The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters. - Conrad Anker
While reasoning through the all important question, “what must I do to be saved?” many wonder what exactly are the most meaningful steps along the path of following Christ in today’s world?
While the entirety of Quantum Christianity's topical Biblical commentary is dedicated to this vital concern, perhaps a short list might help navigate the hundreds of articles and modern psalms, thousands of modern proverbs and other Quantum Christian resources offered in hope of providing insight and inspiration.
If science teaches anything, it’s that nothing’s as it seems. Solids surfaces are composed of vibrating atoms, they themselves full of space. Particles can be quantumly entangled and in multiple states and places at once. Pinpoints of light give way to entire galaxies comprised of billions of massive stars. Our bodies are not our own, having 30-50 trillion bacteria along for the ride.
The Bible discloses equally quantum concepts. It’s context reveals eternity past and forever. Simultaneously awe filled and awful. God, the protagonist, is inconceivably loving and a “consuming fire.” Satan, the antagonist, is malevolently undetectable and the “god of this world.” As previously referenced:
“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 New Living Translation
Scripture warns eternity will engulf time. Irrevocably. Worldly concerns and pursuits, from questionable relationships and pleasures, to money and politics, will be revealed as inconsequential as smoke in mirrors. A truth artfully described by C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory:
• “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously -- no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner -- no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment.” - Emphasis QC’s
Made in God’s image, we are triune beings comprised of eternal spirits possessing souls of personalities temporarily housed within bodies. Bodies which must age and sicken, decay and be replaced:
“May the God of peace himself make you entirely pure and devoted to God; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept strong and blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back again.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Living Bible
As mentioned, the context of Scripture pulls back the curtain on a heavenly “whodunnit” with humanity the victim. Played out in space-time, matter and energy, ancient and advanced malevolent beings seek the overthrow of God and man. Through the costly atonement of Christ and infilling of the Holy Spirit, the New Testament offers a remarkable remedy. A transformation into a new kind of entity, neither “Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female.” A metamorphoses from “mere humans” into an entirely “new creation.”
Why do so few perceive, much less pursue, such an expansive promise? One objection is straightforward. Life’s busy, packed with daily responsibilities. Anything more seems too much. But is it? Through innovation and technology we’ve been given previously unheard of free time and instant access to all the resources of the information age. For such a critical concern as eternal life, can we not dedicate half the commitment of a high school football player or Facebook mom in an effort to seek and save that which is lost? Including the better part of our entire generation and the next. How? By recovering the transformation power of Pentecost necessary to complete such a crucial task.
While reasoning through the New Testament’s teaching on salvation. Many wonder what are the most meaningful steps along the path of following Christ in today’s world? Hundreds of millions have made some sort of start. Unfortunately, most of these have either given up or stopped far short of Christianity’s full potential of being filled with all the fullness of God.
The points and passages in this chapter summarize attitudes and actions useful for those engaging in the most challenging, yet rewarding quest of all. That of fully following Christ.
For modern Christianity, following Christ has been largely reduced to one or more of the following:
1. Responding to an alter call. Or not.
2. Repeating some form of sinner’s prayer. Or not.
3. Joining a church. Degree of commitment and/or regular attendance optional.
While any or all the above can be helpful, Scripture suggests there is far more to believing in and serving Jesus. There are many steps along the way of walking out our faith, in real time and the light of day. This is not only true for Biblical salvation, but also in working through Peter's additions to faith. Scripture reminds we must step carefully along the path of conversion and discipleship. QC’s intent is to offer guidelines to help honest seekers of God find and walk the straight and narrow. A task far easier said than done:
• “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 Amplified Bible
A more contemporary version renders the same passage with a slightly different emphasis:
• “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.” Matthew 7:13-14 The Message
When it came to unlocking the secrets of the universe, Albert Einstien famously cautioned, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” In keeping with that reasoning, while it might appear that creating steps for following Christ qualifies as offering “shortcuts to God” rest assured nothing could be further from the truth. As will become apparent, the following recommendations are anything but a walk in the park. They are more like rock climbing footholds and anchors, waypoints for serious would be Christians wishing to obey Christ and Scripture’s instructions for ascending the Mountain of the Lord. To this end, the following review is offered as a progression of the more helpful, yet often overlooked, steps along the all important path of seeking and serving God:
Think Deeply: The difference between Heaven and Hell lies in thinking well. All those hoping to answer any of life’s great questions do well to grasp the controversial fact that Biblical faith is actually more reasonable today than ever. Doing so requires committing to memory at least some of the many great reasons to believe. Scripture also directs Christians to understand the requirements and rewards of living faith. Not only to answer questions from others, but to daily encourage ourselves. Particularly when difficulties and doubts arise:
• “Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick.” 1 Peter 3:14-15 The Message
Genuine Christians reflect daily on Scripture. Producing a deep and reverent understanding of some, if not all, of the Bible’s most important and emphasized tenants. This includes learning to grasp the content and context of Scripture, as well as appreciating the perils of the time and season in which we live.
2. Develop Spiritual Sensitivity: The path to God literally begins and ends with the Holy Spirit. Christ commissioned the Third Person of the Trinity to create and govern His Church after ascending to Heaven:
• “Jesus said, “Don’t bicker among yourselves over me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, ‘And then they will all be personally taught by God.’ Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father.” John 6:43-45 The Message
• “But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.” John 14:26 Amplified Bible
The Holy Spirit draws and teaches, convicts and leads, equips and empowers Christians in the way of righteousness. Thus it’s imperative that we quickly and continually grow in sensitivity to the Spirit of God.
• “What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work. Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted. Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:25-32 The Message
3. Understand Happiness: In Christianity, the idea of happiness has been replaced by joy and/or blessedness, perhaps best defined as enlarged or filled. While well and good, such redefinition's are largely exercises in semantics. In actuality, all humanity is looking for a lasting state of enjoyment, satisfaction and peace:
• “But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." Galatians 5:22-23 The Message
Happiness, the most sought after state in all the world, is also the most elusive. Billions go a lifetime with only a vague notion of what we all spend nearly every waking moment seeking. Everyone can think of a dozen things that would make them happy, yet few take the time to fully grasp the nature of this universally sought state of mind. Philosophers and theologians, poets and entertainers all given it a go, yet one wonders if there's more to lasting happiness than meets they eye. What few understand is humanity, individually and corporately, will never be satisfied with anything short of being transformed by the very glory of God:
• “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later… For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)” Romans 8:16-25 New Living Translation
4. Make A Plan: Scripture agrees with the proverb, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Here, as in all the steps along the path of personal sanctification, our degree of diligence reveals how much we care for ourselves and family, others and the Kingdom of God. Those adept in measuring the risks and rewards of discipleship are far better prepared to face the inherent challenges of life and costs of committing to Christ. These include battling through dualism and double-mindedness, as well as human and demonic resistance. All of which make it incumbent on believers to purpose the following:
a. Do No Harm: Adherence to Christ’s Golden Rule of loving others as we do ourselves has the power to turn Purgatory to Paradise. While lofty in scope, at the very least we can purpose not to add to the problems of others.
b. Don’t Make It Worse: Jumping “out of the frying pan into the fire” is as foolish as it is common. Innumerable sorrows could be avoided by simply refusing to escalate and spread our sorrows, while giving God a chance to come along side with direction and assistance.
c. Think First: Wisdom favors acting to reacting. Developing this pivotable attribute requires the willingness to think well (step 10) for the purposes of controlling our emotions (step 11). Both indispensable qualities of spiritual growth.
d. Handle with Prayer: Cultivating attributes of the Kingdom within is a prerequisite to experiencing the peace and presence of God. In this regard, a variety of prayer modes (step 7) may prove beneficial.
