A Christian: Knowing the Christ to Follow the Christ

No one of the Lord Jesus Christ's generation comprehended the fullness of what was happening right in front of their eyes. His coming, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension were not grasped. So that all men could understand, God recorded the events of Christ's life in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He then provided the apostles to write the Epistles to look back on those Gospel records and explain what the life of Christ meant and how it applies to us today. There are one hundred and ninety-four verses in the Epistles that reference Christ's ministry in the Gospels, out of which eighty chapters have been developed.

Many subjects are addressed, including Christ the decision-maker, putting to death the sin nature, removing the veil of spiritual ignorance, the purpose of trials, His ministry as the High Priest, suffering injustices patiently, living in the will of God, the mature pastor, hidden wisdom, the blueprint for marriage, being conformed to the image of Christ, Christ's role as mediator between God and men, the strength of weakness, the confident life, destroying the works of the Devil, fellowship with the heavenly Father, breaking sinful habits, Christ's shepherding work inside of us, continued living on the cutting edge of faith, maintaining clarity in the confusion, the preexistent Christ and His preexisting plans, developing heavenly affections, Christ's lordship of our brethren, supernatural empowerment for obedience, with Christ in the ages to come, the Cross separates us from the world, Christ's curse and blessing, law and grace, and our glorified body.

We must know the Christ in order to follow the Christ. May God bless you as you discover the greatness of the Christ and become a faithful, following Christian!