10 Foundations for Christian Living
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It’s very important to attend to having a solid foundation. Even the most expensive and beautiful house will crumble if it doesn’t have a good foundation.
We each have God-given gifts and talents as well as various skillsets and abilities. But these good things can lead to our destruction if we don’t give proper attention and diligence to building on the right foundation.
Here are ten foundations that I believe are essential for us to cultivate so we can have longevity of character and live a life that is well-pleasing to God.
1 - Practice love
The first and second greatest commandment is to love God with everything that we are and to love our neighbor as ourself (Matthew 22:37-38) . This is the highest and most excellent way of life.
2 - Constant repentance
Continually repenting and asking God to cleanse us from sin helps us remain free and enables us to keep short accounts with God. A lifestyle of repentance (changing our minds and turning from sin) will help us walk in the light as God as in the light, which allows us to have true fellowship with Him (1 John 1:7).
3 - Follow Jesus’ commands
Jesus Himself said that everyone who hears His words and practices them is like a wise man who built his house on a rock, so no storm could topple it over (Matthew 7:24-25). He is saying that not just hearing, but obeying His commands are the way to have a solid foundation. If we only hear His word, but don’t practice it, we build our house on the sand, which crashes when the storms of trials and persecution come.
4 - Practice meekness and humility
Jesus commands us to learn from Him, for He is gentle (meek) and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29). These two characteristics will keep us from pride, which is a deadly trap and makes us an enemy of God.
5 - Take every thought captive
Taking every thought captive and measuring it against the word and will of God helps us keep in synch with God’s heart. When we think like He does, we will see the world from His perspective, giving us clarity of vision (2 Cor. 10:5).
6 - Live in freedom by becoming a slave to Christ
We will live in complete freedom by becoming a slave to Christ and being sold out and wholeheartedly committed to doing His will. This will free us from the bondage of all other idols such as our flesh, fear of man, reputation, pride, etc.
7 - Seek God diligently
If we want to get to know someone, we have to spend quality time with them. It’s no different with God. As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). When we consistently seek the Lord through prayer, worship, study of His word, etc., He will reward us with many things, but He is of course the main reward (Genesis 15:1).
8 - Practice hearing and obeying God’s voice
As we learn to spend time in worship and prayer, we will begin to recognize when God is speaking to us. All three Persons of the Trinity, the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all still speak today. God speaks in various ways. It’s our responsibility to learn to hear His voice and obey it. This is a process, and that’s okay. The more we practice, the better we will become.
9 - Practice the fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) are facets of love and help accelerate conformity to Christ’s image. The result of God’s Spirit in us is the fruit (singular) of love, joy, peace, etc. in increasing measure. All of the nine attributes will be seen in us as we live in obedience to God.
10 - Live in light of eternity
The concept of living in light of eternity is seen throughout the New Testament. Jesus Himself repeatedly emphasizes the eternal rewards we receive for enduring and overcoming persecution. We are also told to set our hearts and minds on things above and maintain an eternal perspective (Col. 3:2). After all, the gospel at its core has to do with eternal life, which is defined by Jesus as knowing the Father and knowing Him (John 17:3).