Our difficult and ongoing struggle to comprehend and comply with Christ’s more costly demands is thoughtfully and humorously illustrated in the poem, “When I Became A Christian” by Adrian Plass. Do yourself a favor and watch the short YouTube rendition. Along these lines the Bible counsels:
• “A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it], But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].” Proverbs 22:3 Amplified Bible
• “A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.” Proverbs 27:12 The Message
• “Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come.” Matthew 24:13-14 The Message
• “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’ “Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce? “Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.” Luke 14:28-33 The Message
C.S. Lewis put it this way, “God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.” Note: Thoughtful planning requires setting goals and reminders. Many use sticky notes and refrigerator magnets, task lists and smart phone reminders to translate their plans into actions. Actions into habits. Habits into lifestyles.
5. Complete Boot Camp: While a variety of Christian metaphors, such as that of a journey or ascension can be useful, perhaps the most accurate is that of joining the military. In fact, the cares and concerns of modern life are fleeting compared to the eternal conflict begun by Lucifer’s angelic rebellion that has greatly influenced the history of Heaven. The fallout of which has, and will continue, to shape our own to a degree few comprehend:
• “When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.” 2 Timothy 2:2-7 The Message
6. Repent Deeply: Modern Christianity sidesteps the issue of serious and meaningful repentance. Honest Bible students recognize doing so all but removes Christ from Christian. Reasoning through repentance requires understanding the origin and modern manifestations of sin, as well as how to fully repent. Repentance is best expressed in the military terminology "Halt, about face, march!" An ongoing commitment illustrated by God's perfect formula for repentance. And today we’ve much to repent of. From rebellious unbelief to unmitigated selfishness, gross immorality to the holocaust of abortion:
• If my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health." 2 Chronicles 7:11-14 The Message
• "Seek God while he's here to be found, pray to him while he's close at hand. Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking. Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness." Isaiah 55:6-7 The Message
• “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2 The Message
• “So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” James 4:7-10 The Message
QC highly recommends the one page tract entitled, “Breaking Up The Fallow Ground” by Charles Finney as paraphrased by the late great recording artist Keith Green.
7. Pray Often: Without serious prayer do we have one? Thankfully anyone who wants to can pray. Yet, while not religiously correct, the Bible sets conditions on who can pray so God will hear:
• “Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will [instead] give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will [instead] give him a snake? If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.” Matthew 7:7-11 Amplified Bible
• “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” Philippians 4:6-7 The Message
• “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Message
• “In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.” Ephesians 6:18-20 The Message
• “When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” Matthew 26:40-41 The Message
8. Study Scripture: When reasoning with ourselves or others, objective truth trumps subjective experience. Learning the logic behind Biblical authority is the key motivation for the serious study of Scripture:
• “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. But avoid all irreverent babble and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], for it will lead to further ungodliness” 2 Timothy 2:15-16 Amplified Bible
9. Be Morally Excellent: When it comes to morality, there are legitimate Biblical standards. The Me-ism of “anything goes" and "if it feels good do it" are in direct opposition to the self control and sacrifice at the heart of Christianity.
While fast becoming irrelevant in the ever changing situational ethics of modern life, morality and character are necessary Kingdom virtues required of all having a genuine Biblical hope of seeing Heaven:
• “I wrote you in my earlier letter that you shouldn’t make yourselves at home among the sexually promiscuous. I didn’t mean that you should have nothing at all to do with outsiders of that sort. Or with crooks, whether blue- or white-collar. Or with spiritual phonies, for that matter. You’d have to leave the world entirely to do that! But I am saying that you shouldn’t act as if everything is just fine when a friend who claims to be a Christian is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can’t just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. I’m not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don’t we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers? God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 The Message
• “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor those who participate in homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Amplified Bible
• “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1:21 New International Version
10. Think About Your Thinking: We entertain thousands of thoughts per day. Little wonder minds wander, sorting through what to keep or discard, act on or forget. Dealing with such a quantity of sounds and images, attitudes and actions makes discerning truth challenging. Even without an Evil One heaping ubiquitous levels of temptation and deception upon young and old, rich and poor.
