After seeing my neighbors put up their 'christmas lights', hearing about people putting up their 'christmas trees', and seeing the results of the poll, I decided that it was about time I started writing up my post on the subject of christmas.
While this may be a touchy subject, I think that it needs to be addressed. We as Christians must go back to God's Word, and examine the things we do by Scripture to see whether they are of God.

The question of the poll was, 'Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?' 46 votes were for Yes! and 26 for No!.

As many might have guessed by now, our family does not celebrate christmas, nor has now for some time. We used to, yes, until we discovered its pagan roots and practices. We have actually been preached at for not celebrating this so-called Christian holiday.

The very name of "Christmas" is unScriptural! It is clearly a combination of words meaning "Christ's Mass" or "The mass of Christ". There is nothing in the Word of God that even hints at such a term. It immediately reveals its link to the Roman Catholic church. We're not commanded to remember his birth, but we are commanded to remember his death.

I have heard this phrase many times:: Let's keep Christ In Christmas

My impression of it is that it's kind of hard to keep Christ in christmas when He was never there to begin with, since christmas is a pagan holiday with pagan roots, I don't think the Lord would be, or would want to be, associated with it.

Why would we, as Christians, want to participate in something that the rest of the heathen, ungodly people of the world participate in? We are clearly taught from Scripture to "Learn not the way of the heathen" and not to be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers". Participating in a holiday that the rest of the world also participates in is certainly yoking ourselves up with unbelievers! All the God-hating, Christ-denying, and sin-loving pagans get excited about this day.
Jeremiah 10:3-4 seems to sum up the 'christmas tree' pretty good, wouldn't you say?

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Nowhere is 'christmas' taught in the Bible to be observed. It is not part of the "faith which was once delivered unto the saints" nor is it Apostolic doctrine! The Bible teaches that we are to flee fornication, idolatry, and covetousness. We are not to love the things of this world, nor are we to to be like this world, but the 'christmas spirit' promotes all these sinful things that the Lord commands us to abstain from! It was not celebrated by Jesus himself, the apostles, or the early church.

We're commanded to worship God "in spirit and in truth". What, exactly, is true about christmas other than Jesus was born into a body of flesh? There were no wise men at His birth, there were no presents given to 'honor the birth of Christ', there were no decorated trees, no flashing 'christmas' lights, no holly hanging over the door, no wreaths, no one maxing out their credit cards to fulfill the lusts of their flesh, no one teaching their children to be covetous, nor was there anyone 'making out a christmas list' of things they want!!!

It is clear that the origins of christmas are from an ungodly source. We are commanded to "try the spirits" to see whether they are of God, and to "prove all things" and "hold fast to that which is good". Christmas is a conglomeration of heathen customs and practices that have been 'Christianized' by man, not God. There's plenty of information out there on the origins of christmas for those truly interested.
I have also heard that, depending on what you make out of it, the origins of christmas can be overridden. The Scripture is clear on this issue as well:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. (1 Corinthians 10:21)

Some might say that a Christian can celebrate christmas in a proper Christian way, but is there really a Christian way to celebrate a pagan holiday? No, for it is not of God. We are supposed to 'come out from among them, and be ye separate' and to be a 'peculiar people, zealous of good works'. Are we separating ourselves and being a peculiar people if we celebrate the same worldly holidays that the rest of the heathens and ungodly people do? No, absolutely not!

My heart is saddened as I look around and see so many Christians deceived into believing that christmas is Biblical. So many that fall into the trap that Satan has so cleverly laid for them.

We received a book catalog in the mail today, and I browsed through it checking to see if there were any good books. I came across a book with this title "We Believe In Christmas"… The description? "Help your 4- to 7-year-olds understand and honor the origins and meaning of Christmas!" So, now we're teaching the children to honor the pagan origins of an ungodly holiday? Created by man, celebrated by the world, pagan Roman Catholic traditions! Why, oh why, are countless Christians caught up in it?

We must separate ourselves from world and it's heathen ways. We must return to the truth of God's Word! We must not imitate the world but Christ in all things, for if we deceive ourselves now, the price will be eternal.

Further Reading:

• Why I Don't Celebrate Christ-Mass
• When do we honor the birth of Christ?
• Should a Christian Celebrate Christmas?
• Who Stole Christmas?
• A Christmas Poem
• Free Christmas Scripture Wallpapers
• The Great Deception of Santa Claus (Youtube Video)

- re-posted from A Godly Maiden

Deuteronomy 22:5 ~ The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

According to the Bible, women are to wear women's apparel (dresses/skirts) (and men are to wear men's apparel (pants), and to not do so would be an abomination to God).

