Believer to Man of God Part 2

Cornerstone Church of Blaine Men's Group
Mille Lacs Fishing Devotional
June 12, 2010
Believer To Man Of God Series


At the most recent Mens Retreat, Matt Ashworth spoke about how being a Christian man doesn't mean that we can't be a real man. This year the Mens Ministry would like to follow up on that with the idea of moving from believer to man of God. Professing to believe in God and the work of Christ on the cross for the salvation of our souls is a good thing. The better thing is to move down the road of sanctification by becoming a man of God.

Everyone is at some point along the following time line. Wherever we are at the moment is fine. The key is to know where we are heading. Our goal is to move from the end that is believer to the state of being a man of God. The long trek between the two is becoming and maturing as a follower of Jesus Christ. Through mentoring or discipling, a believer needs to study and apply Scripture to have spiritual growth and develop a relationship with God.

The Time Line
Unbeliever ... Believer ...Follower of Christ............................................................Man of God

Following is a brief explanation of each of the categories on the time line. After there is a true conversion the believer needs to grow and move along the path toward becoming a man of God. The world has us compartmentalize our lives into segments such as work, religion, play, family and other groupings. The Christian needs to break free from this mindset and envelope his life with Christianity as Christ instructs if we are to follow Him.

Unbeliever - Two Groups

• Anti Christ, Attacks Christianity, Fights to Delete Christianity
• Apathetic, Don't Bother Me, I Won't Bother You

Believer - Two Groups

• Professor of Faith, Cultural Christian, Intellectual Believer, Maybe Committed to Religion, Not Committed to Obeying Christ, False Convert, No Dynamic Change
• Possessor of Saving Faith, True Convert, Radical Change, Christianity is only a Part of Life, Presumes upon Grace, Biblical Illiteracy to Some Extent

Follower of Christ

• Christianity is Life - Living for Christ rather than Living with Christ
• Eternity Minded - Seeks after Eternal Promises
• Sensitive to Sin - Realizes Sinfulness and is Penitent, Hates Sinning
• Doesn't presume upon Grace, Hates Evil

Man of God

• Devotes Serious Time to Study of the Word and Time in Prayer
• Understands True Humility
• Strives to Apply the Word to Life
• Lives the Christian Life in Thanksgiving, Not Out of Debt
• Actually Knows God, Not Simply Knows About God
• Desires to Live out the Will of God, Whatever the Cost

The key is the mindset of our relationship of Christianity to our daily life. Does our daily life define, and therefore compartmentalize, our Christianity? Or does our Christianity define, and therefore engulf, our daily life? The former will result in a rather ineffective life for Christ. Spirituality will be excersised only when convenient and comfortable for the believer. This is an all about me and my decisions style of living. The latter will be an effective life of obedience to Christ and of following the leading of the Holy Spirit at all times. There will be continued spiritual growth and fruitfulness in a lifestyle that is all about following Christ. God will be first and foremost in all aspects of life.

The big question  is, are we hanging onto this life which we will lose in the end, or are we sacrificing this short life for the eternal rewards which are great?

James 1:21-24
21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

• Put Aside All - Am I Sold Out To Christ? Christianity needs to rule our lives, not be a mere part of them.
• Receive The Word - It must impact our lives. Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing  of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

• Prove Yourselves Doers - Align with the Word, Testimony of Others.
• Mere Hearers Delude Themselves - It's always my way rather than God's way.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

• Consistency in life.
• What areas of my life are inconsistent with other areas.
• What do I hide from others, Christians and non, that I am ashamed of?

Matthew 10:37-39 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it."

Truly believing and trusting fully in Christ is the only way to become a man of God. We can learn the language and play the game, but God sees to the motives of the heart and we will be found guilty at the judgment if we are phony in our faith. If we truly trust Christ, we need to sell out and change our mindset from Christianity as a part of our lives to our lives belonging to Christ. He will direct our paths and we will obey His commands. We must understand that obeying is not a choice that we have as to whether we will obey or disobey. The man of God knows that disobedience is sin and sees the cross. The man of God is crushed with every sin in shame for disappointing his Lord and Savior. He knows that there is forgiveness but will not presume upon the grace of God and feel free to sin. He will repent and then praise and thank God and continue to press on toward the goal.

Where are we on the time line? Are we progressing toward becoming a man of God? Quite simply, are we being obedient?

Spiritual - Spiritual - Miscellaneous