Hi Mark,1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto, were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Following the steps of Christ under the power of the Spirit of Christ, here is a portion from LOF Part 12; COUNTING THE COST
God has already outlined a training course for those who would be Sons and Daughters of God. It involves a whole lot more than just enunciating a phrase of faith in Jesus. Acknowledging Jesus as your Saviour is certainly the starting point, but it is far from the complete requirement for those who would reign with Jesus as Judge, Lord, Priest and King. Here are just a few of the things that God requires of us. There are, of course, dozens, even HUNDREDS more declarations and admonitions to those who would become manifest Sons and Daughters of our God and Father:
"LOVE your enemies, BLESS them that curse you, DO GOOD to them that hate you, and PRAY for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you [Why?]; that ye may be the children [Greek: ‘SONS’] of your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:44-45)!
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, DO YE EVEN SO TO THEM: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12).
"For I say unto you, That except YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in NO CASE enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).
"Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let Him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME" (Matt. 16:24).
"Jesus said unto him, You shall LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind… YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40).
"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall ENDURE UNTO THE END, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24:12-13).
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31).
"Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but HE THAT DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21).
"COME OUT OF HER [Mystery Babylon the Great and all of her evil teachings], My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:4).
"My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. IF YOU ENDURE CHASTENING, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye ********, and not sons" (Heb. 12:5-8).
"Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as YE ARE PARTAKERS OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (I Pet. 4:12-13).
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it BE TRIED WITH [SPIRITUAL] FIRE, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:7).
"LOVE NOT THE WORLD [that is the social system of this world, we are to love the people of the world], neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (I John 2:15-16).
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD: but be ye transformed by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:1).
"But Jesus called them unto Him and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But IT SHALL NOT BE SO WITH YOU: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister [servant]" (Matt. 20:25-26).
"Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each ESTEEM OTHER BETTER THAN THEMSELVES" (Phil. 2:3).
"Let this MIND BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:5).
"SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God. RESIST the devil, and he will flee from you. DRAW NIGH to God, and He will draw night to you. CLEANSE your hands, ye sinners; and PURIFY your hearts, ye double minded" (James 4:7).
"REPENT ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15).
"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE" (Phil. 1:29).
"But I say unto you, That ye RESIST NOT EVIL: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matt. 5:39).
"Then said Jesus unto him, PUT UP AGAIN YOUR SWORD into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matt. 26:52).
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do MORTIFY THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, ye shall live" (Rom. 8:13).
"WALK IN THE SPIRIT, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).
I know that it sounds overwhelming that we should actually live by all of these commandments. And actually, there are many more like commandments in God’s Word. How are we to perform all these impossible tasks? Well certainly not by our own will and power.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD
Thankfully, we don’t have to accomplish all these many commands by our own power. God also gives us many promises to be with us in every way necessary to assure our success:
"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me [‘I have strength for all things in HIM which GIVES ME POWER’ {Henry Alford}, ‘Nothing is beyond my power in the strength of HIM Who MAKES ME STRONG’ {The Twentieth Century New Testament}, ‘I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who LIVES WITHIN ME’ {Phillips Translation}]" (Phil. 4:13).
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and HE SHALL LIFT YOU UP" (James 4:10).
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST LIVES IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you though the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord… Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity [LOVE]. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ… Wherefore the rather, brethren given diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, YE SHALL NEVER FALL" (I Pet. 1:2-10).
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not [Gk: ‘do not lose heart’]" (Gal. 6:9).
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto ALL THEM ALSO THAT LOVE HIS APPEARING" (II Tim.4:8).
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment [remember that, ‘judgment is upon the House of God NOW,’ I Pet. 4:17] : because as He is, SO ARE IN THIS WORLD" (I John 4:17).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP [Gk: ACHIEVEMENT], CREATED IN Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-9).
"If God be for us, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? (Rom. 8:31).
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angles, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD" (Rom. 8:38-39).
And likewise, there are many more such Scriptures of comfort and assurance that God is able and willing to see us succeed once He has begun a work in us.
http://bible-truths.com/lake12.htmlHis Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe