Christian Basic Training – Part 2

​As a review for this topic, many churches use services to gather people together, perform the newest songs on Christian radio, and allow the popular speaker to share a motivational speech all around an hour timeframe.  Jesus Christ gave His followers a list of things they were commanded to do to qualify as Christians.  Christians must do these things, according to Jesus Christ, or they are not obeying the author and finisher of their faith (Hebrews 12:2).  The list presented through these articles can be referenced as Christian Basic Training, much like the military has basic training or boot camp. People expect the military to have such training to equip all recruits to be good soldiers at the foundational level.  To have strong Christian soldiers they must be taught the basic training principles to excel in their roles and duties as soldiers for God.  The third basic training principle is to deny oneself (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).  Deny oneself is defined as abstaining, disowning, losing sight of oneself and own interests, affirming no connection with.  Jesus tells His disciples that if a person is going to be a follower or Christian they must first put away their sinfulness and who they used to be.  Christians who submit to Jesus’ teachings will crucify their sinful desires and live in Him (Galatians 2:20).  This is denying oneself to be the new creation God has made them to be.  Another part of denying self is to not be consumed by the world or the culture of the world.  If those who declare love for God are consumed by the world they do not love God (1 John 2:15; James 4:4).  God’s people must be consumed by a passion and love for Him because He is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  Sin displays a desire for self and a desire for self reflects God is not the focus of one’s life (John 14:15; Romans 1:26-27; Proverbs 11:2).  The fourth basic training principle is to carry their cross (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).  The King James version states to “take up his cross” which is defined as to lift, to raise, to bear, or to carry.  Jesus further states that whoever does not carry their cross and follow Him cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:27).  Each person having a cross is not a wooden object that must be carried throughout town, but the name or mark of being a Christian.  Those who do not carry the mark of Jesus are not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:38).  Carrying a cross is the emphasis of Jesus being the Lord and Master of one’s life not just their Savior from Hell.  The fifth basic training principle is to follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).  Follow is defined as being in the same way with, to accompany as a disciple.  With two words some denied themselves and followed Jesus (Luke 5:27-28; Matthew 4:19; John 1:43; Mark 2:14; Matthew 9:9).  For many in today’s time, they will not follow Jesus but follow their sinful desires or motives into a future that grows darker and darker due to the amount of God they shut out of their life.  Jesus did not come to bring death but life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).  Only those who follow Him will have this benefit of Jesus Christ.  All Christians must live by these principles according to the Word of God.  John the Baptist gave words to live by, Jesus must increase and self must decrease (John 3:30).  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.