Help on being a True Christian

I know this is presumptuous, but there is an outstanding book that is quite short that was written hundreds of years ago by a most admirable man named Thomas Vincent. His knowledge of the Word and devotion to Jesus is most remarkable and His life was marked by extreme sacrifice for the sake of others during the Black Plague. I only give you these details so you can judge whether to even investigate the book. It's available on Amazon but also available on Monergism site.

The name of the book is

The True Christian's Love for the Unseen Christ.

It is completely Word based but overflowing with devotion and deep love for Jesus. The book doesn't criticize anyone but rather points the way.

In a day when the love of many will grow cold, it is a great reminder of truth and refresher of soul.

Here’s a 5 minute excerpt of a sermon that speaks to the point of the kind of love a true Christian has for Jesus :

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PpopqFYeJe8

Thank you for sharing these 🙏🏻
These are indeed difficult times, I confess anger/frustration sometimes makes loving those whom seek our destruction objectionable, but the Lord is merciful to remind me that the fervent, effectual prayers of the righteous availeth much and how Lot was vexed but nonetheless prayed for those whom sought his destruction.
They simply can’t see Him, anymore than we could till, in His mercy, He unveiled Christ and revealed the truth of His spirit to us, that we might be His witness and offer testimony for His namesake.

Oh Father, I ask that you give us ears to hear you clearly and a heart that obeys you completely, that we may be profitable in your hands and pleasing in your sight, that we may indeed be pure and blameless, shining like stars in the universe, as we hold out the words of life to a depraved and crooked generation.
Lord I ask for forgiveness, that we might find a place of repentance from hard heartedness towards the lost as we once were. I pray Father that you restore our prayer life, restore our fellowship in the spirit, remind us oh Lord and bring us back to our first love. Anoint us that we might walk worthy of the calling, that your word might go forth finding the good ground of the hearts to whom we speak, that your word would take root, grow and bear much fruit to the glory of your kingdom. That Jesus might be magnified in us, that your name be glorified and serve as a lighthouse for those whom seek escape from the corruption of this world ✝️ I thank you Lord for the ministry of your Holy Spirit, who turns our eyes to behold Jesus high and lifted up, that our confidence in you might be unshakable, that our faith might withstand and burn brightly amidst the darkness of this world. That we not fail your grace and that the patience and long suffering wherewith you deal with us might be our example of how we are to deal with others. Many of us are tired and weary ph Lord, for the sin, the iniquity of this world is grievous, I ask you Father to speak to those anxious thoughts, that the confusion may be consumed by the holy fire of your presence and turn to dust and ash lacking any substance and as we turn to your word, that you would open it to us,… give us fresh revelations that we may stir up the gift within us. Lord I ask that you put your song in our hearts and your name on our lips, that we may sing your praises. Lift us up oh Lord that we may rejoice in your salvation. We have no where else to go, for you alone are our rock, our salvation, our hope, our mighty tower, for your word is life where else can we go? Have mercy on us, though we are not worthy, we ask you to glorify your son in us for your namesake that He might receive the rewards of His suffering. We ask you especially to be with those whom seek to do your will, that they may be comforted and encouraged, empowered and emboldened. Make us wise in your ways, help us ohLord and take not your spirit from us, but grow us in righteousness. Remind us to come to you, your word says we have not because we ask not, remind us oh Lord that you want to give us and will not upbraideth when we humble ourselves and seek your counsel. Remind us to pray for one another, to put in the time to lift one another up to you and thereby strengthen the body that we may be one. In Jesus holy name, I pray - Amen 🙏🏻

Here is the pdf:
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/vincent/TheTrueChristian'sLoveThomasVincent.pdf

//Edit: I found an article written in 1670 called:

The Only Deliverer from the Wrath to Come!
https://www.gracegems.org/28/Vincent_only_deliverer.htm

I'm reading it now but thought others might like to read it.

JFW,

Something that always helps me in context of loving enemies is remembering that it isn't us expressing good human traits, but Jesus expressing His love through us. If we are ever marked as a good person, we are a traitor somewhere, because we don't express good morals, but divinity. Not a person striving to do something, but a person surrendering in order to express someone else. We can't love our enemies, but Jesus can; and the sermon on the mount isn't meant for us to strive for, it is meant for us to express when God works in us His very nature.

Just a thought, hope it helps.

Thank you Brother Robert!
What our brother described
Is keeping the greatest commandment.

Thank you for sharing that, while we may see it differently, much like how Robert is more on the reformed grace side than myself, his post can nonetheless be a great blessing to me personally, so too can yours 🙏🏻

While I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet, I have it bookmarked, I did get to listen to the short excerpt from the sermon and it was a blessing in that it further reinforces something I had suspected/tested might be the case. That this man knows the same Jesus that saves me 🙏🏻 and I don’t really care that his doctrine or theology is different. He wouldn’t have access to that level of information without the intimacy and if we are intimate with the Lord then His spirit bears witness,… which was evident in the short video Robert shared.
I’ve found individuals who are Catholics,, Orthodox, Coptics, Calvinist, Methodist, Mennonites, Baptist, Church of Christ, Assembly of God, Lutherans, Nazarenes, to all possess the same spirit in spite of their denominational alliances. This is very encouraging to me and I long for the day when we more focus on Jesus than on our local obligations in that He Lord over those too 😇

Hi Brother Mike,

You are right about the call to love Christ being the great commandment. Yet, there is something more for the New Covenant Christian that makes this commandment so much greater than under the OT. The Scripture says that God has revealed to our hearts His glory ( strength and beauty ) in the face of Jesus. Our love is now based on revelation of the true gift of salvation. God has given His Son as a gift (John 3:16). Unfortunately, many believe the gift of John 3:16 was only a gift of Jesus to die so we could be forgiven. The gift is Jesus who is our Life. And the expectation of God is that all will value this gift with a whole heart, undivided devotion and faithful loyalty and finally with the supernatural love that the Father has shed in our hearts at conversion. And like others have said and the preacher in the short clip says, sometimes we backslide and we don't value and love as we ought and the true Christian feels the pain of betrayal of Jesus, feels deep Godly sorrow over their slipping and turns back to treasure and love Him as they ought. Not perfectly of course but when imperfect, a deep pain and sorrow arises leading to repentance of heart affections and not merely a change of mind and moral regret.

As Paul says when he alerted the Corinthians to their neglect of the commands of God, they turned with deep sorrow, grief and great zeal to get their hearts and obedience right. How much more is this to be true for those who have let their lives be marked by devotion to other things rather than a single heart of sincere and pure devotion for Christ.