TEXT: 1Tim 4:1-16; Heb 12:1-3.
INTRODUCTION:
Being an example means to be a role model, living an exemplary life that can be emulated by others. An example of believers therefore implies that the believer's way of life is a pointer to the fact that such person has accepted Jesus as his/her Lord, Master and personal saviour. He/she is daily looking unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. It is only by focusing on Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life that we can truly be example of the believers in words thoughts and deeds.
Today even among believers, there are some whose lives do not portray the type of life that Christ live while physically here on earth. Some have been drawn away by the cares of this world. They have abandoned the good and right standards set for us to follow by our Lord Jesus Christ. Such believers as it were do not care if they are living renewed lives or the same type of lives they were living before they accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. This certainly is not the plan of God for our lives.
In this study, we shall be looking into what it means to be an example of believer, how to become one and remain so for God's glory and for total redemption when Christ returns to take His people home
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this study are to:
- Understand what it means to be a believer who is focusing on Jesus Christ
- Explain why the Bible said "looking unto Jesus" instead of 'look unto Jesus ' and discuss what it means to be an example of the believer who is looking unto Jesus
- Enumerates the characteristics of a believer who is looking unto Jesus
- Discuss some reasons that may make it difficult for some believers not to be Christ-like example
- Discuss the dangers of not being an example of believers
- Highlights the rewards of always being an example of believers whose focus is on Jesus Christ
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BELIEVER WHO IS FOCUSING ON JESUS CHRIST ?
To be a believer who is focusing on Jesus Christ simply means yielding the totality of one's life to Jesus Christ. This will involve living daily to please Him in every aspect of his life. Focusing on Christ will require that the believerust submit and take instructions from Christ "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 27:28a). Therefore, without the believer focusing on Jesus Christ, he cannot be an example for other believers to emulate.
QUESTION 2A. WHY DID THE BIBLE SAY "LOOKING UNTO JESUS" INSTEAD OF "LOOK UNTO JESUS" ?
The Bible said " looking unto Jesus ", instead of 'look unto Jesus ' simply because the believer is expected to consistently look unto Jesus at all times rather than just look and remove our focus thereafter. Weust realize that "no man, having put his hand on the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Lk 9:62). God warns that if anyone draws back, He will not have any pleasure in him (Heb 10:38). Therefore, we need to be consistently focusing on Jesus so that we can finish our christian race strong.
QUESTION 2B. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVER LOOKING UNTO JESUS ?
The believers are the light of the world. Where there is light, darkness will certainly disappear. When the believer's life radiates the light of God to the world around him, he becomes a centre of attraction that will draw others to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven".
The believers can only be examples by total dependence on Christ who is the True Vine and we are the branches. It is only by drawing nourishment from the Vine that the branch can remain healthy and bear fruit. Without abiding in Christ, we can do nothing.
QUESTION 3. WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A BELIEVER WHO IS LOOKING UNTO JESUS ? Some of such characteristics are listed and discussed below:
I. FEAR AND LOVE OF GOD (Deut 10:12-13). One of the characteristics of a believer who is looking unto Jesus is having the fear and love if God. He fears the Lord, walks in all His ways and loves God with all his heart and with all his soul. He endeavours to keep the commandments and statues of the Lord.
II. DEDICATED LIFE TO GOD (Rom 12:1-3). His life is dedicated wholly to God.He presents his body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is his reasonable service or his act of worship. He does not confirm to the world's system but is transformed by renewing his mind with the word of God. By so doing, the believer will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to discern God's will as he lives a beautiful life, satisfying and acceptable in the sight of God.
III. HOLY LIVING (1PT 1:13-17). Our God is holy, we also must be holy. The believer must be sober, circumspect, morally alert, setting his hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Live as obedient children of God. For He who has called you is holy, you must also be holy in all your conduct andsnner of living.
IV. CONSTANT PRAYER AND STUDY OF THE WORD OF GOD (1Thess 5:17; Josh 1:8; 2Tim 2:15)
Prayer is very necessary in the life of a believer if he must maintain constant communication and fellowship with God. Also, he sets his mind on studying the word of God and puts into practice what is written therein by observing to do all that God's word has outlined. It is by so doing that he can be an example of the believer.
V. SETTING HIS AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE. (Col 3:1-4; Matt 6:19-20; Lk 12:34) A believer who lives an exemplary life sets his affection on things above, not on things on the earth. He constantly puts his body under subjection focusing on Christ. He mortifies the evil desires that may be lurking around in his life. He makes investments that have eternal value in heaven by winning souls.
QUESTION 4. SOME REASONS THAT MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR SOME BELIEVERS NOT TO BE CHRIST-LIKE EXAMPLES. Some of these reasons and how to overcome them are discussed below:
I. PEER PRESSURE (1Corin 15:33; 2Corin 6:17-18). Peer pressure or influence is when one is being influenced to behave in a particular manner because he/she wants to be accepted or valued by friends, age and social group. Peer pressure can be positive or negative. The only way to overcome this challenge is not to confirm to ungodly practices and be separate, endeavouring not to participate in things that do not glorify the name of the Lord.
II. CARES OF LIFE- Where to dwell, what to eat and drink (Matt 6:25-34; 1Pt 5:6-9).
The cares of life are things which are not sinful in themselves, but are heavy burdens which can hinder us from focusing on Christ. Many believers may be encumbered with where to live, what to eat and drink or even what to put on. These affect some people to the extent that they lose intimacy with Christ. We should cast all our cares on Jesus Christ because He cares for us.
III. THE LOVE OF THE WORLD, LUST OF THE FLESH AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE (1Jn 2:15-17). Inordinate affection for the things of the world is another hinderance to many believers from being Christ-like examples. The lust of the flesh has to do with satisfying fleshly desires that do not glorify God. We are admonished by the word of God that we should not love the world, neither the things that are in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. They are not of the Father but of the world.
IV. THE KINDS OF MESSAGES THEY HEAR (Eph 5:1-7; 1Tim 4:1-5,16).
There are many false teachings these days and many are drawn to such messages especially because they do not emphasise holy living and complete obedience to the word of God as expressly stated in the scriptures. Many people are not willing to endure sound doctrine but after their own lust heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. We must endeavour to cross check every message we hear in the light of the word of God. Any message that is at variance with the scriptures should not be accepted. Just like the Berean christians, who when "...they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11)
QUESTION 5A. WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF NOT BEING AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVERS ?
There are soany dangers confronting one for not being an example of the believer in whatever environment such a believer may find himself/herself. These are highlighted below:
IN CHURCH: The church is expected to be the pillar and ground of the truth, it is a place where the word of God is taught through our words, deeds and the way we live our lives. It is the responsibility of the believers to live an exemplary life so that his life will draw others to Christ. When the reverse is the case, his action, attitudes or even utterances may hinder the growth of the church. We are all members of the body of Christ, when one part is not functioning well, it definitely will affect the whole body.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: We are the light of the world. The believer should shine as light in their neighborhood so as to eliminate the darkness around them. The dangers of not being an example of the believer in the neighborhood may imply that, the good news of the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may not be spread in that environment.
IN THE SOCIETY: Today our society is full of moral decadence and the standards as stated by the word of God have long been forgotten by many, all in the name of "civilisation". If the believer does not live as an example in the society, many atrocities will be accepted and committed all around. This will lead to making life unbearable in such a society.
TO THE INDIVIDUAL: An individual who is not living as an example of the believer is exposed to many dangers. His prayers will not be answered because he is not bringing glory to God. The word of God tells us that friendship with the world is enmity with God. He brings reproach to the name of the Lord. He has no light in him to illuminnate the lives of others around him. The ultimate end of such a person may be eternal separation from God if he does not turn back to God.
QUESTION 6. WHAT ARE THE REWARDS OF BEING AN EXAMPLE OF A BELIEVER WHOSE FOCUS IS ON CHRIST ? There are many rewards that awaits one who is an example of a believer whose focus is on Christ.
- God is pleased with him
- He becomes an effective instrument and an honourable vessel in the hands of the Master, prepared unto every good work.
- He enjoys intimacy with God, as God reveals His mind to the believer.
- He enjoys many blessings of God in all it's ramifications
- Ultimately, he will spend eternity in heaven with God.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION: The pattern of the world in these last days has become very complex. It should not be difficult to identify believers by the way they conducted themselves. We have strictly Benin instructed by God not to be conformed to the patterns of this world, instead be an example of the believer whose focus is always on Jesus Christ. We must endeavour to be renewed in our minds so that we would always bring glory to God while working out our salvation with fear and trembling as instructed in the scriptures. Where we lack strength, rather than conforming to the world's system and saying it does not matter, let us seek help from God and live to please Him in all areas of our lives. Total dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit is the only way we can live to please God and be examples of the believers in words, conversation, in charity, in spirit, in truth, in faith, in purity.
MEMORY VERSE:
1 Timothy 4:12 *Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity"