Win the Crown!
Blessed is the man
who preserves under trial, because when he has stood the TEST, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him
James 1:12
Mathew 24: 12-14
Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. But THE ONE WHO PRESERVES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.…
TRUE DISCIPLES:
I was concerned to hear some saying something along the lines of “Salvation is just there for the taking. It's God free gift. You don't need to do anything. Just come as you are.” True, salvation is God's free gift of grace to undeserving sinners, but following Jesus is costly, and needs to be explained carefully to would-be seekers, lest they quickly become disillusioned. So in 2008 I embarked on a study using my NIV “Harmony of the Gospels” to go through the Gospels and try and discover all that Jesus said about the requirements of true discipleship. The following is what I discovered:- Julia Brown
TRUE DISCIPLES MUST
1. Be born again John 3:3 Must be born of water and of the Spirit Jn 3:5 Must believe in Jesus Jn 3:15,16,18 Compare Titus 3:5
2. use careful words Matthew 12:37
3. Do the will of Jesus' Father Matt 12:50
4. Hear God's Word and put it into practice Luke 8:21
5. Become like little children who are dependent on their parents, with no status or influence. Mt 18:3
6. Forgive fellow Christians from the heart, since they themselves have been forgiven so much. Mt 18:20-35
7. Not look back after having put their hands to the plough; otherwise unfit for service in the Kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
8. Believe that Jesus is the One He claims to be Jn 8:24
9. Hold to Jesus' teaching – know the Truth and the Truth will set them free Jn 8:31-32
10. Be set free from sin Jn 8:36
11. Belong to God and hear what God says through the Son. Love Jesus Jn 8:42
12. Keep Jesus' word, and they will not see spiritual death Jn 8:51
13. Believe that Jesus is “I AM” - Yahweh (Hebrew) ie God. Jn 8:58
14. Have the whole body full of light – no part dark, as when the light of a lamp shines on one.
15. Repent (do a 180 degree turn) from sin Mt 4:17 Luke 13:3-5
16. Strive (struggle/ make every effort) to enter the narrow gate Luke 13:24
17. Know and follow the Good Shepherd Jn 10
18. Count the cost. This requires careful planning, unswerving commitment and willing sacrifice ie total submission.
Luke 14: 26-34
19. Receive the Kingdom of God like a little child – with childlike attitudes of faith, trust and acceptance – or never enter it. Luke 18:15-17
20. Strive to keep the 10 commandments – infact, Jesus demands even stricter attention to the commands given in Exodus 20, under the New Covenant. Must have a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees Mt 5:17ff; Mt 19:16-30
21. Put God ahead of worldly wealth Mt 19:16-30
22. “Hate his/her life in this world in order to keep it for eternal life” ie. be so committed to living for Christ, that they “hate” their lives by comparison. Jn 12:25;Luke 14:25 “Hate” doesn't mean long to die, or be careless or destructive with the life God has given them, but a willingness to die if doing so will glorify Christ.
23. Follow Jesus Jn 12:26
24. Actually do ( not merely talk about) the will of God, repenting and believing in Him. Only those who do so will actually enter the Kingdom of God. Mt 21:28ff
25. Make our own spiritual preparation – it cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute Mt 25
26. Not make excuses to avoid doing what God calls us to do. Our time, talents, and money are not ours in the first place – we are caretakers. The person who has no heart for the work of the Kingdom, even though he calls Jesus “Master” will be punished in hell. Mt 25:14-30
27. Serve Jesus by serving others in need – loving everyone with simple acts of kindness freely given. These acts don't depend on wealth, ability or intelligence. We are to treat all whom we encounter as though they are Jesus Mt 25:31-46
28. Follow Jesus' example in serving others, recognising that they are servants of His, and messengers of One who is greater Jn 13:12-20
29. Accept anyone Jesus sends, and in doing so, accept Jesus and His Father Jn 13:20
30. Believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father, and that no one can get to Heaven without coming through Jesus Jn 14:6
31. Remain in Jesus, the Vine, bearing fruit for the Father's glory Jn 15
32. Testify of what Jesus has done Jn 15:27
33. Have an intimate knowledge of the Son, and through Him, of the Father Jn 17:1-5
34. Be baptized by full immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matt 28:19 When Jesus was baptized it was to “fulfill all righteousness” Matt 3:15. He wanted to fulfill all that God demanded of His people. For disciples, baptism is their witness to the world that they are buried to sin and resurrected to new life in Christ.
10 HALLMARKS OF A CHRISTIAN by Brannon Howse
1. 1st Jn 1:8 Admits he's a sinner
2. 1st Jn Obeys God's commands more than he breaks them
3. 1st Jn 2:3-6 Does not harbor hate for his brother, but love and compassion
4. 1st Jn 2:15 Does not love the things of this world (the world's system which is ruled and controlled by Satan.)
5. 1st Jn 4:15 Proclaims Jesus Christ as the Son of God. ie. Defends His Deity
6. 1st Jn 3:2-3 Hopes and longs for the return of Jesus Christ
7. 1st Jn 3:14,17 Serves and provides for fellow Christians
8. 1st Jn 5:1 Loves being with other believers and hearing the Word of God
9. 1st Jn 2:22-23 Rejects false teaching. Must defend the exclusivity of Jesus
10. 1st Jn 2:24 Remains in the truth and perseveres in the faith – not backing down or running back to the world
FALSE GOSPELS
1. Self-attainment – you can become whatever you believe
2. Universalism – all will be saved
3. Self-deification – I am a god
4. Saved by works – my good deeds will save me
5. Name it and claim it – if I pronounce it, it will be done
6. Gospel of Education – Education is seen as a panacea for the worlds ills. “If they had been taught properly that wouldn't have happened.”
7. Gospel of Entertainment - “Come to Church for your adrenalin shot!. You'll come out feeling good!” (ie. Exit talking about how good the band was, not how good the Lord is.)
8. False peace – one world order under man – a peaceful utopia on earth eg the antiChrist
9. Faith without the Cross – Jesus did not have to die in order to save us
10. Liberation Gospel – whatever it takes to fight injustice, inequality, poverty and oppression (political, social or economic) we'll do, even it means rioting, taking up arms etc.
11. Gospel without repentance – Sin doesn't matter, God loves us so much that He overlooks our sin
12. Faith + …............ (circumcision etc) eg the Pharisees
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who OVERCOMES I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”(Rev.2:7).
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who OVERCOMES shall not be hurt by the second death.” ( Rev. 2:11)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who OVERCOMES I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” (Rev. 2:17).
“And he who OVERCOMES and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.” “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
(Rev 2:26-29).
He who OVERCOMES shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ (Rev 3:5-6).
He who OVERCOMES, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev. 3:12-13).
To him who OVERCOMES I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 3:21-22).
