Christian basic training - Part I

For many churches, services are to gather the people together, perform the newest songs on Christian radio, and allow the popular speaker to share a motivational speech all around an hour timeframe. 

Jesus Christ gave His followers a list of things they were commanded to do to qualify as Christians.  Jesus gave commands, not made suggestions to the people listening to Him preach.  Christians must do these things, according to Jesus Christ, or they are not obeying the author and finisher of their faith (Hebrews 12:2).  The list presented through these articles can be referenced as Christian Basic Training, much like the military has basic training or boot camp.  People expect the military to have such training to equip all recruits to be good soldiers at the foundational level.  To have strong Christian soldiers they must be taught the basic training principles to excel in their roles and duties as soldiers for God.

The first basic training principle is to confess Jesus before men (Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 12:8-12).  Jesus tells His disciples that anyone who confesses Him before men, He will confess before the Father in Heaven (Matthew 10:32).  To confess means to make a covenant with and to acknowledge Jesus’ position in one’s life.  Part of this confession is not only with the mouth but by a lifestyle that honors Jesus, the Word of God, and reflects a true relationship with God (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:1).  Jesus also says that anyone who denies Him before men He will deny before the Father (Matthew 10:33).  To deny means to contradict, reject, disavow, refuse to acknowledge.  When people contradict or refuse to acknowledge Jesus within their lives, even when they label themselves as Christians, they deny Jesus as the Lord and Master of their lives. 

When Christians take upon the name of being a follower of the Anointed One or the Messiah (the definition of Christian) they should represent Him in His doctrine and standard of living as opposed to how they desire to live (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  Part of this confession of Jesus before men is to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18).  Christians should make disciples by sharing the Gospel and living out the Word of God for others to see and follow.  The second basic training principle is enduring to the end (Matthew 10:16-22). 

Jesus knows that the spiritual enemies of God’s people will desire to bring quit, discouragement, and a lack of faith into the lives of Christians.  Christians must endure to the end to be saved (Matthew 10:22).  Endure means to remain faithful or not flee.  Victory belongs to God’s people unless they quit or allow discouragement to overtake them.  Even when everything around Christians is getting harder to stand and lawlessness is everywhere, they still must stand for the truth and God’s Word to endure unto salvation (Matthew 24:3-13).  This may sound easy when reading a text, but it is harder when lived out in real time.  Christians must remember all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26).  The remnant that endures to the end is who Jesus will gather in the last days as obedient servants to their master (Luke 12:41-48).  Christians must endure and not allow the deception of the enemy to keep them from the promises God has for His people or keep them from having a testimony of God’s faithfulness (2 Timothy 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3).  May God’s people go back to the basics of the Christian faith and be stronger in what Jesus commands them to do. 

For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.