BEING A CHRISTIAN IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE – The Church Of Christ, 15 Grey Street, Warri

Text: 1 Peter 2:9-10, Romans. 9:25, Acts 26:18

By: Godbuilt Godwin Igbava

1 Peter 2:9-10 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Romans 9:25 – As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.”

Acts 26:18 – To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

WORDS DEFINITION

Great: Important, very good
Advantage: A favourable position
Who is a Christian?

A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, who died for the sins of the whole world and repent of his or her sins, confess Jesus before men to receive water baptism by immersion to live for Christ Jesus in His church obeying Jesus Christ’s teaching and not living any longer the rest of his life to himself according to the lust of the flesh or of this world.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 – For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (compare 1 Peter 4:1-2, John 8:30-31, Acts 11:26).

Caution: Don’t toil with your citizenship card. It is dangerous to be careless of your Christian personality.

Hebrews 6:4-6 – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

HONOUR GOD

With no apology to anybody, this is a faithful saying God is true, and every man a liar.

Romans 3:3-4 – For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.”

The whole of this chapter should be considered by all that have come to Christ, so go through it at your convenience.

In this present age, Christians, as I have come to know and understand, are the real people of God inhabiting the earth to glorify God their Father for a certain limited time. They are the children of God; they are born of God by his word.

John 1:11-13 – He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 – And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them
And walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

For this reason, no one else nor group who is not in the Christian family should lay claim to God as their father or to be their father, even though God created all people.

I therefore forward to declare with all sense of right judgement that the Almighty God, Jehovah Elohim is awesome, marvellous, the God of the whole universe who choose us according to His own will and eternal purpose to a favourable position.

Our God is a great God, all hail Jehovah God (song: All Hail) – (song: Great is our God).

Titus 3:3-7 – For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (cf. Ephesians 1:4, 11; 3:4-12).

This is a trustworthy statement as we said earlier. Don’t toil nor toss with your citizenship, be wise and be obedient to God.

Today I represent as the servant of the most High God to announce the way of life to as many of you who have not turned to Jesus to come out of darkness to light as did Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ.

Nice Questions

At this juncture, who among us here wants to remain a nobody?
Who is that man, that woman, that boy, that girl or that child who does not need mercy?

I won’t answer for anyone rather your reaction and inaction shall prove or reveal your true position to this question.

But let me quickly remind us lest we forget, God has done his part. I, you, we must do our part (John. 12:35-36, John. 7:37-38).

Hebrews 4:15-16 – For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This statement is supported by Isaiah 55:6 which says: Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

Today is nearer than tomorrow, hear him now.

WHAT SHALL GOD DO NEXT?

If you are asked this question, regards the above message, what would be your possible answer?

Our answer might not look very true.

However, let us see the mind of God.

God is going to judge all people; God will avenge the wicked with everlasting torment and will create a new world called the new heaven and the new earth where only righteousness dwells.

Hebrews 2:1-3 – Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him

(Compare 2 Peter 3:9-14).

GOD OFFERED A FREE GIFT

A priceless gift of life has been freely given, make up your mind now and return to Jesus.

If you are drifting, you know yourself, come to him now – you that is contemplating or postponing your deliverance.

Christ will not bill you. Believe Him now – you that is doubting his power to save. Christ is the Saviour.

Confess your sins to him now, He will forgive you and make you His joint heirs and friend if you will surrender to receive water baptism today.

Hebrews 10:14-31 – For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

A SAFE CHECKLIST

There are much more benefits being a Christian.

I call them the Christian’s joy and confidence. They are

Christians have inheritance: They share of the abundant blessings of God, first the life he or she enjoys here now and the new life to come in heaven., Romans 11:29 – For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable

(Compare Heb. 6:13-20, John 14:1-3, Heb. 3:13-14).

Christians have an advocate: Jesus Christ is our advocate.

Christians cannot be harmed: No witch or wizard or evil people can succeed in their evil plan against them. 1 Peter 3:13, Psalms 34:19

Christian’s prayers are answered when they pray to God: 1 Peter 3:12.

Christians have hope: the hope of all good things of life that will not fail or disappoint. Romans 5:3-5, 1Peter 3:13-15.

Christians are joint heirs of God with Jesus Christ. Romans 8:17
Christians are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14.

Christians have peace that comes from God: The world cannot give it because they don’t have it. 16:33

Christians are made friends by their enemies. Proverbs 16:7.

Christians are ambassadors: God’s representative in all community of people – 2 Cor. 5:19-20.

Christians have a spirit of God. Romans 8:1, 14-15.

CONCLUSION

We will conclude this message with the book of Psalms 85, which expresses appreciation and thanksgiving to God Almighty for his love towards us.

My submission:

Thanks be to God for choosing us, delivering us from darkness, the point of captivity and forgiving us our sins through Jesus Christ, though being forgiven Lord we cannot claim we have no sin.

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