Issue No.125 August, 2015 | Christ- centred life of a Believer | Census 2011

#1 · August 31, 2015, 9:22 am

Quote from Forum Archives on August 31, 2015, 9:22 am
Posted by: gracepeaceu <gracepeaceu@...>

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"Grace & Peace" is an e-periodical for spiritual enlightenment,
edification and encouragement.
Issue No.125 August, 2015
To unsubscribe:- gracepeaceu AT gmail.com

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In this issue:-

Perspective:- Christ- centred life of a Believer
Out line: -In Christ
Anecdote: - No Puzzle
News & Views: - Christians: a shrinking minority in India?

Perspective:-

Christ- centred life of a Believer

          One of the distinctive features of a born again Christian is his Christ-centred life. His entire spiritual life and privileges are in Christ and Him alone. We have nothing outside Christ. Notice some of the points Apostle Paul makes:

Eph 1:3:- blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Eph 1:4:-even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world
Eph 1:6:-  he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7:-  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses
Eph 1:11:- In him we have obtained an inheritance
Eph 1:13:- In him you also and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit
Col_2:10:- ye are complete in him
Col 3: 3, 4:-  and your life is hidden with Christ in God

        Definitely there are much more passages that refer to our life in Christ. How much we owe to the Lord Jesus Christ for our existence as a Christian. All our blessings are in Him, our acceptance before the Father is in Him, and even our life is hidden in Him. Above all we are complete full in Him. What a wonderful truth. No wonder the Lord Jesus proclaimed without Me you can do nothing Jn 15:5c.
        Thats absolutely true. If we neglect this fundamental gospel truth, we just lose so much spiritual blessings that we can experience in Christ. We need to clearly understand this New Testament concept and its practical implications.
In Him refers to two things:
a. All what Christ is and all what He has done and even doing now.All these have a bearing on our life today. The perfection of His person qualified Him to be our perfect substitute. His atoning sacrifice made him to be our propitiation. His work on cross and subsequent resurrection qualified Him to be our sympathetic High priest. Thus the person of Christ and His work past and present is the basis in which we live our spiritual life.
b. In Him also refers to our position in Christ. The moment one receives the Lord Jesus as His / her saviour and Lord, he is placed in Christ. By virtue of that position he is entitled to enjoy and experience the effect of the person and work of Christ. All the above mentioned blessings and benefits belongs a believer in Christ.
        It is by appropriating this spiritual reality we can live through the true joy of Christian life and fruitfulness. Thats why our daily practical life must be centered and focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. What kind of life this is? The word of God further explains it. Let us consider few:

1. A life of learning from Christ. Matt. 11:29. Ears to Him.

In v. 28 the Lord Jesus Christ calls upon every awakened sinner to come to Him for rest. Then in v. 29 He refers to the life after that. His ears must be tuned to Christ to learn from Him.

2. A life of walking with Christ. Matt 11:29 foot to Him.
Walking along with the Lord as well as walking His footsteps too. Cf. 1Pet 2:21

3. Bearing the burden for Christ. Matt 11:29 shoulder to Him.
Need to bow our shoulder to Him and carry His burden along with Christ. Of course He is with us to share our burden.

4. Walking like Christ. 1Jn 2:6 entire life to Him.

There are much more in the New Testament that describes such Christ-centered Christian life. What Apostle John says can be the sum and substance of all.Not only walking with Him, but even on a higher level we ought to walk, behave like Him. Its a Christ-oriented and Christ-like life. In fact it is re-producing the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect, living like, walking like and loving like Christ.

        Is our spiritual life centered and focused to Christ? He is our life and the source of strength. He is our example and encouragement. We are in Him; He lives in us and wants to demonstrate so. We are complete / full in Him. Yes, He is everything for us. He is sufficient too. No good without Him. Let us consciously make effort not to neglect this vital truth and stay close to Christ. Thats imperative for His glory and our fruitful, effective spiritual life.

NTK

Out line:-

In Christ

The place of relationship. 2Cori 5:17
The place of nearness to God. Eph 2:13
The place of security. Rom 8:1
The place of Joy. Phil 3:3
The place of fruitfulness. John 15:4
The place of confidence. 1Jn 2:28.

