As Christians, God has set us apart and made us His very own. We are His called-out ones, and this is a distinction of the highest honor. Romans 5:2(NLT) tells us, “Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” We have been made right in God’s sight because of what Jesus Christ did for us, and we should be rejoicing in gratitude for this every moment of each day. We’ve been called by God, and we can share in His glory. He has rescued us from darkness and death, and we desperately need Him in our lives. It’s never about thinking we’re perfect. One of our most discerning characteristics as God’s sons and daughters is that we know we need God, and we also know that we can count on Him to help, lead, and guide us through life.
God loves everyone and wants every individual to be saved. He wants them to learn about His love and who He is. The reality, however, is that everyone does not love God, and they are not interested in knowing the truth. A fundamental difference between disciples of Christ and others is that we want to know more about him and, therefore, study God’s Word. We understand that we must be different from the world. Psalm 4:3(ESV) tells us, “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself.” This verse does wonders for our sense of self and purpose. We are set apart for God, by God, according to His divine plan and purpose. Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, God has placed us IN Christ, and Christ is IN us. The heft of this much power, this much authority, peace, love, and joy are way too much to sit about with our hands tucked beneath our laps. God’s Will is that we employ them for the uplifting of His Kingdom.
It’s our choice as to how high we will go in the things of God. We must realize that our lives move at a pace that is set by our own commitment and willingness to serve and impact the lives of others with God’s Gospel. Sometimes we forget this. We want the spiritual goodies but forget that with them come responsibility.
God has made a miraculous change in our lives. Without the transformation that He offers us through Jesus Christ, we are lost, but when we turn to Him and accept His salvation, we’re found. We become alive to Him spiritually, and the light of Christ illuminates us. We are never the same when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and we need to remember this, especially during the times we’re with people that do not know him for themselves.
Many of our family and friends haven’t heard much about the Bible. They don’t know God very well and don’t believe they can have an intimate relationship with Him through Christ. They don’t know that He wants to be near them and wants them to depend on Him. They haven’t understood that He can make a miraculous change in their lives. We might be the missing link, the person that helps them get connected to God through Jesus Christ. We’re their only witness of the light, and we need to let our light shine brightly.
People are looking for something real. They desperately need to see that we have a new nature in Christ. 2Corinthians 5:17(ESV) tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Now that we’ve come to Christ and given him our lives, we are eternally bound to him. That old way of living was not a Christ-centered life, but a self-centered life. When people see us, they ought to be able to tell that we’ve made him our all.
Jesus Christ said in John 11:26(NLT), “Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” He’s made the gift of eternal life available to all that will accept him, and we can never be separated from him. We must live like we know this. Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 5:14-16(ESV), “14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” The light of Christ is an unfathomable honor and privilege to share, and we need to take care that we don’t leave a poor witness of it.
We have his light, and he tells us that we are the lights of the world. This means that you and I are obligated to God to have the kind of faith in Him that inspires others. If we listen to society, we will not let our lights shine but become stuck in the habits and patterns of this world. God tells us not to do this. He reminds us that He’s empowered us with a spirit of love, power, and self-control. This is conveyed in Romans 12:1 where God says that we should live consistent with who He has made us in Christ. God commands us to follow the example of our beloved Savior, then when others see our lives, they will give God the glory. Many believers say that they don’t have a gift, or they don’t know how to be a blessing. Every believer has a gift. Just be Godly! Recognize that you can make a difference in the lives of others by choosing to live a Godly life.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Just Be Godly ”, written for 4theChristianMan.com© 2024. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.