Strive to be Followers of Christ



"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; BUT WE AN INCORRUPTIBLE.” -I Corinthians 9:25 [KJV]


As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must strive to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. It does a person no good to claim to trust, know and love Christ only to ignore and even reject His Word of grace given to guide us in our thoughts, attitude, character and conduct. Now in striving to be followers of Christ our Lord and Savior, we are well aware that we do not strive in and of our own power. It is by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit that we endeavor to obey the Word of God. To be "temperate in all things" is not to be self-controlled but to be controlled by the Holy Spirit Who fills, guides and motivates us in the ways of Christ.

Paul wrote of his own striving in the ministry that it was all "according to HIS working, which worketh in me mightily" (Colossians 1:29). We also know that our striving does not save us or make us righteous before God. Christ alone, by His blood and righteousness imputed, is our only justification before a holy God. Our striving is the fruit of God's grace and the evidence of our faith in, love for, and gratitude to Him for all He has freely given us in salvation. We are to strive with much effort to be conformed to the image of Christ - to be Christ-like in every way, and as we do, we recognize that our life as believers is the life of Christ, Who lives graciously and powerfully with us, "and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).


-Gospel report by preacher Bill Parker

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