Anecdote: -

No Puzzle

        An unbeliever, who was trying to confuse a Christian, asked how it could be that a Christian could be in the Spirit and the Sprit in Him. Oh, there is no puzzle about that. It is like that poker. I put it into the fire until it becomes red-hot. Now, the poker is in the fire, and the fire is in the poker.

News & Views: -

Christians: a shrinking minority in India?

Finally the government of India released the religion wise data from the 2011 census. According to this statistics, the population of India grew 17.7% in the last decade (2001 2011). Hindu growth is 16.7% and their number today is 96.63cr (79.8%); Muslims grew 24.6% and their present number is 17.22cr (14.2%); Growth rate of Christian is 15.5% and their total number is 2.78cr (2.3%).
      Definitely in the coming days each community in India will take up this data for their own agenda, especially due to the coming elections in different states. Leaders of the ruling party used every opportunity to present the population growth of certain communities as a threat to the majority.
      What should be the Christian response to this data from 2011 census? In some so-called Christian dominated states either there is a slow growth or even a reverse is seen.
      Hindustan Times editorial concludes like this, Smaller groups such as Sikhs, Christians, and whose proportion in the population has either shrunk or not changed, run the risk of becoming forgotten minorities as Muslim members grow. HT 27/8/15
        Let us ponder over the words of the creator, And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Gen 1:28

Worthy Quotes:-

In Christ

By faith we are taken into Christ, made at once safe from holy wrath against sin, and kept safe from all perils and penalties.

_____________________ A.T. Pierson

"The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.

_________ C. S. LEWIS

Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation

_____________________ John Murray

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Home Articles & Studies News & Views Comments

'Grace & Peace' is an electronic periodical, sent out monthly, aiming the overall spiritual growth of Christian Believers.
You can reproduce this e-periodical fully or in part in any medium, provided it is unedited, and retain
the original author / copyright information and a reference to our website - gracepeace.net
For further details contact:- gracepeaceu AT gmail.com
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Edited and posted by NTK for the Glory of God & the Joy of the saints.
Visit:- www.gracepeace.net

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me Gal 2:20

Posted by: gracepeaceu <gracepeaceu@...>

$::||//\GRACE & PEACE//\//||::$
"Grace & Peace" is an e-periodical for spiritual enlightenment,
edification and encouragement.
Issue No.125 August, 2015
To unsubscribe:- gracepeaceu AT gmail.com

Home</FONT

<< || >>

In this issue:-

Perspective:- Christ- centred life of a Believer
Out line: -In Christ
Anecdote: - No Puzzle
News & Views: - Christians: a shrinking minority in India?

Perspective:-

Christ- centred life of a Believer

          One of the distinctive features of a born again Christian is his Christ-centred life. His entire spiritual life and privileges are in Christ and Him alone. We have nothing outside Christ. Notice some of the points Apostle Paul makes:

Eph 1:3:- blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Eph 1:4:-even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world
Eph 1:6:-  he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7:-  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses
Eph 1:11:- In him we have obtained an inheritance
Eph 1:13:- In him you also and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit
Col_2:10:- ye are complete in him
Col 3: 3, 4:-  and your life is hidden with Christ in God

        Definitely there are much more passages that refer to our life in Christ. How much we owe to the Lord Jesus Christ for our existence as a Christian. All our blessings are in Him, our acceptance before the Father is in Him, and even our life is hidden in Him. Above all we are complete full in Him. What a wonderful truth. No wonder the Lord Jesus proclaimed without Me you can do nothing Jn 15:5c.
        Thats absolutely true. If we neglect this fundamental gospel truth, we just lose so much spiritual blessings that we can experience in Christ. We need to clearly understand this New Testament concept and its practical implications.
In Him refers to two things:
a. All what Christ is and all what He has done and even doing now.All these have a bearing on our life today. The perfection of His person qualified Him to be our perfect substitute. His atoning sacrifice made him to be our propitiation. His work on cross and subsequent resurrection qualified Him to be our sympathetic High priest. Thus the person of Christ and His work past and present is the basis in which we live our spiritual life.
b. In Him also refers to our position in Christ. The moment one receives the Lord Jesus as His / her saviour and Lord, he is placed in Christ. By virtue of that position he is entitled to enjoy and experience the effect of the person and work of Christ. All the above mentioned blessings and benefits belongs a believer in Christ.
        It is by appropriating this spiritual reality we can live through the true joy of Christian life and fruitfulness. Thats why our daily practical life must be centered and focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. What kind of life this is? The word of God further explains it. Let us consider few:

1. A life of learning from Christ. Matt. 11:29. Ears to Him.

In v. 28 the Lord Jesus Christ calls upon every awakened sinner to come to Him for rest. Then in v. 29 He refers to the life after that. His ears must be tuned to Christ to learn from Him.

