Faith in Action

Have you ever wondered if there's more to faith than just attending church or performing good deeds? Join me as we unpack the transformative journey of truly living a Christ-like life in today's world. You’ll discover how to move from simply knowing about Jesus to truly being born again. Drawing on personal stories and the wisdom of John 3 and 1 John 2, we explore the vital distinction between claiming faith and living it authentically, just like practicing a profession rather than just holding a title.

Together, we’ll journey through the wonders of sanctification and the profound changes that walking with Jesus brings. This episode challenges you to prioritize your spiritual growth over worldly ambitions and to actively invest in serving others, such as widows and orphans. By embodying the teachings of Jesus, you’ll find joy, reduced anxiety, and a deep-seated hope that transforms not only your life but also inspires those around you. Embrace this path with us and discover the profound and positive changes that come from truly following Jesus Christ.

Chapters

• 0:29 Living a Christ-Like Life Today
• 14:58 Living a Christ-Like Mission Today
• 29:19 Transformed by Following Jesus

Transcript

B.R.Maul: 0:29

Hello and welcome to Living God's Way in an Ungodly World. It's good to have you here with me. I am pastor and author BR Maul. Last week I was talking about the importance of having a relationship with the Lord and knowing him in your heart and not just in your mind. It's something that has been weighing a lot on me lately, because I see so much of that happening.

B.R.Maul: 0:59

People who are living their lives believing that their eternity is based on the knowledge that they have about Jesus Christ, and these are people who attend church regularly. These are people who would consider themselves good citizens, doing the right thing. People who pay their taxes, they work, they show up on work on time, they do the job they're supposed to do, they're helpful, they volunteer, they're pleasant people. These are people that are great to be around. Some are funny, some are trustworthy, but my concern is the growing number of people who are not born again and are considering that their salvation is based on that. They have always known Jesus. Talk to somebody and ask them about that. It's quite amazing people who believe that they're born into Christianity and I can speak from the very fact that when I was very young, I thought that because what I listened to on the news and watched on TV the things that people were doing, the evil that is out there, whether on the news and for real or fiction. That alone was enough to convince me that I was a good person and my family are good people, because they too were working hard. They wanted to be helpful to other people. Sure, they struggled who doesn't? Everybody's human? But overall good people. And that continues today. Now I thank the Lord that he opened my eyes years ago to this reality. It wasn't easy for me to accept and to take in, that's for sure. In fact, there was a time I fought it because I didn't want to accept it, to look back at one's childhood and realize that there was some important information in fact the most important information when it comes to one's eternity and it was false. But for those who have been following my teachings on this podcast, you know that this is something that is very near and dear to me, that I can't say enough of that. Just going to church doesn't make somebody a Christian, and there's other things. There's those who go to church, yes, but also those who maybe they have a father or a mother, a grandparent, who is somebody who loves the Lord Jesus and growing up next to that person or near that person, you got the impression that that made you also a Christian. It kind of rubs off on you.

B.R.Maul: 3:47

I could go on and on on the misconception that one is a child of God because they know who Jesus is. That's not what makes a person a child of God. One must be born again, and Jesus mentions that in John 3, when Nicodemus comes to him at night and he wants to know Nicodemus as a Pharisee, a teacher of God's Word. He wants to know, and that's quite amazing, isn't it? Because this is a man who should have known. He should have been able to instantly identify Jesus Christ as God incarnate. Now, based on scripture, I firmly believe that if he didn't know at that time, he certainly did come to know that, but I won't get into that. But we know at that time that he spent with Nicodemus, jesus explained it quite clear in John 3, that one must be born again to be able to see the kingdom of God. So I'm going to assume the rest of this message that you understand what born again is, because I want to continue moving forward in this conversation that if one is indeed a child of God.

B.R.Maul: 5:08

There must be proof in our day-to-day living, because we can live a life. We can call ourselves whatever we want in our life, but if we don't actually do what it is that we are saying we are, well, then what good is it? And we can apply that to anything, not just Christianity. Anybody can walk around and say they're a brain surgeon. Well, if you say you are, but you've never gone to school to become a brain surgeon and you don't go and work at a hospital, you've never done an operation, then it'd be kind of hard to claim the fact that you're a brain surgeon if you've never in your life, ever done any brain surgery. Now that's one example. We can go on and on. I could go around and say that I'm a comedian, that's what I do for a living, a professional comedian. But if I've never had one show, if I've never done one stand-up routine in my life, well then am I really a comedian? These may be horrible examples, I don't know, but the same applies to our relationship with Jesus Christ. You can claim to be someone's husband or wife, but if you've never stood at the altar, if you've never said I do, if you don't live together, you don't know one another. You barely know someone's name. You can't identify what he or she does, but you keep walking around saying that you're married to this person, are you? There needs to be evidence in your life, and I think most people would agree with me on that.

