The Christian Life

• Spiritual Basics
  
  Becoming a Christian is not the end of your spiritual journey. It is simply the gateway to a new journey altogether. The path you will follow will retrace the steps of Christian in Pilgrim's Progress. It will lead you along quiet streams and through green valleys, where you will find rest and strengthening. But it will also take you to places of temptation, danger, perhaps even soul-rending battle. It will be a narrow path, because it was not made to accommodate crowds of travelers. Your walk would sometimes be lonely except that you will always have a companion, the Lord Himself, who will accompany and help you because He desires your fellowship. Yet if you wish to enjoy a continuing sense of His presence, you must meet certain requirements.
  
  
  • Repentance
    • one lesson
      • Analogy
      • Repentance defined
      • A threefold understanding
        • He is a sinner.
          • I'm not so bad.
          • I'm pretty good.
        • His sin is wrong, and he deserves the punishment that God has ordained.
        • He is sorry for his sins.
      • Defective repentance
        • Saul
        • Ahab
      • True repentance
      • The lies of Satan
      • Cautionary conclusion
    
    
  • Faith
    • one lesson
      • Humanistic solutions for sin
        • Self-reform
        • Works of righteousness
        • Religious rituals
      • The real solution
      • Erroneous conceptions of faith
        • Faith with no object
        • Faith in a powerless object
      • Saving faith
      • The components of Jesus' name
        • The name Jesus
        • The name Christ
        • The name Lord
      • Summary
    
    
  • Baptism
    • one lesson
      • Counting converts
      • Mandate
      • Practice of the early church
      • Modes of baptism
      • Purposes in baptism
      • Symbolism
      • False views of baptism
        • Infant baptism
        • Salvation by faith plus baptism
        • Baptism as spectacle
    
    
  • Church Membership and Attendance
    • one lesson
      • The epidemic of irresponsibility
      • A battle raging
      • The Great Commission revisited
      • Why a new believer needs the church
      • The divine plan
      • The only valid reasons for not attending
      • The duty of a mature Christian
      • The importance of being part of a church
      • Warning against forsaking the church
    
    
  • Personal Devotions
    • one lesson
      • The chief end of man
      • Fellowship with God
      • Two-way communication
      • Place of devotions
      • Time of devotions
      • Length of devotions
      • Procedure
      • Devotional log
    
    
  • Prayer
    • lesson 1: Conditions to Be Met
      • A blank check
      • Terms and conditions
        • Condition 1: We must be free of unconfessed sin.
        • Condition 2: We must pray according to God's will.
          • Unconditional guarantees
          • Recommendations
          • Illegitimate prayer
          • The prayer of Jabez
        • Condition 3: We must pray in faith.
      • A modern champion of faith (George Muller)
        
        
    • lesson 2: Protocol and Procedure
      • In the throne room
      • Protocol
        • The Holy Spirit is our intercessor.
        • The Father is the One who answers.
        • The Son is our advocate
      • The accuser
      • Manner of prayer
        • Posture
        • Voice
        • Place
        • Times
      • Priorities in prayer
        • Praise and thanksgiving first
        • Others first
        • Spiritual requests first
      • Economies in prayer
        • Eliminating rashness
        • Eliminating vain repetition
        • Being specific
    
    
  • Bible Study
    • lesson 1: Evidence That the Bible Is True and Reliable
      • Other religious writings
      • Uniqueness of the Bible
        • Trustworthiness of its authors
        • Internal consistency
        • Accuracy
        • Realism in its point of view
        • Caliber of its ethical teachings
        • Treatment of the supernatural
        • Resilience under attack
      • Spiritual nourishment
        • Doctrine
        • Reproof and correction
        • Instruction in righteousness
      • All truth
      • Objection
        
        
    • lesson 2: Principles
      • True love
      • Principles of Bible study
        • God intentionally put difficulties in the Bible.
        • To understand the Bible is impossible without the aid of the Holy Spirit.
        • Every passage must be understood as serving the two main purposes of the Bible—to reveal Christ and promote godly living.
        • The Bible contains mysteries that God expects us to explore.
        • Holiness and faith are prerequisites for comprehending the mysteries of the Bible.
        • Regular devotions do not justify neglect of systematic Bible study.
        
