In his letter to the Philippians, Paul sets the tone of chapter 3 by reminding believers to rejoice in the Lord always.  With that in mind, he cautions to beware of false teachers, or reliance on yourself and your works.  Moving forward in faith may cost you, and we need to be willing to suffer loss for the sake of Christ.  We are to follow Christ's example, not return evil for evil, be reminded of the joy of knowing Christ, and keep our eye on the prize of an eternity spent in the presence of God, living this life each day.  

 

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-21

To walk in the light of Christ is to have fellowship with other believers, with God, and Christ, which brings about a zeal for Christ that cannot be contained.  It produces joy in the life of believers and shows a continued progression toward holiness.  It first requires us to be cleansed from sin, practice the truth and aim for holiness, have fellowship with other believers, and realize the value of the cleansing blood of Christ.  It means confessing our sins to the one who can and does forgive but does not dishonor the Lord by excusing sin or using God's forgiveness as a license. 

 

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-2:6

There are distinct characteristics of Christians that are the natural outworking of the Christian life.  While we still battle indwelling sin, live in a fallen world, and are constantly tempted by Satan, Christ gives us the foundations for living that give us the ability to live in a way that honors him.  No one or nothing is more central to a Christian than Jesus Christ and obeying, pleasing, and serving him as a living sacrifice.  We are not to be conformed to this world or the things in it and should not count on these things to bring us our purpose, joy, or meaning.  Be transformed by the renewing of your mind and view everything through the lens and objective truth of the Bible. 

 

Scripture: Isaiah 55:8-13, Romans 12:1-8