B.R.Maul: 6:49

I have taught the book of 1 John, but I do want to read from 1 John, chapter 2, starting in verse 3. Now, by this we know that we know him. That's Jesus if we keep his commandments. He who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word truly, the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. That's Jesus. He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he, jesus, walked. That's pretty straightforward.

B.R.Maul: 7:39

I believe John is making it very clear If you're going to talk the talk, you must walk the walk. That's how we've said it in modern times anyway. And he even says now, by this, we know that we know him if we keep his commandments In walking in his ways. Keeping his commandments is living like Jesus lived. He showed us how to live as his disciples. That's why it's so wonderful that we can go back and read the New Testament and see for ourselves how Jesus Christ walked. So believing in him, believing in the blood of Christ, accepting him as your Savior is only the beginning.

B.R.Maul: 8:30

Once we are born again, we must live like him. Not because we need to get into salvation by our works no, but really for two reasons that I see it. One, as John just says here, that way we know that we know him. Only a person who truly knows Jesus is going to live like him. But also for this other reason that we live like Jesus, that we do good works, that we do as he has commanded, is because of our appreciation. So that's really twofold, one that we can prove to ourselves yes, I do love Jesus, because I want to know how Jesus lived, I want to hear what Jesus has to say. So, as you read the New Testament, as you continue to learn who Jesus is and you begin to walk like him and act like him, to follow in his commandments and his footsteps, such as loving the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind and soul, and loving your neighbor as yourself. Fulfilling that not just in your mind, not just thinking about hey, this is a good idea, but living this way, how important that is beloved.

B.R.Maul: 9:52

Someone who claims to know Jesus and to love Jesus but shows no desire to know him, they don't care if they make it to church or not. Again, does going to church help you get into heaven? Not at all. And unfortunately this is where the two extremes kind of crisscross, because there are many who do believe well, I'm going to church, so I must love Jesus. But this is where we have to know that we love him because we are keeping his commandments. He never commanded us to go to church. He has commanded us to love our God and to love one another.

B.R.Maul: 10:38

In verse 4, he who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. And perhaps what people are thinking is I know him intellectually. I can tell you what Christmas is all about. I can tell you what Easter is all about. These are people who sure they know him very well, in the sense as a person would know somebody they have studied in history, somebody they have read a lot about, and they can quote and say the person was born this day in this year. And this is where they were born and this is how they were raised. This is the kind of life that they lived.

B.R.Maul: 11:22

There's historians that can repeat a lot of this information on a lot of historical people. And even today, in modern times, when it comes to famous people, there are people who know the background in these actors and actresses or their favorite sport figures, their favorite football players, basketball players, baseball players, race car drivers, you name it. There's the sport out there and people can rattle off all kinds of information. So so what if a person can rattle off information about Jesus To say that we know him but then we don't do as he commands? Well, that makes us a liar. And going back to the famous people or historians to say that you know somebody, does that mean you know them intimately, that you know them personally? Think of your favorite actor or favorite sport, jock, and how much you know of that person. Does that give you the right to walk around and tell people that you know them as if you knew them personally? No, it doesn't, and I'm sure you don't do that.

B.R.Maul: 12:33

But whoever keeps his word truly, the love of God is perfected in him. Keeping God's word Well beloved, what does that look like that is your life. One's life needs to reflect that. You keep his word and, as John says, then truly the love of God is perfected in you, doesn't make you perfect, that's not what he's saying, but it's doesn't make you perfect. That's not what he's saying, but it's perfected in you because you are living it out. It's not just something that you know. You don't just spout out verses, but you're living out what the verses say.

B.R.Maul: 13:14

We don't lie because we know that that is wrong. We don't cheat because we know that's wrong. We don't have affairs because we know that's wrong. Cheat because we know that's wrong. We don't have affairs because we know that's wrong. We don't envy. We're not greedy, because we know it's wrong. We are kind to people because we know that's right. We are generous because we know that is what Jesus wants us to do is to be generous with the resources he has given us our time, our talents, our treasure. We are forgiving. We don't hold things against people, why? Because Jesus doesn't hold anything against us when we approach Jesus.

B.R.Maul: 13:52

When you took him in as your Lord and Savior and said that's it, lord, I'm following you, you accepted the price that he paid on the cross, which means that he owns you, which is a beautiful thing. So that's why we are going to live every way we can. We are going to follow his way and not do things that is wrong and do the things that are right, and by this we know that we are in him, so you can know. One never needs to question am I born again? Am I heaven bound? Because it's not based on our works, the works that we do. We do because we love our Lord and he is our savior and our Lord. And then verse 6, he who says he abides in him. So the person who says that he abides in Jesus ought himself also to walk as Jesus walked For baby Christians, for those who you haven't been a Christian very long.

