One of the most important things that the Christian may possess in life is a perpetual consciousness. Now, a perpetual consciousness is manifest in the person that is always involved in the on-going activities of the Christian occupation; indeed the lifestyle of the Christian is to be perpetual.
Every Christian is to be continuous (i.e. perpetual) in their devotion and service to Almighty God, to the church of the Lord, and in all other areas encouraged by God via the Holy Scriptures, some of these things are listed – following:
1. CONTINUE IN THE LORD’S TEACHING:
John 8:31, “Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, (then) are ye truly my disciples;” (ASV)
2. CONTINUE IN THE LOVE OF GOD:
John 15:9, “Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love.” (ASV)
3. CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD:
Acts 13:43, “Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.” (ASV)
4. CONTINUE IN THE FAITH:
Acts 14:22, “confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.” (ASV)
5. CONTINUE IN HIS KINDNESS:
Romans 11:22, “Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God’s goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off.”
6. CONTINUE STEADFAST IN PRAYER:
Colossians 4:2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;”
7. CONTINUE IN THE TRUTH THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED:
2 Timothy 3:14-15, “ But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (ASV)
8. CONTINUE TO OBEY JESUS CHRIST:
Hebrews 5:8-9, “though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;” (ASV)
9. CONTINUE TO LOVE THE BRETHREN:
Hebrews 13:1, “Let love of the brethren continue.” (ASV)
10. CONTINUE IN EVERY GOOD WORK:
2 Timothy 2:21, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work.” (ASV)
Titus 3:1, “Put them in mind to be in subjection to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work,” (ASV)
The value of perpetual (i.e. continuing) faithful cannot be overestimated. Those of us that profess to be God’s Children ought to be motivated to pursue righteous living and conduct without being reminded. Yet too often we fail in our life or fall back into the world because we are not conscious of our relationship to God and what is involved in living right. Living for God is not difficult if we will always be aware of who we are and where our “real” home is. You see, our home is not of this world but a place prepared for us – cf.
John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, (there) ye may be also.” (ASV)
Indeed, let us possess a perpetual consciousness of our relationship to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. May we also possess a continuous consciousness of our relationship to each other in the Body of Christ so that we will always act the way the we should toward one another and to everyone we know in evry situation of life.