2. A life of walking with Christ. Matt 11:29 foot to Him.
Walking along with the Lord as well as walking His footsteps too. Cf. 1Pet 2:21

3. Bearing the burden for Christ. Matt 11:29 shoulder to Him.
Need to bow our shoulder to Him and carry His burden along with Christ. Of course He is with us to share our burden.

4. Walking like Christ. 1Jn 2:6 entire life to Him.

There are much more in the New Testament that describes such Christ-centered Christian life. What Apostle John says can be the sum and substance of all.Not only walking with Him, but even on a higher level we ought to walk, behave like Him. Its a Christ-oriented and Christ-like life. In fact it is re-producing the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect, living like, walking like and loving like Christ.

        Is our spiritual life centered and focused to Christ? He is our life and the source of strength. He is our example and encouragement. We are in Him; He lives in us and wants to demonstrate so. We are complete / full in Him. Yes, He is everything for us. He is sufficient too. No good without Him. Let us consciously make effort not to neglect this vital truth and stay close to Christ. Thats imperative for His glory and our fruitful, effective spiritual life.

NTK

Out line:-

In Christ

The place of relationship. 2Cori 5:17
The place of nearness to God. Eph 2:13
The place of security. Rom 8:1
The place of Joy. Phil 3:3
The place of fruitfulness. John 15:4
The place of confidence. 1Jn 2:28.

Anecdote: -

No Puzzle

An unbeliever, who was trying to confuse a Christian, asked how it could be that a Christian could be in the Spirit and the Sprit in Him. Oh, there is no puzzle about that. It is like that poker. I put it into the fire until it becomes red-hot. Now, the poker is in the fire, and the fire is in the poker.

News & Views: -

Christians: a shrinking minority in India?

Finally the government of India released the religion wise data from the 2011 census. According to this statistics, the population of India grew 17.7% in the last decade (2001 2011). Hindu growth is 16.7% and their number today is 96.63cr (79.8%); Muslims grew 24.6% and their present number is 17.22cr (14.2%); Growth rate of Christian is 15.5% and their total number is 2.78cr (2.3%).
      Definitely in the coming days each community in India will take up this data for their own agenda, especially due to the coming elections in different states. Leaders of the ruling party used every opportunity to present the population growth of certain communities as a threat to the majority.
      What should be the Christian response to this data from 2011 census? In some so-called Christian dominated states either there is a slow growth or even a reverse is seen.
      Hindustan Times editorial concludes like this, Smaller groups such as Sikhs, Christians, and whose proportion in the population has either shrunk or not changed, run the risk of becoming forgotten minorities as Muslim members grow. HT 27/8/15
        Let us ponder over the words of the creator, And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Gen 1:28

Worthy Quotes:-

In Christ

By faith we are taken into Christ, made at once safe from holy wrath against sin, and kept safe from all perils and penalties.

_____________________ A.T. Pierson

"The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.

_________ C. S. LEWIS

Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation

_____________________ John Murray

<a class=fb_share_link onclick="return fbs_click()" href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=" rel=nofollow target=_blank>Share

Home	Articles & Studies	News & Views	Comments

'Grace & Peace' is an electronic periodical, sent out monthly, aiming the overall spiritual growth of Christian Believers.
You can reproduce this e-periodical fully or in part in any medium, provided it is unedited, and retain
the original author / copyright information and a reference to our website - gracepeace.net
For further details contact:- gracepeaceu AT gmail.com
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Edited and posted by NTK for the Glory of God & the Joy of the saints.
Visit:- http://www.gracepeace.net

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me Gal 2:20