B.R.Maul: 14:58

Yes, there's a lot of change that's going to be happening. As you walk with your Lord and Savior, as you read his word and are praying to him, are taking the time to be with him. Yes, you will begin to be sanctified and look and act more like Jesus. But the reason this part is so important is because what our life looks like means so much, because it's not just a matter of being kind, it's not just a matter of not being mean, it's not just behavioral, but where do you spend your time? Here's a big one for you If you want to know how you're walking with the Lord, if you're born again and you want to do what he has told you to do. He has also given us a commission, every single one of us, everyone who is born again.

B.R.Maul: 15:58

The last thing that Jesus said before he ascended into heaven, where he sits today, he said go to all nations making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, son and Holy Spirit. That doesn't mean for you to be a Christian. You must travel around the world, but what it does mean is that you are going to speak about who your Savior is to all nations, that's to all people. Now, in modern times, this makes it even all the more easier because, with the world being so intermixed, especially in a country like America, which is a melting pot of nations, of people, you don't have to go far at all right in your neighborhood. But anybody who is not born again is a people to go to. Young and old, male and female, rich and poor, educated, uneducated, sophisticated, simple. I think you get the picture. It doesn't matter Anybody who does not know Jesus we are told to make a disciple out of Now.

B.R.Maul: 17:15

The good thing is, it doesn't fall on our shoulders to convert people. The Holy Spirit does that and I'm very thankful for that, because then that would mean it would rely upon my ability to sell somebody on being a Christian. That's not our responsibility, because you don't need to sell somebody on being a Christian. What you need to do is to show people the benefit of being a Christian, because by our very love for other people, the light and salt that we are, through living the life, by obeying his commands, by knowing Jesus as John has said in this letter we show people that we are his children and the very fact that we don't live lives that we are full of anxiety, we don't live lives where we are hateful and greedy and people are quick to see wow, this is a person I can really trust. When this Christian says that they are going to be here, they show up. When they say they're going to do something, they do it and they do it right. So it's in our very livelihood that we reflect the fact that we are his children.

B.R.Maul: 18:33

So let me go even further, because what I see so much around me today is Christians, who I can't tell the difference if they are an unbeliever or a Christian, until, of course, you may ask them do you believe in Jesus? Oh, yes, I believe in Jesus, but up until that point, there's no way of identifying that. Because, going back to what John said, are we walking like him? Because he who says that he abides in Jesus ought himself also to walk just as Jesus walked. So if a person isn't walking like that, they swear and cuss and it doesn't bother them. And they can go and get drunk, and it doesn't bother them at all. They can flirt even though they're married, or they flirt with those who are married. They can lie. Their walk doesn't reflect what they say. Their talk says I know Jesus, yeah, but their walk isn't showing it, and this is what I'm seeing a lot of beloved.

B.R.Maul: 19:40

So if you're a child of God, join me in challenging our brothers and sisters to live it, in challenging our brothers and sisters to live it. Stop talking about being a Christian and live it, walk it, walk the walk. Quit telling people that I go to church and so that's what makes me a Christian. Join me in this challenge. Help those who don't get it. Help those who think that well, yes, I'm going to follow Jesus, but I'm going to do that by still living the life I did before I was born again. We can't do that. Please spare your time and then help others spare their time by not doing that. Live off of the misery of those of us who have tried it for decades.

B.R.Maul: 20:32

I wasted so much of my time saying that I'm following Jesus, even trying to behave myself and get to church more often and be more intentional at Christmas time and Easter time, but yet I was still living like the world. Now, even when my speech changed, the Lord took cussing from me quite quickly and I thank him for that, because ultimately it just hurt people around me and hurt myself. But he took cussing and cursing away from me. So that's great, and there was things that he was working on and to this day he's still. The sanctification process won't end until I'm dead and I enter eternity. Then I'll be glorified, amen.

B.R.Maul: 21:25

But what I have learned as well is what about the time that he has given us? Why isn't that more important? If you're a born-again believer in this challenge of awakening our brothers and sisters, look at how we are spending our time. Are we putting the majority of our time into our work here on earth, or are we putting the majority of our time in the work that we have for Jesus Christ? Not for making our life more better here by making more money and accumulating more comforts, but we are indeed working the Great Commission.

B.R.Maul: 22:06

We are telling others about Jesus, we are bringing people to church, we are pausing and praying with people. We are seeking out the widow and the orphan and spending time with them, giving them our time and our love, whatever that might look like. Maybe a child in your neighborhood who doesn't have a mother or a father, and there's that part that you can help be a friend to their parent and to that child. Or maybe a widow whose husband passed away years ago and this little old lady has been living just a few doors down from you, but you haven't taken the time because you're too busy. You got too much going on in your life.