Sadly, much of humanity hasn’t given life’s greatest concerns due consideration. Even among Churchianity, hundreds of millions confuse well meaning presumption for saving faith. Cultivating genuine spiritual understanding is both an event and process:
• “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7 Amplified Bible
• “The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” 2 Corinthians 10: 3-6 The Message
• “So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 The Message
11. Control Your Feelings: Few things are as fickle and frustrating as feelings. As perviously developed in detail, we are all telling ourselves a story. Emotions heavily influence our plot lines. The question is how close is our narrative to God’s? Believers are called upon to control their feelings. Not vice versa. Christians are commanded to discern rightly, learning to judge all things by discovering the truth in regards to themselves and others:
• “And the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? And why do you look annoyed? If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.” Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain [a]attacked Abel his brother and killed him.” Genesis 4:6-8 Amplified Bible
• “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”” Jeremiah 17:9-10 The Message
12. Watch Your Words: We all know words can heal or harm. Yet every day billions of words pierce the hearts and minds of the human race. Believers are commanded to do better:
• “Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest. Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” Proverbs 18:20-21 The Message
• “The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, And a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.” Proverbs 25:11-12 The Message
• “Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”” Matthew 15:10-11 New International Version
• “ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45 New International Version
• “Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here’s what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he’s asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.” 1 Peter 3:8-12 The Message
• “Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage.” James 1:19-20 The Message
• “This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?” James 3:7-12 The Message
13. Be Thankful: God's provided us with unprecedented social, technological and spiritual blessings. In return we've repaid the kindness with unprecedented levels of Me-ism, apathy and sin. So much so, we may have more in common with the Rich Man in the story of Lazarus than Biblical Christians. All sin is a form of entitlement. This being the case, thankfulness and gratitude are among the most powerful of defensive and offensive spiritual weaponry:
• “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…” Romans 1:20-22 New International Version
• “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” Ephesians 3:15-17 The Message
• “So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:16-20 The Message
14. Respond Wisely: Believer’s interactions with others reflect on themselves and Christ. They reveal the degree we care for our souls and those of others. Called to be cautious and wise, forgiving and loving, it’s easy to be bruised and wounded along the way. Purposing to love long term requires a degree of self care:
• “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” Matthew 7:6 New Living Translation
• “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.” Matthew 10:16 The Message
• “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” John 16:33 Amplified Bible
• “Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” Romans 12:17-19 The Message
• “He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 The Message
• “God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands.” 2 Timothy 2:23-26 The Message
15. Fellowship Genuinely: By its style and nature, modern Christianity emphasizes attending church over being the church. Genuine Christian fellowship is as important to following Christ as being a part of platoon is to a soldier. It falls to each of us to discern our own spiritual health and that of fellow Christians. From local congregations to entire denominations. Believers are called to develop enough spiritual sensitivity to judge between faith and presumption, as well as how much of the full Gospel we possess. Learning to do so takes diligence, but in the end promises to prove more than worth the effort:
• “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action." Matthew 18:18-19 The Message
• “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people!” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 The Message
• “So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight… And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other.” 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 The Message
• “Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out. Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” James 5:13-18 The Message
16. Worship Honestly: Biblical worship is dependent on two factors: Who God is and who we are in relationship to Him. Scripture encourages genuine believers to come before God through two necessary means:
• The merits of Christ: The costly atonement of Jesus provides access to God through the positional righteousness of Christ.
• The teachings of Christ: Living faith requires growing in obedience to the commands of Jesus and His apostles. Our conditional righteousness provides authentic access to Christ. More often than not, Churchianity chooses singing inappropriately intimate songs over dedicated and holy living.
