Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

The Twin Pillars of the Christian Life

PROVERBS 3:1-4 – My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

 

THEME OF THE DAY:  THE TWIN PILLARS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.  So, imagine us sitting around and discussing the things of the Lord; His Person, the Christian life, and just enjoying the fellowship of one another.  As we share the Word together, I opened my Bible saying, “I just read this truth in the third chapter of Proverbs this morning.  I have read this before but it hit me with such new force like never before.  I labeled what I read ‘the twin pillars of the Christian life.’  May I share?” I then read today’s scripture to you.

 

Do you see them?  The twin pillars of the Christian life? And why call them such?  They are the very things we need from the Lord from salvation to glorification.  Not a day goes by we are not completely reliant upon the steadfast love of the Lord and His faithfulness to us.  Let’s think about each one.

 

First, the pillar of God’s steadfast love. How horrible it would be for God to place the requirement for us to experience His love on our Christian conduct and obedience! No one would or could be a Christian, and certainly never taste the soul-satisfying contentment of His love.  But it isn’t true!   The reason why it is an immovable pillar in the Christian life is because of the unchanging nature of our God – He is love (1 John 4:16).  It is His performance through the Lord Jesus and the Gospel that ensures we are constant recipients of God’s steadfast love. But to enjoy this pillar, remember to focus on His unchanging love for us not our wavering love for Him!

 

The second pillar of the Christian life is the faithfulness of God.  Here is joy.  Here is stability.  Here is hope.  Here is strength for the day.  Here is everything we need!  The Psalmist would remind us – All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies (Psalm 25:10).  We are led by God’s faithfulness, protected by His faithfulness, and will finish the grueling race called “the Christian life” by His, not our, faithfulness.  The Apostle Paul, writing to Titus, gives us why God is faithful; He cannot lie – I hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began (Titus 1:2).  In writing to Timothy, Paul would also add that God must be true, or faithful to Himself, which means faithful to us as well – The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:11-13).

 

God’s steadfast love and faithfulness; the twin pillars of the Christian life. They will weather any storm we may encounter for each rests on the immovable and unconquerable “rock” of our unchanging God!

 

PRAYER: “Father, may I not only rejoice in Your steadfast love and faithfulness but live them before others.”

 

QUOTE: “God’s steadfast love and faithfulness are the pillars of the Christian life bringing joy and influence in life.”

 

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

 

Pastor Jim