The four steps to a walk with God...

[Twilight]

A simple overview of the four steps a Christian must travel:

1. An acceptance of Christ based on the Prophetic Revelation of scripture, as the Son of God.

2. An acceptance of the "merits" of Christ, as a basis of our acceptance with God.

3. An acceptance of the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, based on Christ's merits alone.

4. An acceptance and following of the leading of the Holy Spirit that takes us through sanctification.

These four building blocks supply a basis for leading anyone to a deep walk with God.

Your thoughts?

Mark

[pnattmbtc]

The clearest explanation of how one is saved that I've seen is the following:

Quote:

How, then, are we to be saved? "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness," so the Son of man has been lifted up, and everyone who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent may look and live. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces a new life in the soul. The thoughts and desires are brought into obedience to the will of Christ. The heart, the mind, are created anew in the image of Him who works in us to subdue all things to Himself. Then the law of God is written in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God." Ps. 40:8. (DA 175)

Regarding continuing to follow Christ:

Quote:

It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him. {DA 480.3}

The central thing in this is the character of God. Any formulation of steps of which the Christian must travel, to be accurate, must be centered on the character of God. It was the misrepresentation of God's character which first led angels and men into the mess we find ourselves in in the first place. It is the message of God's character which will be the last message of mercy given to this world in preparation of Christ's return.

[Twilight]

The clearest explanation of how one is saved that I've seen is the following:

Quote:

How, then, are we to be saved? "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness," so the Son of man has been lifted up, and everyone who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent may look and live. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces a new life in the soul. The thoughts and desires are brought into obedience to the will of Christ. The heart, the mind, are created anew in the image of Him who works in us to subdue all things to Himself. Then the law of God is written in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God." Ps. 40:8. (DA 175)

Regarding continuing to follow Christ:

Quote:

It is not the fear of punishment, or the hope of everlasting reward, that leads the disciples of Christ to follow Him. They behold the Saviour's matchless love, revealed throughout His pilgrimage on earth, from the manger of Bethlehem to Calvary's cross, and the sight of Him attracts, it softens and subdues the soul. Love awakens in the heart of the beholders. They hear His voice, and they follow Him. {DA 480.3}

The central thing in this is the character of God. Any formulation of steps of which the Christian must travel, to be accurate, must be centered on the character of God. It was the misrepresentation of God's character which first led angels and men into the mess we find ourselves in in the first place. It is the message of God's character which will be the last message of mercy given to this world in preparation of Christ's return.

Agreed.

But first we must establish Christ as a valid personage.

We must establish His claim to being the Son of God.

Which is enabled by prophecy (Step 1), which Jesus Himself used as a method.

Then we can point to His Merits (Step 2).

Then we can point to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which we receive because of Him (Step 3).

Then we can point to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that led Him (Step 4).

Once this simple structure was understood, it helped me to understand where someone might be in their revelation of God.

If someone does not accept the prophetic revelation of Christ for instance, pointing to the cross may well be meaningless for them.

Mark :-)

[Gerr]

As I see it, there is only one foundational building block - faith in Christ. Then as Peter says, we add to it virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and then love, 2 Pe 1:5-7. That if we do this we will neither be ineffective nor unfruitful.

[pnattmbtc]

Quote:

Agreed.

But first we must establish Christ as a valid personage.

We must establish His claim to being the Son of God.

Which is enabled by prophecy (Step 1), which Jesus Himself used as a method.

Then we can point to His Merits (Step 2).

Then we can point to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which we receive because of Him (Step 3).

Then we can point to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that led Him (Step 4).

You say you agree that the fundamental issue is the character of God, but then you say we have to first do something else. I'm not sure if you're saying that first we have to do step one, or first we have to do all four of these steps.

To my mind, if the character of God is the fundamental issue, with which you are agreeing, we need to deal with this first. This is what the DA quote brings out. The love of God shining from the cross draws the sinner to Christ; the goodness of God leads us to repentance. This means we see God as He is in truth, as Christ revealed Him, rather than the caricature presented by the enemy and seen all around. Some awakens within us, where we desire to respond to Him and be a part of God's kingdom.

[Twilight]

As I see it, there is only one foundational building block - faith in Christ. Then as Peter says, we add to it virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and then love, 2 Pe 1:5-7. That if we do this we will neither be ineffective nor unfruitful.

