‘To be a born-again Christian is a way of life’

A few years back a minister from Australia came to the Valley to hold some meetings. I sure liked to hear him preach. He talked about Jesus just like they were the best of friends, which I am sure they were.

The one thing that he said that I will always remember is when he went to seminary, he “learned about God but forgot about Jesus.” I took that to mean he was so wrapped up in the theological teachings at school that daily fellowship with Jesus was put aside.

The minister from Australia had the same problem that many Christians today have: failing to make Jesus No. 1 in their lives, if the word of God is not foremost, and your knowledge of God’s word is limited you can be deceived real easy.

To be a born-again Christian is a way of life. There are many religious people in the world that try to reach their god through their religion but only through Jesus Christ can we know God the father. Christianity as we see it in Jesus’ teaching is established in God’s inspired written word and come to life in the Epistles, the letters to the church and show us how we are to be born again.

God the father sent Jesus into this world 2000 years ago to pay the price for all mankind sins. God had a plan in Jesus Christ, his son, the very deity of God, born as a man, to fulfill that plan. Jesus came to give life and give life more abundantly and by his death, burial and resurrection, with the shedding of Jesus’ blood, he paid the price for all mankind’s sins.

With the technical advances in this day and age, people are able to share their ideas and theologies around the world, which has helped to spread the gospel. But, at the same time, there is much teaching out there today that does not line up with the word of God.

It is our responsibility as Christians to make sure that our teachings are Bible-based, I know because I have had to throw away some teachings I have received in the past.

My pastor had on the back of his weekly handout 12 things that will help you “stay the course:”

1. Read your Bible every day.

2. Have a daily devotional time.

3. Acknowledge your dependence on God.

4. Stay in the word.

5. Stay in attitude of prayer (praying always).

6. Stay close to Jesus.

7. Stay on talking terms with Jesus.

8. Deal quickly with the sin in your life. Also, be quick to repent.

9. Guard what you watch (see Psalms 101:3)

10. Guard where you go.

11. Guard what you say and what you do.

12. Walk in love and forgiveness to others. (Jude verse 21)

Lavon Barve works with Cup of Life Ministry in Wasilla.