CHRISTIANS:

A.  SOME TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST:

a.  CHRISTIANS--The Greek root word for "Christian"  {khris-tee-an-os’} (appears 3 times in the Greek NT Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16) means "a Christian (BAG), one who is identified as a believer in and follower of Christ" (SD).

b.  SAINTS--The Greek root word for "Saints"  {hag’-ee-os} (appears 233 times in the Greek NT Col. 1:2; Rom. 1:7 NASV) means "human beings consecrated to God, holy (BAG), pertaining to being holy in the sense of moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human - ‘holy, pure, divine.’" (SD).

c.  BRETHREN OR BROTHERS--The Greek root word for "Brethren"  {ad-el-fos’} (appears 343 times in the Greek NT Rom. 7:1; Col. 1:2 NASV) means "a fellowship (group of fellow-believers) (BAG), an association of persons having a strong sense of unity- brotherhood, fellow believers" (SD).

d.  MEMBERS OF CHRIST (1 Cor. 12:27 NASV; Rom. 12:4, 5).

e.  DISCIPLES OF CHRIST (Acts 6:1, 7; 11:26).

f.  BELIEVERS (Acts 5:14; 2 Cor. 6:15).

g.  PRIEST (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6).

h.  CHILDREN OF GOD (Gal. 3:26, 27).

B.  WHAT DOES THE LORD EXPECT FROM CHRISTIANS AND MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH?

1.  THE LORD EXPECTS CHRISTIANS TO BE FAITHFUL WORSHIPPERS OF GOD (JN. 4:23, 24; 1 PET. 2:5; HEB. 10:25).

a.  We must love the Lord our God with all of our hearts…(Mt. 22:37).

2.  THE LORD EXPECTS CHRISTIANS TO BE FAITHFUL SERVANTS (JN. 12:26; ROM. 12:10, 11; MT. 25:14-30 PARABLE OF THE TALENTS; DT. 10:12, 13).

a.  We must be involved in ministry. We should be putting our talents and abilities to work for the Lord. In fact, we were created to serve (Eph. 2:10).

b.  We serve, not to earn our salvation (Eph. 2:8, 9), but out of love for what the Lord has done for us (1 Thess. 1:3).

3.  THE LORD EXPECTS CHRISTIANS TO BE ACTIVELY SHARING THEIR FAITH WITH OTHERS (MT. 10:32, 33; 28:19, 20).

4.  THE LORD EXPECTS CHRISTIANS TO BE OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD (JN. 14:15, 23, 24; 1 JN. 5:2; MT. 7:21-23; 2 THESS. 2:15; 2 TIM. 1:13; PS. 119:4-6).

C.  CHRISTIANS AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH:

1.  CHRISTIANS ARE TO GROW AND BECOME SPIRITUALLY MATURE IN CHRIST (HEB. 6:1; EPH. 4:11-16).

a.  To grow spiritually, we must strive to imitate God (Eph. 5:1) and be like Christ (1 Jn. 2:6).

b.  To grow spiritually, we must learn to be spiritually minded (Col. 3:1, 2; Mt. 6:33) and not love the things of the world (1 Jn. 2:15-17; Jam. 4:4).

c.  To grow spiritually, we must study God's Word (Eph. 3:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 2:2) and put it into practice (Mt. 7:24, 25; Jam. 1:22; Lk. 8:21).

d.  To grow spiritually, we must pray (1 Thess. 5:17; Mt. 6:9-13; Mk. 11:22-25).

e.  To grow spiritually, we must strive to be holy (1 Pet. 1:13-16) and stay away from sin (Heb. 10:26).

f.  To grow spiritually, we must live a life of love (Eph. 5:2; 1 Cor. 13:1-3; 1 Jn. 4:7; 3:11; Jn. 15:12) and do good to all men (Gal. 6:10).