B.R.Maul: 22:54

Well, this is where we need to check ourselves again, because, walking with him, knowing Jesus, do you remember when that young ruler came to Jesus? And this young ruler said teacher, I have done everything, everything that you have asked when it comes to the commands, I have done. And Jesus then said Well, okay, that's great. Now sell everything you own and walk with me. And that rich young ruler went away, sad, because he was so wealthy he couldn't do it. He was keeping the commands. He was very careful to try to fulfill all these commands, but he wasn't willing to give Jesus his entire life. He wanted to keep the money. He wanted to still live like the world.

B.R.Maul: 23:46

And we can see that today, because there are many rich young rulers today, and no, not rulers as in like of a country or something like that, but successful entrepreneurs, people who have a lot of money, maybe their career, they make a lot of money, maybe their investments, whatever the reason that they have a lot of money, they would fall into the category of a rich ruler in ancient times and many of us are much more well-off than we think, especially for those of us in America. I know this podcast goes around the world and thank you, lord, for that. But look at yourself, beloved, wherever you're at in this world, and thank you, lord, for that. But look at yourself, beloved, wherever you're at in this world, and it's easy to compare ourselves to our neighbor and think, yeah, but they have. Wow, look at their house, or look what they drive, or look at the connections they have, whatever it is, but then we fail to see what the Lord has given us, has blessed us with, and because we desire more, we decide I'm going to work more, I'm going to work and I'm going to make even more money. So I start another business or I get another job or I invest more money, whatever it may be, but then we spend a lot more time trying to make money and trying to gather things in this world, in this life, instead of walking like Jesus walked and made other people a priority, and that looks differently for everyone beloved.

B.R.Maul: 25:23

Maybe you're the kind of person who can love people by giving money to them, or maybe you have a skill or talent. You're a doctor, a nurse, somebody who can practice medicine, and you help those who are in need. Maybe you do go other places in the world, because there are many places who don't have the medical attention. Maybe you're an educator, and so you do take time and you teach, whatever other language it is, to others who need to know that language, and then see to it they get God's word in that language. There you go. You're loving other people. Yes, we all have jobs. Yes, we need to make money, but it's so easy for that money to become the priority.

B.R.Maul: 26:14

So, while I'm thinking about it before I run out of time, retirement, for example. There's nothing biblical about that. Retirement is our way of saying well, I want to make enough money. That way I can do what I want. And a Christian may say well, yes, when I have enough where I can retire, then I will go ahead and I will give back time and I'll start going to church more, or I'll start volunteering and helping those who are in need more in my community. Okay, but that isn't the way it's supposed to work.

B.R.Maul: 26:51

We don't tell God I will do it when I'm good and ready. For those of you who have tried it, like I have, I'm sure you can testify that it doesn't work that way. Does it? God will make it quite clear that that's not the way he does things, because the other thing is we don't even know if we're going to be around tomorrow.

B.R.Maul: 27:13

James tells us in his writing in the book of James that we don't know what tomorrow brings. So we don't have the right to plan out our coming weeks, months and years and say this is what I'm going to do take it or leave it, no, and say this is what I'm going to do take it or leave it, no. James says what we are to do is to say, if God wills, and I'm going to be alive, I'll do this and that Because then, every day, we go to our Lord and we pray to him. What will you have me do? This day, my heart goes out to everyone who is struggling with this ongoing battle that we have which is a spiritual battle, by the way Because every time that we try to do more for our Lord and Savior, this world comes down even harder and faster, trying to entice us to take us away from reading his word for volunteering or for stopping at the little old lady's house we've been meaning to for years, whatever it may be.

B.R.Maul: 28:14

But before I leave you, I want to say this, and please think about this, because if you have too much going on in your life and you don't have the time to read God's Word and you don't have the time to worship him and you don't have the time to help others, then you're not living for Christ, then you are not walking as he walked, and it's time you change, work less or give up more things so you don't have to work as much, but make that time. We all have that ability, because anything that's so important to us, do we not make time for it? Even if it's a certain event, a movie comes out that you really want to see, somehow people make time for that. A sporting event that a person wants to go and watch, they make time for that. When it's things that please us, we're quick to go ahead and make time for that.

B.R.Maul: 29:19

But I assure you, I promise you this and I hate making promises but I promise you that you walk with Jesus. But I promise you that you walk with Jesus. You follow his commands. You will begin to be joyous, you will begin to be less anxious, you will become less depressed, you will have a hope that grows in you. You will become a better person through Jesus Christ. That's all I have for today. I look forward to next week and until next time, god bless, thank you.