        
    • lesson 3: How to Interpret the Bible
      • The next heresy
      • Hermeneutics
        • The rule of authorial intent
        • The rule of univocal meaning
        • The rule of context
        • The rule that Scripture explains itself
        • The rule of literalism
          • Figures of speech
            • Metaphor
            • Metonymy
            • Synecdoche
            • Ellipsis
            • Hyperbole
          • Recognizing figures of speech
          • Symbolism
          • Interpreting history and prophecy
      
      
    • lesson 4: Helps for Bible Study
      • Helps for Basic Study
      • Helps for Advanced Study
      • Cautionary Note
    
    
  • Witnessing for Christ: A Lesson on Soulwinning
    • one lesson
      • Biblical incentives
        • Redeeming the time
        • What the Bible commands
        • What the Bible commends
        • Two kinds of witness
      • Witness by our manner of life
        • Good works
        • Good character
        • Enduring persecution
      • Witness by verbal testimony
        • Hit-and-run soulwinning
        • Correctives
        • Jesus' soulwinning practice
    
    
  • Giving and Tithing
    • one lesson
      • Scrooges in the Bible
      • Practice in Bible times
        • Old Testament practice
        • New Testament practice
      • Comparison of tithing and Sabbath observance
        • Old Testament law in the New
        • Underlying moral principles
        • Old Testament application
        • New Testament application
      • Generosity
        • How to define generosity
        • A practical rule of thumb
      • Rewards
      • Guidelines
    
    
  • Assurance of Salvation
    • lesson 1 Tests of Genuine Faith
      • The imperative to examine oneself
      • Invalid tests of faith
        • The test of feeling
        • The test of a past decision
      • Valid tests of faith
        • The belief test
        • The love test
        • The separation test
        • The holiness test
      • Summary
      • Failing the test
      
      
    • lesson 2: Eternal Security
      • The power of God
      • The love of God
      • The truthfulness of God
      • The promises of God
      • Those who disobey the truth
        • The carnal Christian
        • The apostate
        • The backslider
      • Conclusion
    
    
  • Finding God's Will
    • lesson 1: Principles Based on the Nature of God
      • Superstition
      • Principles of Knowing God's Will
        • God's will is always consistent with His Word.
        • God's will is always consistent with His character.
        • We do not determine God's will by looking at events or circumstances.
          • Old Testament methods
          • Picking Scripture at random
          • Circumstances
        • If no option looks right, just wait.
          • If in doubt, don't.
          • Don’t let anyone pressure you into a decision you are not ready to make.
          • You should never pursue an option just because it is the only one you see.
          • It is never necessary to choose the lesser of two evils.
          • Don’t force a door open.
      
      
    • lesson 2: Principles Based on Spiritual Disciplines
      • More superstition
      • More principles of knowing God's will
        • We look at one option at a time, and we take one step at a time.
          • One option at a time
          • One step at a time
        • To follow God requires that we turn away from self.
        • To know God's will, we must seek it intensely with our whole heart.
    
    
  • Temptation
    • lesson 1: The Temptation of Christ
      • The credibility of the Bible
      • The baptism of Christ
      • The temptation of Christ
      • First temptation
      • Second temptation
      • Third temptation
      
      
    • lesson 2: Satan
      • The unseen world
      • Misconceptions
        • We must all contend with Satan
        • Satan can do whatever he wants to us.
        • All temptation comes from Satan.
      • The Seven Principles of Spiritual Warfare
        • Do not underestimate your enemy.
        • Ignore whatever the devil says.
        • Know yourself.
        • Resist Satan with all vigor and might.
        • Wield Scripture in your defense.
        • Seek divine refreshment after the battle.
        • Expect the devil to return.
      • Intelligence bulletin
        • Satan is a master of deceit.
        • Satan is a sophisticated strategist.
      
      
    • lesson 3: The World
      • Pilgrim's Progress
      • The world
        • Definition
        • Legitimate interaction
        • The primary rule
        • The secondary rule
        • The corollary
      • Rules and standards
      • Objections
        • Rules are legalistic.
        • We live under grace, not under the law.
        • All things are lawful.
        • Law is for the unrighteous, not for the righteous.
      • Antinomianism in the Last Days
      
      
    • lesson 4: The Flesh
      • The pitfall of asceticism
      • The fallen body, soul, and spirit
        • The three lusts
        • Desires good and bad
      • Besetting sins
        • Individual differences
        • A four-step strategy
      
      
    • lesson 5: Besetting Sins
      • Practical advice on dealing with fleshly sins
      • Anger
      • Depression
      • Lust
      • Laziness
      • Worry
      • The secret to victory
    
    
  • Suffering
    • one lesson
      • The suffering of the unrighteous
      • Why the righteous also suffer
        • Because we live in a sinful, dying world under the curse
        • Because of Satanic opposition to the work of God
        • As a witness to the lost
        • As a witness to other believers
        • As a witness to Satan and his angels
        • As a witness to the angels of God
        • To improve our character and build our faith
        • As chastisement
        • To teach us, as Christ's ambassadors, how we can comfort others
        • To remind us that life in this world is ultimately unsatisfying
      • Loving God
    