Yet, there are Christian women who wear culottes as an alternative to wearing skirts. So let's evaluate culottes in the light of Scripture.

Maybe some of you may have never heard of culottes before, so here is a definition:
"Culottes- Trousers, usually knee-length or calf-length, cut full to resemble a skirt. Originally, the word was used to refer to trousers worn by men. Women's fashion appears to have appropriated the word in the 1800s, when women started wearing culottes so that they could ride astride instead of sidesaddle. From French, literally: breeches, from cul bottom"

Although, there are patterns of culottes that actually might resemble a skirt from some angles of viewing, the fact remains that culottes ~are~ pants. Pants are men's clothing. Culottes is just another word for trousers. Culottes are just full, baggy pants. They have two legs. When we think about it, what makes pants, pants? Is it not the fact that they have two legs? The definition of trousers (pants) are thus:

"Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across both as in skirts and dresses). English-speakers in areas such as Canada, South Africa and the United States often refer to such items of clothing as pants. Additional synonyms include slacks and breeches."

The fact of how wide the legs on a pair of pants are, does not change the fact that they are still pants. Baggy pants do not cease to be pants, just like no matter the width of a skirt, how narrow or wide a skirt is, the fact remains that it is still a skirt.  So, therefore since we know that culottes are a type of pants, and pants are men's apparel, then according to Scripture which says its an abomination for women to wear that which pertains to men, it is wrong, Biblically, for women to wear culottes.

So then comes in the argument that says, "but I need to wear pants to do a certain task". Dear sister, you should ask yourself, if I cannot do this modestly in a skirt, should I be doing this at all? And if the situation is absolutely unavoidable, then you can wear leggings underneath your skirt. Women have been wearing skirt/dresses for centuries, they lived their lives without ever wearing pants. As far as activities like taking walks (in the woods or such), bike riding, and riding horses goes, I have been able to do all such tasks (modestly) in a skirt. It can be done, you just must pick the right fullness and length of skirt for each task like that. You would not want to wear a skirt that is at your ankles going walking up hills, you would not want to wear a really full skirt while bike riding as it will get caught up in the tires.

On a website talking about culottes, I saw the catch phrase "And when you just can't wear a dress? Click here". But, as a woman you need to be able to find a way to do all things (modestly) in a skirt, or not do it at all. If a woman can't do a task in a modest dress/skirt in a modest way then the answer is not to wear pants to get that task done.  Dear sisters, there is never an excuse for disobeying God. If a woman wears pants, then they are committing abomination by wearing mens apparel.

His Handmaid,
Megan

Are you thankful that God created you female? You should be very thankful! God has made you for a specific purpose. The Bible in Genesis 2:18 says And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Females were created by God to be a "helper" to the man. Being a helper is a wonderful position to have. We do not have the same duties that men do. Our Heavenly Father created us to be "wo-man", the man's helpmate.

Unfortunately, Many marriages of today end in divorce because daughters are not being trained to love their husbands or their children. They are not being taught how to be a homemaker. They are not being a Biblical help meet for her husband. God's ordained career for women is that of homemaker. This is what God commands Christian women to be. But every career needs careful supervision and training. Would you go to a doctor who had not been trained in his skill? Would you go to a dentist who had never been trained in dentistry? It would be a bit scary!

It is very frightening to think of young men today marrying young ladies who have not been taught the skills necessary for their careers! Can you imagine the chaos that follows when a man would marry a woman simply because she looks pretty on the outside? Her looks will fail, and soon she will become old and no longer be pretty on the outside. What will happen when he finds out that she cannot take care of a home?

There have been many stories told where the lady was not taught any homemaking skills and disaster followed.

For example, there was a young couple who had been married for about a year. The wife had never been taught how to clean, cook, organize, to be frugal, or any homemaking skills at all. The only things she knew were how to buy frozen foods and cereal. She had never been taught how to clean anything, and soon dirt accumulated.

The problem only accelerated when their first child came. She hadn't known how to care for a baby. She didnt' change the diapers as she should, and the baby developed terrible sores all over his bottom. She didn't change the baby's sheets, and the baby became ill. The hospital informed social services and they went to check the home. Because the home was so filthy, they took the baby away from the mother and declared the parents unfit to care for the child.

