How To Live For God

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Are your sins forgiven? Does God's Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you have passed from death unto life (Rom. 8:16)? Have you been born again, and do you really want to live for God? If so, there are five things I would ask you to do:

First, be sure of your own salvation.

How can you know you are saved? By God's Word. The blood makes you safe, and the Word makes you sure. "These things have I written unto you...that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

"Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Have you come to Him? Then where are you, out or in? He says He won't cast you out. Then He must have taken you in. You see, it depends on God's Word not on your feelings. Believe what God says.

Second, take a public stand for Christ.

Don't try to be a secret believer, for it won't work. Confess Christ at every opportunity. "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words...of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed" (Mark 8:38). If you want to grow rapidly, confess Him openly.

Third, turn from all you know to be wrong.

He gives you a new nature, a nature that loves righteousness and hates iniquity. You can now overcome. "Sin shall not have dominion over you" (Rom. 6:14). But you must choose righteousness and forsake sin. Turn your back on it. Put it away. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body" (Rom. 6:12). Come clean. Be through with sin.

Fourth, spend much time in Bible study and prayer.

The more you read the Bible the more you will want to read it. If you want to grow in grace, meet God every day. Have a place and time for prayer and Bible study. Be a Bible Christian. Never let a day pass without spending time alone with God. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2).

Fifth, keep busy in God's service.

Satan always finds mischief for idle hands to do. Therefore find something to do. Give out gospel tracts. Get into a soul-winning church. Sing in the choir. Help in the young people's work. Attend the prayer meeting. Put first things first. God to church where people are being converted and where the message is, "Ye must be born again." If you follow these simple steps, you will be a bright and happy Christian, God will use you in His service, and you will be a blessing wherever you go.

- Oswald J. Smith