    
  • Persecution
    • lesson 1: Our Examples of Godly Endurance
      • Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
      • Sheep among wolves
      • Counsel on defending ourselves
      • A warning as to who may oppose us
      • A warning as to how many may oppose us
      • Legitimate responses to persecution
      • Our forerunner in suffering
      
      
    • lesson 2: Incentives to Godly Endurance
      • Persecution around the world
      • First incentive to stand firm despite persecution
      • Second incentive to stand firm despite persecution
      • Third incentive to stand firm despite persecution
      • Fourth incentive to stand firm despite persecution
      • How to be worthy of Christ’s love
      • The blessing in persecution
    
    
  • Brotherly Love
    • lesson 1: The Relationship between Law and Love
      • Love defined
      • Four faces of love
        • Romantic love
        • Natural affection
        • Friendship
        • Charity
      • The essence of the law
      • Inward righteousness
      
      
    • lesson 2: Its Excellence beyond Other Loves
      • The nature of God
      • Brotherly love
        • Friendliness
        • Courtesy
        • Hospitality
        • Kindness
        • Sympathy
        • Help
      • Excelling love
        • Impartiality
        • Fervency
        • Forgiveness
        • Self-sacrifice
      
      
    • lesson 3: Sins against Love
      • The works of Satan
      • Checklists
      • Warnings
        • Sexual immorality
        • Wrath
        • Lying
        • Gossip
      • Running away
      • Self-centeredness
      • Replacing vices with virtues
    
    
  • Conflict Resolution
    • one lesson
      • The first conflict
      • Steps mandated by Jesus
      • 1. Private confrontation
      • 2. Adding witnesses
      • 3. Involving the whole church
      • 4. Discipline
      • Heaven's backing for discipline
    
    
  • Authority
    • lesson 1: The Sin of Rebellion
      • Spiritual pride
      • The lamentable history of Israel’s wanderings
      • The lesson for us
      
      
    • lesson 2: Its Proper Scope
      • Rebels as leaders
      • Chains of command
      • Limits of human authority
      • The highest authority
    
    
  • The Christian's Hope
    • lesson 1: A Glorified Body in a Universe without Evil
      • Earthly benefits in being a Christian
      • Eternal benefits in being a Christian
        • A glorified body
          • Whom will we resemble?
          • What kind of body will we have?
          • Will we be able to recognize each other?
          • Will there be marriage in heaven?
        • Escape from evil
      
      
    • lesson 2: A Wonderful Home and Fulfilling Work Forever
      • A wonderful home (the New Jerusalem)
      • The finest luxuries
        • Food
        • Clothing
      • Fulfilling occupations
        • Great authority
        • Humble service
      • Fellowship with God
      • The highest good

• Christian Service
  
  We live at a time when few young people in the church are interested in entering Christian service. One reason is that the hearts of many are self-absorbed and self-serving rather than devoted to the interests of God. We will not see greater numbers being recruited for Christian work until revival descends upon our churches.
  
  Yet even now, there are young people answering the call to do God's work. These are the ones with hearts liberated from bondage to self.
  
  
  • lesson 1: Sacrifice
    • The key to success
    • Sacrificing saints
      • The apostle Paul
      • Henry Martyn
      • William Borden
    • Problem
    • Remedy
    • Principles of sacrifice
      • Principle 1: Some sacrifice is no sacrifice.
      • Principle 2: God wants only one thing, and that is everything.
      • Principle 3: There is no such thing as sacrifice.
      • Principle 4: It is not possible to avoid sacrifice.
      • Principle 5: Sacrifice is the key to blessing.
    
    
  • lesson 2: Risk-Taking
    • Definition
    • Problem
    • Risk-taking saints
      • Jonathan
      • Early Christians
    • Lessons
    • Principle 1: Without risk there is no reward.
    • Principle 2: The only risk lies in not serving God.
    • Principle 3: There is no one to fear.
    • Principle 4: There is no power without a step of faith.
    • Principle 5: The proof of the Spirit lies not in the process but in the result.
      