This is a very sad but true story, and it has happened to hundreds of thousands of parents across the nation. Because young ladies are not taught to work and to do the important duties of running a home, many marriages are in a total state of chaos.

But to those of us in Christ, we have a wonderful handbook to follow: the Bible! The Bible tells us we are to be taught skills for our wonderful career, homemaking! The older women are to teach the younger women homemaking skills.

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Something that ties into this is that we are called to converse and encourage one another. Every word you speak should be to encourage those who hear you. Now what would a young lady have to speak about in order to encourage those around her? Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could be an encourager in the Scriptures regarding Christian womanhood? In order to encourage others, you must have a knowledge of such things. This is where studying what the Bible has to say regarding this fascinating subject comes in. You must be well-versed and knowledgable on Christian femininity.

Do you remember reading just above the verse that said that older sisters in Christ are to teach you?:

Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

These things are what you are to be learning and what you are to be discussing with others. These things are what God's young ladies are commanded to be doing. (A side note to the "aged women" of whom this verse refers to: my dear sisters in Christ, mothers to young ladies.. According to the Word of God, you have a important responsibility to teach your daughters in such things. The Lord is faithful and will help you undertake this task. If you are not  training them in such things, then you are not following (obeying) the Word of God, and not only just that, but it says at the end of the verse "that the Word of God be not blasphemed". It is a very sobering thing to know that, that means if you are not doing those things/teaching those things, you are causing the Word of God to be blasphemed.)

Young Ladies, you are not married now, but you should be focusing on learning to be a good wife. Now is the time to learn these things, not after you are married! And what better way to help instill and seal these things in your heart, but to be able to converse with other young ladies like yourself. And not only with young ladies, but with your older sisters in the Lord, just as this Scripture teaches.

As a young woman, you are to be trained to become a future helpmeet and mother of tomorrow. Your duty is very, very grave and important, for you will be training the generations of people of tomorrow. The awesome responsibility of this could be overwhelming, but it won't be with the power of God's Spirit upon you! You will be quite capable of training your children. The thing you must remember, is that there is a reason you are in training right now! And that you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.

Try to remember that all you are learning now is to help you for your future as a wife and mother. What a wonderful honor and blessing this position is. And it is up to you to be willing to follow God and His ways and learn everything you can to be pleasing to Him in this function of Biblical womanhood.

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, 
guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
~1 Timothy 5:14

*Note: This article was taken and edited from Personal Help for Girls and Preparing Your Hope Chest from PEARABLES Character training curriculm.

Your sister in Christ,
Megan

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. ~ Psalms 89:15 

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. ~ Psalms 149:5

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. ~ Psalms 32:11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. ~ Psalms 16:11

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. ~ Psalms 35:9

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. ~ Psalms 5:11

Have you ever thought what "JOY" is? Joy means to be happy; it means to be full of gladness and having the ability to be content in every situation you are in (Philippians 4:11).

Does this mean that if you are joyful you will never have any problems? Absolutely not! Our problems are from the Lord in that they work out His perfect will in our lives in order to perfect us. (Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9). It is our joy in Christ that allows us to make it through the problems we will encounter in this life.

A godly woman has a meek and quiet spirit. She has learned to accept the circumstances in which God has placed her. She has a contented spirit. Life does not have to be perfect for her to be happy. She will have a servant heart  (Mark 10:44, 1 Corinthians 9:19). A woman with this spirit radiates an inner beauty. She will speak pleasantly, with kindness (Proverbs 31:26).

Speak things that will edify (Romans 14:19). Speak things that will bring life and happiness and encouragement to other people. Make that a top goal in your life and you will find joy and happiness all around you, rather than gloom! Bitter people who usually have nothing to say good about anything or any one. They see everything through a negative, unkind, spiteful eye. Bitterness is what happens to someone who won't forgive. Forgive your enemies. Love your enemies. Do good to those that hate you.  (Matthew 5:43-48) This is the way of God. And with this way comes joy. It's easy to be kind to others when they are kind to you. But God has called us to a much more difficult task than that. We are called to be kind to our enemies, and to love our enemies. If you think of someone who is kind, what do you picture in your mind? Probably someone who isn't pretending to be kind because she wants someone to view her as a "nice person", but rather you think of someone who is inherently "warmhearted". They would think of being kind no matter what and be truly hurt by those being mean to someone else. This is what God would have you be.

