How God's Children Should Live

When you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour (begin to follow Jesus Christ), you become God's child and He becomes your (Heavenly) Father. (You belong to a new family.) You are changed. You yield yourself to Christ and He puts His Holy Spirit into your heart to live there and to give you power to overcome temptation (evil desires) and sin. You will want to listen to His words every day, and obey them. His words are found in the Holy Bible. You will put out of your life the things you used to do that are wrong, and do only those things that are good. You will leave behind all your old sinful pleasures.

God has told us how He wants His children to live. He says, "Your body is the temple of God (house God lives in) and the Spirit of God dwells within you. If any man defiles the temple (house) of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God (house God lives in) is holy." "Flee from idolatry." All the gods of the people are idols. (There is only one true God.) They shall be greatly ashamed who trust in graven images (Those who trust in graven images shall be greatly ashamed). No immoral person or drunkard or idolater can enter God's kingdom (place). When the love of God is in your heart (God's Spirit fills your heart), you will have nothing to do with (leave the sinful things of) this world. If you do not know which things are sinful, ask God, and He will show you.

God expects His children to be very careful how they live so they will not bring shame to His name. His Word says, "Put away lying and let everyone speak the truth. Let him that stole steal no more, but let him work, for if anyone does not provide for his family, he is worse than an infidel (someone who does not believe in God)." ("Husbands, love your wives, and wives love and respect your husbands. Children, obey your parents in the Lord.") (If you do not know which things are sinful, ask God, and He will show you.)

It is not enough to just put sin out of our lives, but we must show to everyone the new love God has put into our hearts, for He says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself." He also tells us to love our enemies. It is by our kindness and love toward others that they will be made to believe our words about the Lord.

Do not be fearful of anything, for the Lord will care for you. Pray to Him constantly, for it is only by His power that you can live right. (If possible, gather your family together each day for prayer, and also meet with other believers for worship and fellowship. Give to the Lord of your substance (part of your material gain) and of the first harvest (the first part of the harvest) of your crops, and He will bless you.) Serve the Lord with gladness, and in everything give thanks. Be not ashamed (Don't be ashamed) of the Gospel of (Jesus) Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes (the way God has made for us to find His life). Go and tell others the good news that your sins are forgiven, so they will be saved (follow God), too. (For God says, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, and lo, I am with you even to the end of the world.")

Refs: I Cor. 3:16 & 10:14; Isa. 44:9; Eph. 5:25, 33 and 6:1; Rom. 14:9; Matt. 5:44; Ps. 100:2; I Thess. 5:18; Rom. 1:16; Matt. 28:19, 20.