The wisdom of honest worship is exemplified in the following passages:
• “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:21-24 New International Version
• “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Amplified Bible
• “Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!” Hebrews 12:28-29 The Message
17. Judge Accurately: Scripture explains “the spiritual man judges all things.” Paul directs, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." Christians are also responsible for judging one another to be sure we remain true to “the faith once for all delivered to the saints:”
• “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it." 2 Corinthians 5-6 The Message
• “Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit; Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning]. But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast. Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Amplified Bible
18. Act Purposefully: In a single passage Paul likens Christians to athletes, farmers and soldiers as an example of the kind of dedication living faith requires. Such effort is not optional. He warns us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." He notes that without due diligence, even having been instrumental in preaching to others, he himself might become disqualified:
• “You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 The Message
• “Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad. That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God.” 2 Corinthians 5:10-14 The Message
• “Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?” James 2:14-17 The Message
• “Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?” James 2:19-20 The Message
19. Mature Fully: Good parents work hard to provide for their children in hopes they’ll grow into physically and spiritually, emotionally and socially, healthy and happy adults. Scripture explains the Heavenly Father desires the same for us. He provides costly resources to offer spiritual maturity to those willing to exchange their all for God’s. A process that can be frustrating on both sides:
• “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 New International Version
• “Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 The Message
• “He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.” Ephesians 4:12-16 The Message
• “I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.” Hebrews 5:11-14 The Message
20. Be Filled With The Spirit: Fully embracing the quantum challenge/opportunity of successfully completing most, if not all the above tasks, is primarily what Scripture means by the terms “walk in” and being “led by” the Spirit. Such are the rights and responsibilities we share individually and in common:
• “But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven." Jude 1:20-23 The Message
Along and beyond the steps discussed is the largely undiscovered country of radical discipleship offering the quantum hope of unrestricted access to the presence and power, provision and protection of the Holy Spirit. This includes being filled with the authentic fruit and gifts of Spirit. Both essential towards bringing about renewal. Much less the revival and even reformation so desperately needed if we are to complete Christ’s Great Commission:
• “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 The Message
• “Then he said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned. These are some of the signs that will accompany believers: They will throw out demons in my name, they will speak in new tongues, they will take snakes in their hands, they will drink poison and not be hurt, they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.” Then the Master Jesus, after briefing them, was taken up to heaven, and he sat down beside God in the place of honor. And the disciples went everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the Message with indisputable evidence.” Mark 16:15-20 The Message
Biblical faith can be spelled in a variety of ways. Risk is one. Cost is another. No wonder cheep grace accomplishes so little, and costly grace so much. In Saul/Paul’s case, grace was an almost inconceivable transfiguring force turning the chief of sinners and persecutor of the Church, into the most notable and persecuted of apostles! A miraculous transformation, according to Paul himself, intended to extend the same offer to all Christians.
The path to Biblical salvation and genuinely following Christ has collective and individual aspects. The following resources should provide help in both regards. First, in priming the pump for drilling down into deeper aspects of Christian life. Second, in assisting with the identification and implementation of Kingdom citizen soldier directives. While not for the feint hearted, such insight and encouragement is vital for those ready to redouble their efforts to know and and be known by God.
- David Wilkerson's Call to Anguish
- James 4-5's Prayer of Anguish
- Revival Hymn
- Howard Pittman Death Testimony
- Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
- John Wesley's The Almost Christian
- Jackie Pullinger's Go Video
- The Insanity of God
- The Heavenly Man
- God's Hostage
- Evan Roberts Welsh Revival
- Lessons from Azusa Street
- Smith Wigglesworth
- Charles Finney Power from on High
- QC Walking In The Spirit
- QC Conflict Theology
- QC Times And Seasons
- QC Eternity...The Wager
- Quantum Christianity Introduction Volume 1 & 2
More information
In the Red Dropdown Icon you'll find resources that we hope will both stimulate and facilitate your pursuit of and understanding of the God of the Bible. To get started simply place your cursor on a category of interest and see where it leads. You can also join the discussion in a variety of ways including posting comments to God Blogs as well as making comments or asking questions by email or text.
For a hyperlink footnoted version of this article see eBook Quantum Christianity Introduction Volume 2
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