Practical Christianity

Music artist Rich Mullins once said...

"Every time I go to a different culture, I'm challenged to come back and look at my Scriptures again, because they underline different parts of their Bibles than we do...I have a feeling that if we went all around the world and collected all the Bibles and put them all together, everything would get underlined...
"There are some basic truths that are big enough that we can find unity in them, but I'm not sure that truth is quite the way we understand it; I'm not sure that it has so much to do with statements of belief. Truth is alive; it is a person; and that person is Jesus."

What does it mean to live in a Christian manner?

In essence, of course, this means that we believe the Bible, God's Word, teaches us how we are to live our lives. All Christians believe this, but not all Christians live consistently with that belief. And, like Rich Mullins said, we tend to focus on different parts of the Bible. This is appropriate: we are all part of one body (1 Cor 12:12-26; Rom 12:4-5) and we are all working on the same wall (Nehemiah 3). As a result, we can learn from each other and be reminded that the whole Bible instructs us in everything we do.

God's instructions for living are abundantly set forth in Scripture, from the Ten Commandments, through the Old Testament wisdom literature, to the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament letters. There are also many stories of men who lived according to God's law (or not), and received the blessings (or curses) of obedience (or disobedience).

Of course, the best example of Christian living is Christ himself. "What Would Jesus Do?" is a common question nowadays, and it's a good question as long as we consider our answer carefully, and don't slip into simple platitudes. (For instance, we believe Jesus enjoyed a good glass of wine now and then.) Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." (Jn 14:15) He demonstrated His love for the Father in keeping the law, down to the last jot and tittle. To live like Christ is to:

  • Live a disciplined and holy life. Display the fruits of the spirit, and avoid the "works of the flesh."
  • Live in community. As a member of the Trinity, Jesus demonstrates living in constant, loving, sacrificial relationship with the Father and the Spirit. As our Savior, he demonstrated the amazing willingness to lay down His life for His sheep. We can learn much from His example!
Did you find this review helpful?
30 Items found Print
Active Filters: Bible Reading & Study
25 Basic Bible Studies
by Francis A. Schaeffer, foreword by Udo W. Middelmann
from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$3.60 (1 in stock)
30 Days to Understanding the Bible
by Max Anders
Reprint from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 7th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$16.99
After God's Heart
by Myrna Alexander
from Discovery House Publishers
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Behold, Jesus is Coming!
International Inductive Study Series
by Kay Arthur and David Arthur
from Harvest House
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Bible Jesus Read
by Philip Yancey
from Zondervan
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Surveys (Location: XBI-SURV)
$14.44
Bible Recap
by Tara-Leigh Cobble
from Bethany House
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
Bible Study
by Kathleen Buswell Nielson
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$11.00
Book of Proverbs Book III
by Kevin Swanson
from Generations with Vision
for 4th-10th grade
in Bible Studies for Families (Location: XBI-FAM)
Book of Psalms Book I
by Kevin Swanson
1st edition from Generations with Vision
for 4th-10th grade
in Family Worship (Location: BIB-FAWO)
$16.96
Deeper Places
by Matthew Jacoby
from Baker Books
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$12.74
Discovering Doctrine: A Personal Bible Study Grades 7-12
by Sonya Shafer
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 7th-12th grade
in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
$9.50 (1 in stock)
Discovering Hope in the Psalms
by Pam Farrel, Jean E. Jones, Karla Dornacher
from Harvest House
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$4.80 (1 in stock)
ExeGeses: The Ready Research Bible
by Herb Jahn (exegete)
from World Bible Publishers
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$27.00 (1 in stock)
Harmony of the Gospels
by Loraine Boettner
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
How Readest Thou?
by J. C. Ryle
from Charles Nolan Publishers
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
How to Grow in Christ
by Jack Kinneer
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
by Douglas Stuart, Gordon D. Fee
3rd edition from Zondervan
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$14.44 $5.10 (2 in stock)
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
by Douglas Stuart, Gordon D. Fee
3rd edition from Zondervan
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
Invitation to the Psalms
by Rolf A. Jacobson and Karl N. Jacobson
from Baker Academics
for 10th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$23.00 $14.00 (1 in stock)
Isaiah for You
by Tim Chester
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$15.29
John: 26 Studies for Individuals and Groups
N. T. Wright For Everyone Bible Study Guides
by N. T. Wright
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$3.60 (1 in stock)
Living by the Book
by Howard Hendricks, William Hendricks
Revised from Moody Press
for 11th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$5.70 (1 in stock)
Lord, Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 Days
by Kay Arthur
11.1.2008 from Harvest House
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
Read the Bible for a Change
by Ray Lubeck
1st edition from Wipf and Stock Publishers
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$10.80 (1 in stock)
Search the Scriptures
by Alan M. Stibbs
2nd edition from InterVarsity Press
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
Story of Reality
by Gregory Koukl
from Zondervan
for Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
Taking the Old Testament Challenge
by Judson Poling
from Zondervan
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$12.99
Thirty Days in 1 Corinthians 13
Bible Study For Busy Mamas
by Pam Forster
1st edition from Doorposts
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
Torah / Prophets / Writings
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$8.40 (1 in stock)
What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About
from Kregel Publications
for 6th-Adult
in Bible Reading & Study (Location: XBI-STUDY)
$42.49