Did you know that "kind" means to be very friendly, generous, hospitable, warmhearted, good. The next definition is important… It means charitable! It means helpful, showing sympathy, or understand for others.

Are you being kind and joyful now? If not, perhaps you are living a life that is only self-fulfilling. The secret of living in the joy of the Lord is to live a life for others. Joy and happiness comes to the person who lives their life for others. We are so blessed by God to be given a life full of unselfish duties. This is where true happiness comes from. Don't you love to help your mother? Don't you love to be able to be useful to others when they are in need? Females were created by God to give.

Every time you have reached the goals you have set in regard towards your home and family duties, you should be joyful! And even if you have found yourself not reaching those goals yet, you should be joyful that you can try again and that the Lord is there to give you strength to reach your goals. To be a happy, cheerful helpmeet, homemaker, and mother some day, you must be a happy, cheerful person now. What a blessed life and what a wonderful purpose we have as young women.

Dearest sister, finding happiness in life is easy. Its simply how we live our life. We either, "find ourselves", as the world advises, and be miserable, or find true happiness and joy in dying to self, living for Christ, and giving our life away to others through serving them in Christ!

If you find that you fall short of all these attributes, ask God to help you develop them in your heart. And He will! Seek God and His way, and you will truly find joy and peace!

*Taken and edited from Personal Help for Girls from PEARABLES Character training curriculm

Joyfully His handmaid,
Megan

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

~ Proverbs 31:30 ~

Anyone familiar with the Proverbs 31 woman has of course heard or read this text above. Most however, I fear, disregard the beginning parts of this particular verse and just use the very last part "a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised".

The beauty this verse is speaking of, I believe, is the outward / external-only kind of beauty where one pretties herself up in order to be attractive to others, rather than having true, godly inward beauty that shines outwardly. True beauty does not come from painting your face [makeup, ect] (The wicked woman Jezebel painted her face.. why would we wish to imitate her? 2 Kings 9:30), making yourself look painted, powdered, and fake (and, think about it.. doing that is just saying to God — "Lord, I'm sorry to say that even though I'm fearfully and wonderfully made, you really didn't do such a good job on my looks, so I'll have to fix that and improve upon it myself."), doing fancy hair-do's, and fashionable clothing.

Oh, girls! When you adorn yourselves with external beauty, you make yourself into someone who is vain and empty, having no price and no worth, for you have no true beauty ~ if you did,  you would not need to be showering on the powder & makeup and fancy hair-do's and clothes to try to make yourself pretty.

Dear sisters, adorn yourselves with modesty, shamefacedness and sobriety, good works (which becometh women professing godliness), and a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price! We've all heard the saying "Beauty is as beauty does" and oh, how true it is! The following excerpt from a book shows, indeed, how true this saying is:

In the cloakroom of a certain school a question arose among some girls as to who had the most beautiful hands. The teacher listened to her girls thoughtfully. They compared hands and explained secrets of keeping them pretty. Nettie said that a girl could not keep perfect hands and wash dishes or sweep. Maude spoke of the evil effects of cold and wind and too much sunshine. Stella told of her favorite cold cream. Ethel spoke of proper manicuring. At last the teacher spoke.

"To my mind Jennie Higgins has the most beautiful hands of any girl in school," she said quietly.

"Jennie Higgins!" exclaimed Nettie in amazement, "why her hands are rough and red and look as if she took no care of them. I never thought of them as beautiful."

"I have seen those hands carrying dainty food to the sick and soothing the brow of the aged. She is her widowed mother's main help, and she it is who does the milking and carries the wood and water, yes, and washes dishes night and morning, that her mother may be saved the hard work. I have never known her to be too tired to speak kindly to her little sister and help her in her play. I have found those busy hands helping her brother with his kite. I tell you I think they are the most beautiful hands I have ever seen, for they are always busy helping somewhere."

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

~ 1 Timothy 2:9-10 ~

Following the footsteps of Jesus,

The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: [1 Cor. 7:34]

This verse has been on my mind a lot lately. Those of us young women who are unmarried do not have an obligation to please a husband, therefore our focus ought to be on the things of the Lord, pleasing Him and obeying Him in all things.

We should care for the things of our Lord ~ nothing else should be important. Is what we are doing pleasing to God? Is what we are reading pleasing to Him? Are we wearing modest apparel out of love and obedience to Jesus?

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Are we covering our heads in submission to the Lord and His headship order as we pray or prophesy? Is what we are putting before our eyes (movies, television, entertainment, etc) honoring Him and edifying us? Are we denying ungodliness and worldly lusts?

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Are we striving to be holy in both body and spirit? Pure, and blameless? We should not care for the things of this world ~ money (the love of which is the root of all evil), entertainment, fancy or fashionable clothes, things that appease and emphasize "self" or other pleasures this world has to offer. We should be seeking only to please our Lord and Saviour… who came to save His people from their sin.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

We need to be studying the Word of God, hiding His words in our hearts, that we might not sin against Him. Our focus should be on the things of the Lord, not on the things of this earth, which will pass away.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: [.....] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Though we still must honor, obey, and respect our earthly parents, we have a Higher Authority to which we have to answer to for our obedience to His word. "Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe!"

Let us care for the things of the Lord, as we ought, and strive to be holy in both body and spirit!

Seeking my Saviour's paths,

I am sure all of us have heard the verse that the title of this post comes from. It deals with two of the attributes of a godly woman.

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:4

I see so many women claiming to believe/support/promote this verse… but are they just promoters of it, or are they possessors of it also? Do they even really understand what it means? Or has having "a meek and quiet spirit" been reduced among some to almost being a cliché. Something said and acknowledged but not really understanding or following it. So what does it mean to have a meek and quiet spirit. Let's start off by defining the terms. (Definitions taken from the 1828 Noah Webster dictionary)

MEEK, a. [L. mucus; Eng. mucilage; Heb. to melt.]
1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num 12.
2. Appropriately,humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Mat 11.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Mat 5.
QUI'ET, a. [L. quietus.] – Peaceable; not turbulent; not giving offense; not exciting controversy, disorder or trouble; mild; meek; contented.
The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. 1 Pet 3.
SPIR'IT, n. [L. spiritus, from spiro, to breathe, to blow. The primary sense is to rush or drive.] – Temper; disposition of mind, habitual or temporary; as a man of a generous spirit, or of a revengeful spirit; the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. Let us go to the house of God in the spirit of prayer.

So godly women are to have a disposition, an attitude of mildness of temper, soft, gentle and not easily provoked or irritated, yielding, and given to forbearance under injuries. We are to be humble. We are to be peaceable, not turbulent, mild, and contented.

When I read the above definitions and verse, I envision a pleasant attitude, a cheerful countenance, gentle, kind, patient, humble, compassionate woman, who does not get mad or irritated easily. Can you say that you line up with this verse? Do you possess the the qualities described above? If not, how can you make claim to have a meek and quiet spirit?

The next verses go on to say:

"For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." 1 Peter 3:5,6

Another attribute of a godly woman, is that she will happily obey and submit to her earthly authorities/head, whether it be her parents if she is unmarried, or her husband if she is married (that is unless they are leading her to disobey God). She will not grumble, murmur, and complain about it.

The opposite of a godly woman would be someone who is harsh, blunt, lacking discretion, easily irritated, provoked, and easy to anger, willful, proud, of a unpleasant countenance, not peaceable, turbulent, giving offense, exciting controversy, in disorder or trouble, discontent, disobedient to authorities/head, contentious, being loud, not submissive, obnoxious, overbearing, having a bad attitude. If you can see any of these qualities in yourself? We all need to be constantly evaluating ourselves by the light of God's Word. The Lord expects us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves. If we only want to claim a meek and quiet spirit in doctrinal knowledge, but not actually possess a meek and quiet spirit, we deceive ourselves.

Your sister in Christ,
Megan

There are many ideas, assumptions, explanations, and "beliefs" out there today about what a "Christian" truly is. Some say one is a "Christian" when one simply believes on Christ, or says a prayer, or when one just decides they want to be called a "Christian".

According to the Scriptures, to be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ, a disciple of Christ…. Christ-like. The world and modern Christianity of today have a very shallow, unBiblical view of a "Christian". To them, a Christian is simply someone who has "said the prayer" and are still living in a continual life of sin. This is not God's view of a Christian.

The world says a Christian does not have to live holy (but rather they say a Christian sins daily), but the Bible teaches us that Christians must crucify self, die to sin, and strive to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). The world says that a Christian can sin and still be a Christian, yet the Bible says "he that committeth sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:8)

So, according to the Scriptures, what is a Christian? We must definitely throw out the view of a Christian that the world has, and adopt the view that our Lord has of a Christian.

Beginning at square one… a Christian is:

• one who has been born again (John 3:3, John 3:7, 1 Peter 1:23)
• commanded to depart from iniquity [sin] (2 Timothy 2:19)
• to be holy, as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16)
• to be perfect (Matthew 5:48)
• to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11-12)
• to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:11-12)
• to be a peculiar person (1 Peter 2:9)
• to take up his cross and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23)
• to deny himself (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23)
• to die to sin (Romans 6:2, Romans 6:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:13, Romans 6:7… Romans 6!)
• to crucify the flesh and the old man (Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:6)
• to obey Him and His Word (Hebrews 5:9, 2 Thess 1:8, Matthew 7:21, and many, many others)
• one who has repented of his sins (Matthew 4:17) and forsaken them (Isaiah 55:7)
• one who obtains righteousness by faith through Jesus Christ (Romans 4:5, Romans 4:9, Galatians 5:5, Philippians 3:9)
• not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2)
• to present himself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1)
• to abhor that which is evil (Romans 12:9)
• to think on things that are honest, pure, just, lovely, of good report, virtue, praise, and true (Philippians 4:8)

You can't just say a prayer, and then poof! All of a sudden you're a Christian. No, my friends. A Christian is a follower of Christ and one who obeys His Word, repents and forsakes his sin and strives to live holy and godly, soberly and righteously, in this present world, by the grace and power of God!

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Striving on the narrow way,

I've been thinking a lot lately on simplicity. The simplicity of Christ, the Word of God, and things such like. How truly simple everything is if you step back from the big theological explanations that try to explain away the Word and just read the Scriptures.

In the Scriptures, there is one of two sides that you can be on ~ God's, or Satan's. You cannot serve both at the same time (Matt. 6:24 & Luke 16:13), so you either have to be on one side or the other. Knowing that, it simplifies everything a LOT!

Everything in this life is either on one of these sides or the other. There are no gray areas. If you're not for God, you're against Him and on the side of Satan, as a servant of sin (Romans 6:16). Likewise, if you are for God and obeying His Word and His commands, then you are on His side and against Satan and SIN.

It is so simple; good or bad, light or darkness, righteousness or unrighteousness, God or Satan, bright or dark, right or wrong, on or off. Everything… everything, is either on one side, or the other. You cannot be a Christian (Christ-like) and still be the servant of sin (1 John 3:8-10), nor can you serve the devil and obey God at the same time. The Scriptures are clear; this is NOT possible!

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

If we keep everything simple and plain, as it was meant to be, then even a child can understand it (and even Christ said we must become as little children in order to enter into the kingdom…[Matthew 18:3]). Let's not be drawn away from the simplicity of Christ! Let's keep everything simple, plain, and clear.

If something is not supported in the Scriptures, or is spoken against in that precious Bible, then it is obviously of the devil. We must try every spirit.. why? to see if it is of God. How are we to do so? By using the sword of the Lord, the Word of God.

Let us be careful that we are not drawn away (corrupted) by long, lengthy explanations (subtilty) that explain away the clear meaning of Scripture, by using everything else but the simplicity of Christ. Remember, everything in this world is on one of those sides or the other… Christ's or Satan's, good or evil, right or wrong, light or darkness, righteousness or unrighteousness, on or off, black or white, etc.

Let's keep everything in the simplicity of Christ!

Seeking the paths of my Saviour,

This excerpt from Pilgrim Aflame does far more than just define the two types of obedience, it defines the true Christian.

I am guessing that this was originally written by Michael Sattler in German, and has probably been recorded in Martyr's Mirror, and the author of the book was compelled to include it in his story. It is definitely good, so take the time and read it, even though it is slightly lengthy:

Obedience is of two kinds, servile and filial. The filial has its source in the love of the Father, even though no other reward should follow, yea even if the Father should wish to damn His child; the servile has its source in a love of reward or of oneself. The filial ever does as much as possible, apart from any command; the servile does as little as possible, yea nothing except by command. The filial is never able to do enough for Him; but he who renders servile obedience thinks he is constantly doing too much for Him.

The filial rejoices in the chastisement of the Father although he may not have transgressed in anything; the servile wishes to be without chastisement of the Father although he may do nothing right. The filial has its treasure and righteousness; the servile person's treasure and piety are the works which he does in order to be pious. The filial remains in the house and inherits all the Father has; the servile wishes to reject this and receive his lawful reward.

The servile looks to the eternal and to the prescribed command of the Lord; the filial is concerned about the inner witness and the Spirit. The servile is imperfect and therefore his Lord finds no pleasure in him; the filial strives for and attains perfection, and for that reason the Father can not reject him.

The filial is not contrary to the servile, as it might appear, but is better and higher. And therefore let him who is servile seek for the better, the filial; he dare not be servile at all. The servile is Moses and produces Pharisees and scribes; the filial is Christ and makes children of God. The servile is either occupied with the ceremonies which Moses commanded or with those which people themselves have invented; the filial is active in the love of God and one's neighbor; yet he also submits himself to the ceremonies for the sake of the servants that he may instruct them in that which is better and lead them to sonship.

The servile produces self-willed and vindictive people; the filial creates peaceable and mild-natured persons. The servile is severe and gladly arrives quickly at the end of the work; the filial is light and directs its gaze to that which endures. The servile is malevolent and wishes no one well but himself; the filial would gladly have all men to be as himself.

The servile is the old covenant, and had the promise of temporal happiness; the filial in the new covenant, and has the promise of eternal happiness, namely, the Creator Himself. The servile is a beginning and preparation for happiness; the filial in the end and completion itself. The servile endures for a time; the filial will last forever. The servile was a figure and shadow; the filial is the body and truth.

The servile was established to reveal and increase sin; the filial follows to do away with and extirpate the revealed and increased sin. For if a man wish to escape from sin, he must first hate it, and if he would hate it, he must first know it, and if he would know it, there must be something to stir up and make known his hidden sin. Now it is law or Scripture which does this: for as much as the law demands, that much more the man turns from God to that which he has done, justifies himself therein, by his accomplishments, clings thereto as to his treasure and the greater such love becomes, the more and the greater will grow his hatred for God and for his neighbor. For the more and the closer a man clings to the creature, the farther he is from God. The more he desires the creature, the less he will have of the Creator.

Moreover, the law gives occasion to people to depart farther from God, not because of itself (for it is good) but because of the sin which is in man. This is also the reason why Paul says that the law was given that it might increase sin, and sin might thereby become known. Yea, the law is the strength of sin and therefore it is just like the servile obedience, that is, obedience to law, which leads people into the most intense hatred of God and of one's neighbor. Therefore filial obedience is a certain way through which man escapes from such hatred and receives the love of God and of one's neighbor. Therefore, as one administers death, and other administers life. The one is the Old Testament; the other, the New.

According to the Old Testament only he who murdered was guilty of judgment; but in the New, he also who is angry with his brother. The Old gave permission for a man to separate from his wife for every reason; but not at all in the New, except for adultery. The Old permitted swearing if one swore truly, but the New will know of no swearing. The Old has its stipulated punishment, but the New does not resist the evil.

The Old permitted hatred for the enemy; the New loves him who hates, blesses him who curses, prays for those who wish one evil; gives alms in this manner that the left hand does not know what the right has done; says his prayer secretly without evident and excessive babbling of mouth; judges and condemns no one; takes the mote out of the eye of one's brother after having first cast the beam out of one's own eye; fasts without any outward pomp and show; is like a light which is set on a candlestick and lightens everyone in the house; is like a city built on a hill, being everywhere visible; is like good salt that does not become tasteless, being pleasing not to man but to God alone; is like a good eye which illuminates the whole body; takes no anxious thought about clothing or food, but performs his daily and upright tasks; does not cast pearls before swine, nor that which is holy before dogs; seeks, asks and knocks; finding, receiving and having the door opened for him; enters through the narrow way and the small gate; guards himself from the Pharisees and scribes as from false prophets; is a good tree and brings forth good fruit; does the will of his Father, hearing what he should do, and then doing it.

The church of true believers is built upon Christ the chief cornerstone; stands against all the gates of hell, that is, against the wrathful judgment of the Pharisees, of the mighty ones of earth, and of the scribes; is a house and temple of God, against which no wind and water may do anything, standing secure, so that everything else which withstands the teaching which proceeds from it, denying its truth, may itself finally give evidence that it is a dwelling of God.

The believer's church is now maligned by the Pharisees and scribes as a habitation of the devil: yea, finally they shall hear, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God, etc. But of the house of the Pharisees and scribes, it shall be said, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, etc. But to God (through whom everything which boasts that is is not, may be manifested that is) be all honor, praise and glory through His beloved Son, our Lord and Brother Jesus Christ. Amen.

– used from Diligently Seeking