Skip to contentLiving A Christian Life In A Sinful World
Is it possible to live a Christian life in a sinful world? I think it’s possible or else God wouldn’t have told us to be holy because He is holy, He doesn’t tell us to do things that are not possible for us to do with His help. I’m going to give you practical Christian living steps that will show you How To Live A Christian Life.
What does it mean to be a Christian? We could make this complicated, but I like the simple definition that my New Living Translation Daily Application Study Bible gives. A Christian is someone who professes belief in and follows the teachings of Jesus Christ.
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How Do I Live As A Christian In Today’s World?
For me, there aren’t a set of Christianity rules of behavior, but there are certain things that you can do that will allow you to stand out and people will know that you are a believer. There may be conversations that you don’t engage in or places that you don’t go because you as a believer you feel that it's not appropriate.
But that doesn’t mean that there are a bunch of Bible rules to live by and that there is a list of things that Christians shouldn’t do. This is all developed by your relationship with God. There may be things that you feel you shouldn’t do, but another believer feels it ok, that doesn’t give us the right to judge them.
Philippians 2:12
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
I remember when we were younger, we weren’t allowed to go to the movies, my parents felt it was wrong to go as a Christian. However, now that I am older, I don’t feel that there is anything wrong with going to the movies. I think that you need to be selective with what you watch, but going I think is ok.
However, I don’t judge my parents for not allowing us to go, that was their conviction.
Sometimes these lines of what we should and shouldn’t do seem to be blurred, but it comes with Christian Spiritual Growth. You have to allow the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to guide you.
Practical Christian living
Along with allowing the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to guide you there are some practical Christian living steps that you can take when Living A Christian Life In A Sinful World.
Pray Every Day & Read Your Bible Every Day
Praying is how you can start and continue to develop a relationship with Jesus. Without reading the Bible can you really be considered a Christian? I’m not making a judgment on that but it’s something to think about. In the definition of what a Christian is, it says that you believe and follow the teachings of Jesus.
Where are the teachings of Jesus found? In the Bible, so if you don’t read and study the Bible how can you profess to believe and follow the teaching of Jesus? The Bible is God’s Word it's God speaking to you.
I always laugh when I remember this story. A preacher said when someone comes to him and says do you have a word from the Lord for me…he replies yes…go and read the Bible. This is God speaking to us…we need to believe what the Word says and let it penetrate our hearts and speak it from our mouths.
Hebrew 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
The Bible isn’t just a story, it's living and life-changing as it works in us. It reveals who we are and who we are not, it penetrates our moral and spiritual life. It exposes the good and not so good inside of us. That’s why it's so important to read and study the Bible we need to allow it to shape our lives.
Depend On The Holy Spirit
Jesus said that He would send us a helper and our helper is the Holy Spirit.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
You don’t have to rely on your strength, the Holy Spirit will help you if you depend on Him. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God, and He was sent because Jesus asked the Father to send Him. The Holy Spirit was sent to care for us and to guide us.
During my study, I found that advocate combines the ideas of comfort and counsel and that it could also be translated as comforter, encourager, and counselor. How amazing is that the Holy Spirit is here for our benefit, we don’t have to walk this Christian walk all on our own we have a comforter, an encourager, and a counselor that we can depend on. Rely on Him to help you.
When Life Gets You Down, Don’t Stay There
I know that it’s easier said than done. What does that mean and how do I do that? I like practical Christian living steps. I heard all the advice of what to do and what not to do as a Christian, but I’m the type of person that needs an explanation on how to do or not to do something.
That’s why I try to give you steps that you could take right now to see that change. So how do you stop allowing your circumstance to get you down? You must have a mindset change. This is what the Bible has to say.
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
No matter what is happening in our lives according to the Bible we need to be thankful. Now it doesn’t mean that you are thanking God for the circumstance that you are going through…no…it means that even though you may be going through a hard time you remain thankful.
You thank, praise, and worship God. Do you know what will quickly remove the heaviness that you may be feeling because of a situation? Praising, worshiping, and thanking God. As you begin to do this you realize that God is bigger than any circumstance that you could face.
You remember all the other things that He has brought you through and now you no longer feel down. You must live a life of worship, praise, and thanksgiving daily.
The enemy would love for you to feel down and depressed every day because of your circumstance, and he will put thoughts in your mind or have others speak negativity to you.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians that our fight isn’t physical, it is a spiritual fight. You need to take hold of your thoughts by casting down any thoughts that are contrary to the word of God.
How can you cast it down? by rebuking it and replacing it with the Word of God. You counteract it by speaking what God has said about you and your situation according to the Bible.
Love Others
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
How will this sinful world recognize that we are Christians? By the love that we show. Now that doesn’t mean that you are a pushover and you allow people to walk all over you, I just felt the need to put that in because that’s how some view love.
I always tell my kids that love is an action word. Anyone can say that they love you but do their actions show that they do.
So how can we love others as Jesus loves us? By helping others even when it is inconvenient for us, by giving and devoting time and energy to others, those are just a few examples.
Tell Others About Jesus
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Some may feel that mark 16 doesn’t apply to them since Jesus was talking to the disciples, but aren’t we all disciples of Christ? As a side note, there are many resources out there to help if you do choose to tell someone about Jesus.
There is also another way that you could tell others about Jesus by not actually telling them and that is by the way that you live. As Matthew 5 says that others will see your good deed and they will praise our heavenly Father.
As you follow the practical steps that I have given to you today your life will become your testimony, or your witness and others will notice and want what you have.
How Should A Christian Respond To Sin?
Resist Temptation
Being tempted is not a sin, it's when we yield to the temptation that it becomes a sin.
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
We are all tempted in some way, and we are probably tempted by different things. But we can feel assured that God will help us, He will not allow us to be tempted more than we can handle, He provides us with a way out…what an amazing Heavenly Father we have.
You can fight temptation whatever it may be by also relying on the Holy Spirit to help you.
I know that the Holy Spirit tugs at our hearts and warns us before we do something wrong. Have you ever said something that you shouldn’t have? I have been in situations when I was tempted to say things that I shouldn’t out of anger, and I always sense the Holy Spirit telling me don’t do it.
To be honest, I didn’t always listen and there are consequences for disobedience. The Holy Spirit is simply trying to help us out of a situation that could get out of control. Thank God for His grace and mercy, that I was able to repent.
I have since learned that it is always in my best interest to listen to that still small voice giving me counsel and I made a conscious decision that I would.
So, we can fight temptation when we depend on and listen to the Holy Spirit.
I pray that these steps that I have given to you have shown you that you can live a Christian life in a sinful world, and you can live it victoriously! Start implementing these steps today and see the change that you will experience in your life.
What step will you start today?
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- 5 Benefits Of Faith
- 10 Reasons To Trust God
- Trusting God In All Circumstances
- 11 Bible Verses For Trusting God
- Who I Am In Christ
- Praying The Word Of God Back To Him
