suffer as a true Christian? First, we must realize the word of God is a spiritual book with hidden wisdom contained therein.
To do this, we must be born of the spirit of God.
The bible tells us, the natural man cannot receive the teaching of the holy spirit.
We must have the spirit of God before we can receive the spiritual meaning of the bible.
Jesus must open our spiritual eyes.
Those who do not have their spiritual eyes open, read the word of God naturally.
They believe they must follow God by keeping his commandments by their own works of righteousness.
Many believe they must live a certain way to become or remain accepted of God.
They do this because they do not understand the hidden meaning behind the commandments of God.
They do not understand the hidden spiritual meaning.
The bible tells us plainly the law of God is spiritual.
However, the majority of the world try to follow God naturally by their own works.
We, however, can not possible earn or retain salvation by our own good works.
Salvation is a complete gift of God.
Jesus done all the work for our salvation, all we have to do is believe it.
The spiritual meaning of the word of God is hidden from those who are lost.
The God of this world has blinded their minds.
When we receive the spirit of God, our spiritual eyes are open.
Then and only then, we see what is required for us to suffer as a true Christian.
To suffer as a true Christian, we must proclaim or believe that faith alone in Jesus is sufficient for salvation.
When we truly do this, we will suffer as a true Christian.
Suffering will occur because the world will reject this idea.
The natural mind will not be able to see how this is possible with all the commandments given in the bible.
They will insist we must follow God's commandments in the flesh by our own good works.
Some will insist, those who are truly saved will have these works in the flesh.
However, true Christians worship God in the spirit.
True Christians understand the law of God is spiritual.
They understand the only commandment of God is to believe and trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
The world will never be able to accept faith alone is sufficient for salvation.
This is because they cannot understand the spiritual meaning of the word of God without first receiving the spirit of God.
When we follow God spiritually by trusting in Jesus alone, we will suffer persecution.
Try it and see.
Tell some professing Christians you do not have to live any certain way to be saved.
Tell them you only have to trust in Jesus for salvation.
Tell them you are free to live as you please without condemnation.
They will think you are evil.
They will think you must be twisting the word of God.
They will think you are crazy.
Many denominations will exclude you from their church if you speak this openly.
The world believes we must live a certain way to be accepted of God.
This is because they interpret the word of God naturally by what it says and not what it means spiritually.
They do not understand the law of God is spiritual even though this is written in the scripture.
They will not believe their is no condemnation to those who are in Christ even though it is written in the scripture.
The world trusts in their own natural ability.
They believe they can just begin living a "good life" and they will go to heaven.
However, our own good works are not required for salvation.
Faith alone in Jesus is required for salvation.
When we abide in the truth of the gospel we will suffer shame at the hand of the world.
Many will speak evil of us.
Some will cast out our name as evil.
They do this because they do not understand us.
They are naturally minded, we are spiritually minded.
The two are contrary one to the other.
The natural mind will not receive the things of the spirit of God.
The natural mind will never be able to see the commandments of God mean for us to trust in Jesus alone when understood spiritually.
For example the bible tells us not to lie.
Many believe we must no lie naturally.
However, spiritually, a liar is one who denies Jesus is the Christ.
This is found in 1John 2:22.
Therefore, when we are commanded not to lie, we are commanded not to deny that Jesus is the Christ.
When we are commanded not to lie, we are commanded to have faith in Jesus.
When we carefully study the word of God with the guidance of the holy spirit, we can see the spiritual meaning of the word of God that is hidden from the natural mind.
So, to follow this commandment spiritually is to trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
To follow it naturally is to try to never tell a lie naturally.
This is why the natural mind will believe we are twisting the word of God when we follow it spiritually, by trusting in Jesus and not our own works of righteousness.
If we add natural commandments and requirements to salvation, the world will accept us.
They will then receive us.
However, if we abide in the faith of the gospel, we will suffer.
The gospel of Jesus offends those who are naturally minded.
The world will never receive that faith alone in Jesus is all that is required for salvation.
The world will try to add natural commandments to live by to be or remain accepted of God.
Let us suffer people speaking evil of us for the gospel of Christ.
Let us suffer shame for the gospel of Christ.
Let us suffer with Christ for his gospel's sake.
Remember, the religious leaders in Jesus' day said he could not possibly be the son of God.
They said, he was eating and drinking with sinners.
The said, the son of God would never do such things.
They believed in following the law of God naturally by their own works of the flesh.
The world will do the same to us, if we abide in the gospel.
They said Jesus had a devil.
If we follow him, they will say we have a devil.
They will say the devil has a hold on us because they do not understand us.
If we agree with the world believing our own good works are a necessary part of salvation, we are denying Jesus.
The bible says, many profess to know him, but deny him with works.
If we add one of our own works to salvation requirements, we deny Jesus.
The bible says, if we suffer with him, we will reign with him.
If we deny him, he will deny us.
We must believe and trust in Jesus alone for salvation.
There is no other way.
If we believe this, we are true Christians.
If we are true Christians, we will suffer.
There is no maybe about it.
If we are truly following Jesus, we will suffer.
The bible tells us all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
If we try to live godly in ourselves by our own good works, the world will accept us.
However, when we trust in Jesus alone, the world will reject us.
The suffering of this present world is not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us who are saved.
Suffering with Jesus is to abide in the faith of his gospel.
Let us never add our own works as necessary for salvation.
Let us not add to or take away from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let us suffer with him.
He suffered for us.
Let us suffer with him.
