“When the
time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
“I am about to go the
way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and
observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees
and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this
so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and
that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they
live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you
will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 1 Kings 2:1-4
There is a Biblical principle that if we want our lives to be blessed by God, we are to walk in His ways and keep His commandments. Throughout the Bible, when nations honoured God, devoted their lives to Him and forsook foreign idols, those nations prospered. A read through the books of Kings and Chronicles reveals that when they became complacent and began to introduce other gods into their cultures and daily lives, they faced trials, including invasion, enslavement and what we would term natural disasters.Godly leadership caused whole nations to turn to God, conversely evil rulers brought destruction and misery on their nations.
Much of our western culture was founded on Christian principles
– systems of law and law enforcement, business principles, medical and
educational systems that originated in church parishes and social systems which
revolved around Christian morality. It’s been a long time since the church was
the most impressive building in our towns and cities and many children today
grow up in families where the gospel is unknown. Some people would say that
they have a belief in God, but have no personal relationship, knowledge of His
word, or sense of living according to it.
Peoples as individuals, people groups and nations are not
necessarily blessed because of expectations, past history, or simply because we
ask Him to. God may choose to bless even the ungodly but when we call ourselves
Christians, the expectation is that we will increasingly be discerning in our
knowledge of right and wrong, and live according to God’s will.
So, what are the principles of Christian living?
Commit your life to God through a prayer of repentance and
faith. Commitment is also expressed through baptism and by taking communion.
Many people want faith without repentance- which means stopping doing those things which are wrong according to God's word. These principles can be explored in more detail in courses such as Alpha or by
talking with a minister or Christian friend, or exploring online.
Read and study the Bible- there are lots of online resources
in this area.
Pray – talk with God
Praise – worship God through singing Christian choruses,
hymns or songs. It’s an uplifting experience to sing to God with others in a
church congregation
Minister- we each have a ministry- a way of serving Jesus
through our gifts and talents.
Share Christian fellowship with others – in a church
congregation and other groups- bible study groups, fellowship groups e.g.
And what are the commandments that God wants you to obey? The Bible gives us ten in Exodus 20:1-17,
which I will paraphrase:
Have no Gods other than God, our Father – the God of the
Bible – God the Father, Jesus Christ His only Son, and His Holy Spirit – three in
one.
Don’t make a god out of anything else, or worship anything
else.
Reverence God’s name. Don’t misuse it in any way. Don’t use
it as a curse word or exclamation.
Follow God’s example in having one day each week given to
rest. This provides physical and spiritual strength as we have time to meditate
on God’s blessings.
Show respect to your mother and father. For some this may incorporate
compassion and forgiveness, rather than approval of their actions. It is also a
reminder that those of us who are parents are to strive to live lives that
honour God, that model His standards to our children.
Don’t murder. Don’t plot to take anyone else’s life. As the
Bible includes many passages referring to the wonder of created human life
growing in the womb, this includes abortion. Jesus raises the bar much higher according to
Matthew’s gospel, chapter 5:21-22, by stating that if you are angry with your
brother, speak words of condemnation to him and harbours bitterness against him
is guilty of murder in his heart.
Don’t commit adultery – sex is for within marriage, with one
partner only. Again, Jesus raises the bar on this in His teachings – whoever looks
at another person other than their spouse to lust after them is guilty by the
intents of the heart. Watch your heart.
Don’t steal. Be honest and fair in your dealings. Give
rather than take.
Don’t lie. Don’t misrepresent anyone else, gossip or tell
untruths about them. Don’t give false or misleading information.
Don’t be jealous or envious of what anyone else has. God
knows what He wants to supply in your life. Don’t envy another’s spouse, or
house or success or material possessions. Trust Him to supply – He often does
so over and above all we need. Thank Him for His many blessings, including the
precious gift of His Son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit.
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