The Christian Life
The christian must keep himself spiritualy alive. In order to do so, the following discipline is of great help:
Practising regular prayer
Prayer is a dialogue with God. This is a time of bringing our requests, concerns, repentance to God but also a time for listening to God. A daily communion with God through prayer is a blessing for the christian.
Feeding on the Word of God
The Scriptures are our spiritual food. Like any other food, it is better to feed on it regularly! Through Scriptures, we get to know God better, He strenghtens us, matures us, shapes us to the image of His son, Jesus Christ.
Worshiping God
Worship is giving God the glory that is due to Him as well as receiving strength, faith, joy from Him. Through communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we also glorify God. Worship consists of several elements:
- thanks for all the blessings God has given us and for the grace He has shown us;
- repentance for every thoughts, words, deeds through which we have disobeyed and dishonnored God;
- exhaltation of the glory of God
These elements are used through several forms, each being important to God:
- singing and music;
- prayer shared with the local church;
- teaching through the Word of God.
The local church is then very important to us as it enables us to worship together, to share our joy together, to hold ourselves accountable and to feel deeply what it means to be all united in a brotherhood of faith. The communion with the local church is not a law, not mandatory, but this is such a blessing, a joy, that refusing it does not makes sense. The local church must of course accept as a congregation the basic christian principles as stated previously. The local church must provide for the necessary elements for a fulfilling worship, as listed above. The church can not simply skip any of these very general elements without weakenning its Faith, hurting the Truth, refusing God the glory that is due to Him.