9. Application: Practical Steps to Abiding in Christ

Understand the Foundation

  • The relational nature of God: Recognize that God is primarily a personal being, not an abstract concept or a set of rules. Approach Him relationally, with trust and love, as you would in any deep personal relationship. This understanding is crucial for moving beyond legalism and into the true liberty of Christ.
  • The role of human agency: Understand that while we don't act independently of God, we do have real agency. God works through our choices and actions, not despite them. This means we must actively engage in our relationship with God, making conscious decisions to obey and follow Christ.
  • Divine sovereignty and human responsibility: Embrace the truth that God's sovereignty doesn't negate our responsibility. Rather, His foreknowledge and control work in harmony with our genuine choices. This should motivate us to actively pursue abiding in Christ, knowing our efforts are meaningful within God's sovereign plan.

Develop a Christ-Centered Worldview

  • Study Christ's teachings: Dedicate time to reading and meditating on the New Testament, particularly the words of Jesus and the apostles. Seek to understand not just the letter but the spirit of their teachings, focusing on how they reveal God's nature and His expectations for our lives.
  • Recognize God's delight in righteous deeds: Reject the notion that all our righteous acts are "filthy rags." Understand that God genuinely delights in the good works produced by His Spirit through us. This isn't self-righteousness, but the fruit of abiding in Christ.
  • Shift from rule-following to love-motivated obedience: Move beyond mere compliance with rules to a lifestyle motivated by love for God and others. Understand that true obedience to Christ flows from love and results in love, fulfilling the whole law.

Spiritual Disciplines for Abiding in Christ

  • Prayer - conversing with God: Develop a consistent prayer life, viewing it as an ongoing conversation with God. Expect the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself experientially, empowering you to continually abide in Christ and walk in divine love.
  • Scripture study and meditation: Regularly engage with Scripture, not just for knowledge acquisition, but for transformation. Allow God's Word to renew your mind and shape your understanding of reality.
  • Repentance and baptism: Genuinely repent, which means turning away from sin and towards God. If you haven't been baptized, obey Christ's command to be baptized as a public declaration of your faith and commitment.
  • Surrender to the Holy Spirit: Cultivate a habit of continual surrender to the Holy Spirit's guidance and power. Recognize that it's through His indwelling presence that we can live righteously and love as Christ loved.

Living Out Christ's Teachings in Daily Life

  • Remeber the gospel: 1 John 4 says we love Him because He first loved us. Always remember what Jesus did on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and let His love for you fill you with love and zeal for Him. We grow our love for Him by looking at what He has done for us and how He genuinely presently loves us.
  • Apply the Golden Rule: Actively practice doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. This principle should guide all your interactions, serving as a practical expression of Christ's love.
  • Love as Jesus loved: Strive to love God and others with the same selfless, sacrificial love that Jesus demonstrated. Remember that this love is not just an emotion, but a choice and an action. Jesus gave this new command in the gospels:
    • John 15:12-13
      "12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
  • Maintain a clear conscience: Walk before God with a clear conscience and a pure heart. Regularly examine your motives and actions, promptly confessing and forsaking any sin if your conscience convicts you.

The Role of Other Christians in Christlike Living

  • Engage with other believers: Regularly meet with other Christians for mutual encouragement, accountability, and growth. Share your journey of abiding in Christ and walking in love.
  • Teach the possibility of righteous living: Challenge and encourage others with the truth that consistent righteous living is possible through God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. Many believers have lost sight of this possibility, so your testimony can be powerful.
  • Support obedience to Christ: Create a culture of love and obedience within your Christian circle. Encourage one another to obey all of Christ's teachings, not selectively or half-heartedly, but fully and joyfully.

Overcoming Challenges and Misconceptions

  • Address common struggles: Be prepared for challenges in consistently living righteously. If you stumble, confess your sin and turn back to God in repentance, remembering His mercy and the power of His Spirit to enable obedience.
  • Correct misunderstandings: Be ready to lovingly correct common misunderstandings about righteousness, such as the belief that sin is inevitable or that righteous living leads to pride. Use Scripture and your own testimony to challenge these misconceptions.
  • Navigate divine sovereignty and human responsibility: Help others understand how God's sovereignty works alongside human responsibility. Encourage active obedience and faith, while maintaining humble dependence on God's grace and power. Don't get bogged down in this issue through argumentation, for this is not the core message of Christ.

Reflection and Self-Examination

  • Regular self-assessment: Set aside time regularly to honestly evaluate your walk with Christ. Ask yourself: Am I truly abiding in Christ? Is my life characterized by love for God and others? Am I growing in virtue, obeying all of Christ's teachings?
  • Seek the Spirit's insight: Invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of disobedience or lack of love. Be open to His conviction and quick to respond in repentance and renewed commitment.

Remember, the goal is not perfection through human effort, but consistent, loving obedience through Gods power by abiding in Christ and yielding to His Spirit. This is the path to the abundant life Christ promised and the fulfilment of God's purpose for His children. He became like us so we could be like Him.