Jesus Christ is our Savior
"Jesus was and is our Savior because he brought about our resurrection, through which our bodies and spirits will be united again. We shall be raised from the grave as immortal souls never again to be separated. Jesus accomplished this by voluntarily giving his life to satisfy the demands of justice for the broken law which brought death. This he was qualified to do because he was not subject to death. He was not a descendant of Adam in the same sense as are other men. He was the literal Son of God in the flesh as well as in the spirit. He thus inherited from the Father life in himself. He could have lived on indefinitely. Being the Son of God in the flesh, death had no claim upon him. By voluntarily giving his life, he won the victory over the grave. Paul put it in these terms:
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [1 Corinthians 15:21–22]
Adam and Eve were responsible for death. Jesus brought about universal resurrection. In this respect, he was and is our Savior." MGR
Jesus Christ is our Redeemer
What did Jesus Christ teach about each action word in the COMPASS acronym?
Jesus Christ preached repentance as a condition for salvation at least 19 times during his ministry. He also called the church to repent seven times in the Book of Revelation. Jesus's first public ministry demand was "Repent," which he spoke to all who would listen. He taught that repentance is an internal change of heart and mind, rather than something visible on the outside. Jesus said that repentance involves changing one's mind about sin and Jesus Christ, and that it produces new behavior. He also said that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.
The New Testament Greek word translated as "repent" is metanoia, which has two parts: meta, a prefix that means movement or change, and noeo, which refers to one's inner disposition or "default setting" toward reality. The outward result of repentance can include acting, speaking, and living differently.
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. Calling to “repentance” does not mean pointing out our sins and rebuke us sharply. It means helping us to change our mindset and lifestyle from self-centered to God-centered.
Jesus Christ was an example of obedience to God, and his life and ministry were dedicated to carrying out God's will:
John 6:38 I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Hebrews 10:7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come . . . to do thy will, O God'.
John 14:31 That the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do.
Jesus taught his disciples to obey him and his commands:
Matthew 28:18-20 Teach them to obey all that I have commanded.
John 14:23 Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command
Philippians 2:8 Jesus also set an example of obedience by being "obedient unto death, even death on a cross".
Jesus taught, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22-37-38) Obedience to God is a way to worship him, a way to get closer to him, and prepare for whatever he leads you to and grow as a person.
Biblical meditation is different from other forms of meditation, such as transcendental meditation. It's more about taking time to reflect on God's Word and grow in one's relationship with Him, rather than achieving a state of stillness. It can also help people prevent sinful thoughts and encourage them to fulfill religious duties.
Jesus gained strength and discernment in meditation. Before Jesus appointed the 12 who would be his apostles, Luke 6 tells us, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” Jesus knew that a big decision was needing to be made. Who would be the main group that would be entrusted with spreading the good news? And so he spent time alone with his Father, to hear his voice, to fully discern his will.
Psalms 48:9 (NIV) Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.
Psalms 77:12 (NIV) I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.
Psalms 119:23 (NIV) - Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.
Jesus Christ taught his disciples to pray and set an example for them by praying to his father frequently. Some say that prayer is a commandment from God, and that it's important to pray with humility and reverence. Prayer can be a way to serve God, obey him, and obtain solutions from him. It can also help people discern God's will in situations where they aren't sure what it is.
Jesus taught, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … but when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”
The adversary is clever. For millennia he has been making good look evil and evil look good. His messages tend to be loud, bold, and boastful. However, messages from our Heavenly Father are strikingly different. He communicates simply, quietly, and with such stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand Him. For example, whenever He has introduced His Only Begotten Son to mortals upon the earth, He has done so with remarkably few words. On the Mount of Transfiguration to Peter, James, and John, God said, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.”
When we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance. In the Bible, the word "hearken" is an old-fashioned form of the word "hark" and means "to listen" or "to give due attention". It can also mean "to listen with the intent to obey" or "to hear Him" and heed His counsel. Prophets and saints often tell people to hearken to their words. For example, in Deuteronomy 30:10-20, "if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law". In Isaiah 51:4-16, "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law". To hearken means to “hear Him”—to hear what the Savior says and then to heed His counsel. In those two words—“Hear Him”—God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us! As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.
When asked which commandment was the most important, Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37–39).
Micah 6:8 lists three principles of what God asks of His people: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Him.
Do Justice - Our actions reflect our beliefs. God wants His people to reflect His character; He is a just God and so His people are to bring about justice in their communities. We are to seek out and support the broken, liberate the oppressed, and deliver the downtrodden.
Love Kindness - Kindness is something we are to love and cling to. Kindness demands that we live charitably, speak peaceably, and serve others passionately. kindness requires us to be in relationship and fellowship with others.
Walk humbly with our God - Micah reminds us that God is in heaven, and we are on Earth. We do not live and exist solely for our own glory or aggrandizement, but rather we live to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We need to humbly understand that we are not the center of the universe, but we have the tremendous opportunity to share about the One who is that center.
During His ministry here on earth, as the Savior taught the people, He counseled them: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39.) Christ calls his listeners (then and now) to read the scriptures as pointing to himself. All that God is doing, all that the promise of salvation contains—these are all bound up in the life of Jesus Christ. He isn’t trying to take authority away from the Scriptures. He’s actually giving the Scriptures even more authority by claiming that they are pointing to the very source of life and salvation. Himself.
Jesus said, “I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:27). As true followers of Jesus, we also must serve others.
Service is helping others who need assistance. Christlike service grows out of genuine love for the Savior and of love and concern for those whom He gives us opportunities and direction to help. Love is more than a feeling; when we love others, we want to help them.
John 13:12–14 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
John 15:12–13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.