      
  • lesson 3: Compassion
    • Definition
      • What love is not
        • Love is not a romantic feeling.
        • Love is not an uncontrollable feeling.
        • Love is not just doing our duty.
      • What love is
        • Love is an emotion.
        • Love is deep and abiding.
        • Love is particular.
        • Love is subject to the will.
      • Problem
    • Marks of Christian love
      • Just being nice
      • Unselfishness
    • Principles of love
      • Principle 1: The basic motive for Christian service must be love.
      • Principle 2: The highest form of compassion is self-sacrificing.
      • Principle 3: Perfect love casteth out fear.
      • Principle 4: the ultimate goal of Christian service is to build a body of believers notable for love.
    
    
  • lesson 4: Consecration
    • Crisis
    • Consecration
    • A removal
    • A joining
    • Principle 1: A consecrated Christian is heaven-directed.
    • Principle 2: A consecrated Christian is heaven-dependent.
    • Principle 3: A consecrated Christian is heaven-bound.
    • Principle 4: A consecrated Christian is heavenly minded.
      
      
  • lesson 5: Preparation

• Personal Separation
  
  The church cannot pass Biblical truth to the next generation unless it readopts traditional standards, and unless also it devises new standards to combat the latest forms of sinful amusement. The devil is always building new armament to send against the church under siege, and the new armament must be countered by new fortifications. Negative rules (“do not drink”) help the church defend itself from attack, just as positive rules (“love thy neighbor”) help the church carry out evangelistic sorties into the enemy's territory.
  
  
  • Introduction to Personal Separation
    • lesson 1: The Need for Standards
      • Mass defection
      • Biblical principles
        
        
    • lesson 2: Law without Legalism
      • What is legalism?
      • Texts used to oppose standards
      • Biblical vs. man-made rules
      • Rules in the early church
      • Contempt for rules in the Last Days
    
    
  • Bible Teaching on Alcoholic Drink
    • lesson 1: The Case for Abstinence
      • The highest standard
      • Fallacies in moderationism
        
        
    • lesson 2: Texts in Praise of Wine
      • The Bible's reticence to ban alcohol
      • Old Testament texts recommending wine
        
        
    • lesson 3: Against Moderationism
      • Old Testament texts permitting strong drink
      • Old Testament texts viewing wine or strong drink as a remedy
      • A New Testament text urging the consumption of wine
      • New Testament texts showing that Jesus Himself was a wine drinker
    
    
  • The Evils in Television
    • lesson 1: Medical and Psychological Effects
      • One real cause of our trouble
      • Excessive violence
      • Horror
      • The cult of beauty
      • Preoccupation with sex
      • Encouragement of unhealthy habits
      • Modeling of uncivil speech and behavior
        
        
    • lesson 2: More Medical and Psychological Effects
      • Hindrance of intellectual development
      • Suppression of better activities
      • Promotion of youth culture
      • Promotion of materialism
      • Generation of discontent and escapism
        
        
    • lesson 3: Checklist for Wholesome Viewing
      • Affronts to righteousness
      • Questions for evaluating media content
        
        
    • lesson 4: Should a Christian Get Rid of His TV?
      • The leaven in a little bit
      • A pastor's obligation
  
  
• The Family
  
  God placed man in a matrix of social institutions designed to restrain sin. He founded the church, so that man could hear the law of God. He founded civil government to deter crime and punish criminals. And He founded the family, so that each generation could pass on its best achievements and wisdom to the next, and so that each individual could live in a situation fostering cooperation, unselfish service to others, and love. Although the devil has attacked all these institutions, his special target has been the family, because it is the most important.
  
  
  • The Christian Husband
    • lesson 1: Loving Authority
      • Peter's realism
      • A wife's obedience
      • A husband's love
      • Wisdom in the divine plan
      • The role of helpmeet
      • Why marriage is not unequal
        
        
    • lesson 2: Fidelity
      • Self-knowledge
      • Safeguards against corruption of the eye
      • Safeguards against corruption of the heart
      • General policies to protect your marriage
        
        
    • lesson 3: Dwelling with a Wife according to Knowledge
      • Breakdown in communication
      • Remedies
      • Honoring a wife
      • A woman's weakness
      • A woman's value
    
    
  • Bible Teaching on Divorce
    • lesson 1: The Institution of Marriage
      • The devil's campaign
      • Trends in the divorce rate
      • Divine purposes in marriage
      • God's view of divorce
        
        
    • lesson 2: Sins Connected with Divorce
      • God's view of remarriage
      • Most common interpretation of the exception clause
      • Another common interpretation of the exception clause
      • Third common interpretation of the exception clause
        
        
    • lesson 3: The Exception Clause
      • Correct interpretation of the exception clause in Matthew 5:32
      • Correct interpretation of the exception clause in Matthew 19:9
      • Proper rule for today
      • Mixed marriages
        