I probably did not make the opening point clear. :-)

Imagine someone who is raised with no belief in God.

Or raised an athiest.

The first thing I would have to do to help them come to Christ, is establish the logical argument of prophecy.

That proves Christ is who He says He is.

If someone does not even beleive in God, the first thing I would have to do is establish a logical basis for acceptance of God.

[Twilight]

Quote:

Agreed.

But first we must establish Christ as a valid personage.

We must establish His claim to being the Son of God.

Which is enabled by prophecy (Step 1), which Jesus Himself used as a method.

Then we can point to His Merits (Step 2).

Then we can point to the gift of the Holy Spirit, which we receive because of Him (Step 3).

Then we can point to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that led Him (Step 4).

You say you agree that the fundamental issue is the character of God, but then you say we have to first do something else. I'm not sure if you're saying that first we have to do step one, or first we have to do all four of these steps.

To my mind, if the character of God is the fundamental issue, with which you are agreeing, we need to deal with this first. This is what the DA quote brings out. The love of God shining from the cross draws the sinner to Christ; the goodness of God leads us to repentance. This means we see God as He is in truth, as Christ revealed Him, rather than the caricature presented by the enemy and seen all around. Some awakens within us, where we desire to respond to Him and be a part of God's kingdom.

The very reality of Christ is the fundamental issue for many people.

They are educated that the bible is false, that Christ was not even real in some cases.

But the prophetic revelation of Christ in the OT is the perfect antidote for this.

We cannot argue Gods character if someone does not even believe in God... :-)

Mark

[Guest]

The very reality of Christ is the fundamental issue for many people.

They are educated that the bible is false, that Christ was not even real in some cases.

But the prophetic revelation of Christ in the OT is the perfect antidote for this.

We cannot argue Gods character if someone does not even believe in God... :-)

Mark

Exactly! Sometimes folks have the tendency to sieze on just one point of the gospel or another. And take it to the extreme, forcing every other piece of biblical information to revolve around that one point. It is easy to go too far in doing that, once they start, and leads to an unbalanced (or skewed) view of scripture. It is better to have a more balanced view of the whole picture, instead of clinging to one little piece of the puzzle.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecc 3:2

[Twilight]

Originally Posted By: Twilight

The very reality of Christ is the fundamental issue for many people.

They are educated that the bible is false, that Christ was not even real in some cases.

But the prophetic revelation of Christ in the OT is the perfect antidote for this.

We cannot argue Gods character if someone does not even believe in God... :-)

Mark

Exactly! Sometimes folks have the tendency to sieze on just one point of the gospel or another. And take it to the extreme, forcing every other piece of biblical information to revolve around that one point. It is easy to go too far in doing that, once they start, and leads to an unbalanced (or skewed) view of scripture. It is better to have a more balanced view of the whole picture, instead of clinging to one little piece of the puzzle.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecc 3:2

I agree Richard.

Jesus used this first principle with the disciples, He taught them it:

Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.

[Gerr]

Faith in Christ presupposes that the unbeliever is introduced to Christ. As Paul says in Rom 10, "How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?....So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

[Twilight]

Faith in Christ presupposes that the unbeliever is introduced to Christ. As Paul says in Rom 10, "How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?....So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

Absolutely.

So how does one get someone from no Faith in Christ, to accepting Christ as a reality?

Step 1 above, will do that, if the person is open minded.

[Gerr]

What turns someone to Christ?

1) It could be as you outlined.

2) It could be tribulation/affliction/disaster that forces one to cry out to God for help.

3) Foxhole conversion.

4) Looking at the stars, nature, and become convinced that Someone had to create them.

5) Witnessing a miracle.

6) God speaking to them - a dream, inner conviction of the Holy Spirit.

7) Reading the Word, etc, etc.

[Twilight]

What turns someone to Christ?

1) It could be as you outlined.

2) It could be tribulation/affliction/disaster that forces one to cry out to God for help.

3) Foxhole conversion.

4) Looking at the stars, nature, and become convinced that Someone had to create them.

5) Witnessing a miracle.

6) God speaking to them - a dream, inner conviction of the Holy Spirit.

7) Reading the Word, etc, etc.

It could be any of those, I agree.

But...

...It is a logical place to start when discussing with Athiests etc... :-)