1 John 2:6 (ESV) "Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
1 Peter 2:21 (ESV) "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."
Ephesians 5:1-2 ( ESV) "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Isn't this interesting! You thought that since you now believe in Christ, that the journey is done! We are to "walk in the same way" as Christ. How did Jesus walk? He lived a sinless life, he loved everyone and he spread the gospel. If you love Jesus you aren't REQUIRED to do that, but your conscious tells you that you must! That's "Christian principle"! If you're just doing out of obligation, you missed the point! As a free moral agent you have "liberty in Christ"!
Galatians 5:1 (KJV) "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
Before Jesus came our faith was demonstrated by our desire to follow the law! We had too! That was our only way to demonstrate faith. We were slaves to rules and commandments. Our every action was measured by obedience. If we broke the law, we were doomed until we repented. Now Christians have liberty! Liberty is freedom. We exercise our choices in a matters, including whether we love Christ or not and whether we want to be "imitators of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1)!
We can't be as Christ, we can only "imitate" Jesus. That's flattering to him. His desire is for us to be as he is! We all have heroes. Mine was Roy Rogers when I was a child. I tried to act as he did, talk as he talked and walk as he walked. Jesus is now my hero! If I'm sincere I need to behave as he asked, speak as he spoke and walk as Jesus walked; not because he dictates it, but out of love; out of principle! 1 Peter 2:21 tells me to "walk in his steps"!
We can't always see Jesus's steps. Sometimes the sand has shifted and the wind has blurred his steps. His walk may be unclear, but when in doubt "Christian principles" are to be applied! WWJD (What would Jesus do?) becomes our modus operandi! We veer not from what is right, not because we have an all-seeing eye watching us, but because we have a loving eye we wish to please! In some cases "law" does not apply. Behavior and actions are not spelled out. In those cases we're to please Jesus. "Thou shalt not drink alcohol." is not a command. We refrain from strong drink because we want to be sober. Sobriety is what we're asked to do! "Thou shalt not gamble." isn't a law. We refuse to gamble out of respect for Jesus. We place reverence for Jesus over the "love of money". We desist from gambling because sinners who crucified our Savior cast lots for his remnant. That's "Christian principle"!
I heard a fellow Christian repeat a dirty joke. My response was "Christians don't talk filthy!" My friend said "That sin was forgiven 2000 years ago!" Jesus did die for that sin as he said. His death was propitiation for all sins. However, forgiveness is only received when we ask for it. We are to constantly repent and sinning intentionally, let alone without repentance, is not "Christian principle"! How do we imitate Jesus? We speak as Jesus would!
The language Christians speak, privately and publicly, borders on the obscene. The Christian lexicon may not contain the "f" word and outright curses, but crap, friggin', OMG and such speech is playing games with our feeble attempt to imitate Christ. Let our "yes be yes" and our "no, no". We don't need vanity in our speech. Such speech actually shows a narrow vocabulary and demonstrates shallowness in the command of our own language. Would Jesus speak that way?
I wasn't much of a George H. W. Bush fan. That changed because of "Christian principle"! Barbara Walters asked GHWB in an interview why he was against abortion when most Americans favored it. GHWB responded "If 98% of the people is in favor of something, that doesn't make it right!" That, my reader, is "Christian principle"! The preservation of life is what Jesus is all about. We kill the being who Jesus came to save! Standing up for right is "Christian principle"!
I mentioned "liberty" earlier. That's our freedom to ignore the law. As a Christian we make judgment values. Most of these judgments are ritualistic laws; whether we eat kosher food or not, whether we wash or not and the like. Paul said this about that:
1 Corinthians 10:23 (KJV) "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."
Expedience has to do with what's appropriate. All things are not appropriate although we're free to do them. Why? They don't edify. They don't build you up spiritually. They are not Christlike! Does saying "crap" edify! If so, edify whom? Does boozing edify? Ask the young Christian watching you chug! Does gambling resemble a Christian walk? Present your case to those who love money!
As we watch television we ask ourselves "Does this edify? WWJD? As we watch a movie "Does this edify?" WWJD? As we tell an off-color joke? WWJD? As we have a display of temper? WWJD? As we ridicule those less fortunate? WWJD? As we condemn others? WWJD?
Compliance to standards which edify are "Christian principle"! Will non-compliance sentence you, the Christian, to eternal damnation? Likely not. Will non-conformance be irreverent to the Savior who you claim to love? Most definitely! A Christlike Christian is sanctified. A sanctified Christian is set apart from the world and "imitates Christ"! A sanctified Christian exercises "Christian principle"!
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