        
    • lesson 4: Advice for Difficult Marriages
      • Options in a mixed marriage
      • Guidelines on separation
        
        
    • lesson 5: Correct Policies for a Local Church
      • Basic questions
      • Should a pastor officiate at the remarriage of a divorced person?
      • Should a church promote a divorced person to leadership?
      • Should a church admit a divorced and remarried person to membership?
      • Should a church ever require a divorced person to remarry a former spouse?
      • Procedure to follow when people apply for church membership
    
    
  • Rearing Children for Christ
    • lesson 1: Establishing a Spiritual Center to the Home
      • Perilous times
        • The father must exercise spiritual leadership.
        • The whole family must be faithful to the church.
        • The life of the family must include a family altar.
        • Each member of the family should have personal devotions.
        • God must be a constant theme of talk in the home.
      
      
    • lesson 2: Chief Dangers in a Child's World
      • A child's sexual innocence must be protected.
      • A child must be insulated as much as possible from the formative influence of the mass media.
        
        
    • lesson 3: Christian Education
      • Four advantages of a Christian school
      • Comparison of church schools and home schools
      
      
    • lesson 4: Loving Discipline
      • The home must provide daily demonstrated love.
    
    
  • The Crises in Growing Up
    • lesson 1: Youth Culture: The Crisis of Early Adolescence
      • A question of survival
      • Contemporary youth culture
      • Customs
      • Beliefs
      • Origins
      • Driving force
        
        
    • lesson 2: Sexuality: The Crisis of Middle Adolescence
      • The danger in immorality
      • Biblical view of premarital sex
      • Biblical standards for premarital conduct
      • Appendix
        
        
    • lesson 3: Choosing a Mate
      • The single state
      • Guideposts to the Right person
      • Principles illustrated
      • Compatibility
  
  
• Neglected Christian Virtues
  Ask young people today to define a word like "prudence" and you will find that they have only a dim notion of its meaning. The same is true of many other words naming important Christian virtues. If the young hardly know what these virtues are, how likely is it that they will perfect these virtues in their lives?
  
  
  • What the Bible Teaches about Money and Wealth
    • lesson 1: A Balanced View
      • How people today view money
      • How the Bible views money
      • What a believer should want
      • What a believer should not fear
        
        
    • lesson 2: The First Beatitude
      • The blessing in poverty
      • The dangers in wealth
      • Tests of materialism
    
    
  • Blessed Are the Meek
    • one lesson
      • The Third Beatitude
      • The greatest example of meekness
      • The meekness of Moses
      • Humility
      • Ten questions to evaluate your humility
    
    
  • What Is True Wisdom?
    • one lesson
      • Seek after Wisdom!
      • True Wisdom
        • Meek
        • Pure
        • Peaceable
        • Gentle
        • Easily entreated
        • Merciful
        • Fruitful
        • Impartial
        • Unhypocritical
      • Wisdom of Christ
  
  
• Occasional Talks
  
  
  • On Being Thankful: A Sermon for Thanksgiving Day
    
    As a nation we neglect to give thanks to God and instead we boast in ourselves. God has patiently withheld judgment, giving us a chance to repent. But his patience will not restrain judgment forever.
    
    
    • one message
      • The curse of prosperity
      • Let us stop putting ourselves in the place of God.
      • Let us stop putting human science and human ingenuity in the place of God.
      • Let us remember past blessings.
      • Let us stop being self-centered and cultivate the habit of thankfulness.
    
    
  • Paying Attention: A Talk to Seniors on Memory Loss
    
    One reason we seniors seem to be losing our memories is that we are becoming more detached from life. It's not that we are forgetting things. We're not noticing them in the first place. We're not paying attention.
    
    
    • one message
    
    
  • What's in It for Me? A Sermon to Encourage a Small Church
    
    Each of us must guard against falling into the mentality that sees this church as another tool for pleasing self. If you understand that your purpose here is to serve God, you will never be discontent, because here there is plenty of work to do. The question is not, "What's in it for me?" No, don't be self-centered. A self-centered person is soon alone. The question is, "How can God use me?"
    
    
    • one message
    
    
  • Rejoicing in the Midst of Trials and Temptations: A Sermon on 1 Peter 1:2-9
    
    Peter wants us to look forward to our salvation with hope, because hope is what enables us to rejoice even when we are going through trouble. To strengthen our hope, he gives us here in 1 Peter 1 eight specific reasons why our future salvation is worth all the trouble we must go through before we receive it, and each reason is a reason to rejoice.
    
    
    • one message

© 2007, 2012 Stanley Edgar Rickard (Ed Rickard, the author). All rights reserved.