The simplicity of being Christian

It's all about the light and love in the Spirit

For many years I’ve been in the habit of starting my day with a simple prayer to center my mind on how to live as a Christian. Its like choosing Jesus afresh and asking how to live this “new life”. Lately I’ve been asking God to fill my heart with love for Him - for if I love Him then I will seek Him, and then I will hear Him and so I can obey Him.

Rather, I must obey, because one won’t hear if one doesn’t obey, and one won’t bother to seek if one doesn’t love God with all one’s heart and no longer love the world.

The Christian life boils down to being with God - dwelling in union with His Spirit and live by His guiding Truth.

This isn’t some crazy, burdensome kill-joy life. You either want to live life with God or struggle to live life without Him. The Christian life boils down to being with God - dwelling in union with His Spirit and live by His guiding

Truth. Here are some key scriptures to remind us:

“Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent”. (John 17:3)

“You, however, are not controlled by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you… For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:9,14)

“What matters is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6

It’s that simple. God with us. The Holy Spirit dwells within. I live in Christ. And what could be more fitting with the essential truth that we live by grace through faith. We God’s workmanship. Our good works gives glory to God because it’s only through His Spirit can we do anything. We cannot do anything good without Him.

This is ‘living in the Spirit.’ We must never tire of it because it is only through active and ongoing obedience to the Spirit we are able to fulfill the law of the Kingdom. But it’s not a perfect science: we must grow, learn and be transformed. We need to test, work out and prove all that is good and pleasing to God.

But it’s nothing more complicated than that. We are being transformed into what Jesus is like. Living in love, walking in the light, dwelling in God.

The only danger is to think we can do this life without God. The great falling away from faith in the Western world succumbed to this lie. The great thinkers thought we had what it takes to be good within us the whole time. It was just a matter of working out the principles and then through education we’ll be right.

It’s becoming increasingly evident we are not right without God. It’s a simple idea: just love thy neighbour and do good. But faith matters: faith in Jesus, receiving the Spirit and living by His guidance and power. It’s not too hard, not too complicated but our hearts must be in constant connection with God.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Test and prove what pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10)