THE NORMAL
CHRISTIAN LIFE
Watchman Nee wrote a book with this title. I am not reproducing his book, only swapping the title for this page. If you have not read his book, I urge you to do so. It is one of the greatest books outside of the Bible ever published.
What is the normal Christian life? How can I learn to live it? Is it possible for me to live the way God expects me to?
It is always possible to do what God asks us to do, because He never asks us to do the impossible. The secret is to learn how to live with Christ in us. With the Father’s guidance and the Holy Spirit living within, we can live a life that is impossible for those who do not know Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ living His life in me that makes the Christian life possible.
He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, "Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? For what will a man give in exchange for his life? For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:34-38
This is a very serious business for it has to do with our eternal life. Life on earth is short but the next life is for ever and ever. Life here is only a preparation for the next one. So let us be serious and take a look at what Jesus said.
 DENY MYSELF:
Great care must be used in applying this command. It does not mean to make a list of things we are not to do. For the people who make such lists often do not show Christ in their lives. To deny ourselves means to turn our backs on the things of the world. We do not take part in the competition, schemes, and desires of the world. We do not love things, money, power, glory, and the sensual pleasures of the world. Our desire is to follow Christ and to lose our life in His.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. Galatians 5:24
TAKE UP MY CROSS:
The cross is an instrument of death, so taking up my cross means to put myself to death. This is necessary in order to die to the things of the world. This is a daily activity for it is not possible to become victorious until we put our worldly desires to death every day. We must recommit ourselves by putting our lives into His on a daily basis.
When Christ was crucified I was crucified with Him. I died to the world in that crucifixion. But, because I have a weak sinful nature I must daily put myself to death again.
FOLLOW HIM:
To follow Christ is to follow His example of dying to the world. Part of that death is being a servant to others. Jesus came to serve not to be served and we must do the same. Also, those who follow Jesus have the Holy Spirit in them and their lives will show the fruit of the Spirit which is; love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self control. Jesus displayed this kind of love and we must do the same. Those who do not show the fruit of the Spirit are not of God.
LOSE MY LIFE FOR JESUS AND THE GOSPEL’S SAKE:
Eve had everything perfect. No disease, no bad weather, no conflicts between husband and wife, and all the animals were tame. But she wanted more and lost it all. She sowed to her own wants and desires and reaped a harvest of evil and death.
Don't be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don't give up. Galatians 6:7-9
When we lose our life into the life of Jesus we gain eternal life and reap a life of eternal bliss without disease, conflicts, or worries.
Watchman Nee wrote:
God makes it quite clear in his Word that he has only one answer to every human need--his Son, Jesus Christ. In all his dealings with us he works by taking us out of the way and substituting Christ in our place. The Son of God died instead of us for our forgiveness: he lives instead of us for our deliverance. So we can speak of two substitutions--a Substitute on the Cross who secures our forgiveness and a Substitute within who secures our victory. It will help us greatly, and save us much confusion, if we keep constantly before us this fact, that God will answer all our questions in one way and one way only, namely, by showing us more of his Son. (From The Normal Christian Life, page 12.)
Satan’s great lie to Christians is: "Now, since you are saved you can live your life the way you want to." Remember Adam and Eve, Lot’s wife, and David and Bathsheba. They all accepted Satan’s lies and reaped a harvest of troubles. We cannot live for self and gain eternal life. Do not believe Satan’s lies, for to follow them is death. To follow Jesus is life for ever and ever. We have a wonderful inheritance in heaven. Nothing we can gain on earth is worth losing that inheritance and worse of all to lose our life in eternal death.
The normal Christian life is one of separation from the world and a close fellowship with our heavenly Father. Therefore: "Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don't give up." Galatians 6:9
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Revised June 2000. Scriptures changed to The World Engllish Bible.
URL: http://www.abetterhope.com/victory/normal.html
Watchman Nee's book The Normal Christian Life can be purchased from your local Christian book store.
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