Christian Life Principles

In order to live a life that is pleasing to God, there are certain things we need to become part of our DNA. These are what I call, Christian Life Principles. Webster’s Dictionary defines a principle as: a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption; a rule or code of conduct.

So for the next few weeks we’re going to look at a few of these principles that really separate us as Christians. So here’s the first one we’re going to look at today, The Christian Principle of Laying Down Our Lives for Others!

John 3:16–17 (AMP)

16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

17For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.

God Gave Jesus For Us!

We need to realize that this is the Gospel. Jesus, God’s only Son, came in the form of a man, to pay for our sins with His own life! He came from His throne in heaven as the second Person of the God-head and laid down His position to come to earth. That is definitely laying down His life for others.

John 10:11–18 (The Message)

11“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.

12A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf.

13He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him.

14“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me.

15In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary.

16You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.

17This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again.

18No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father.”

Jesus Came to Lay Down His Life for Us!

We are the sheep that Jesus is talking about. The Shepherd always puts the sheep first. It’s not about his comfort. Did you notice that shepherds take care of the sheep in the fields. They don’t take care of sheep in the comfort of a huge mansion. They don’t put the sheep in a pen at home and then go into the comfortable house and watch Netflix. No they lay down their lives for the flock. They sleep in the fields is where there actually is no comfortable place. Jesus is the Good Shepherd! He gives His life for us. Now if Jesus is our example, shouldn’t we do the same? Even the disciples gave up their careers, fishing, tax collecting, and whatever else they did, basically their lives for others. Come and follow Me is not a suggestion.

John 12:24–26 The Message

24 “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. 25 In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal. 26 “If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.

We Only Produce When We Lay Down Our Lives!

Amazing things happen when we follow the example Jesus gave us and lay down our lives for others. It’s like planting a seed in gardening. When we “bury” the seed it produces a harvest. As long as the seed is in the package in the seed store, nothing happens. When we are only concerned with ourselves, our comfort, our “personal” time, nothing happens. But when we lay down our lives, which by the way is not comfortable, and die to our ego, much fruit, in the form of others, is produced.

John 15:9–13 TPT

9 “I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts. 10 If you keep my commands, you will live in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands, for I continually live nourished and empowered by his love. 11 My purpose for telling you these things is so that the joy that I experience will fill your hearts with overflowing gladness! 12 “So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you. 13 For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all. And this great love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends.

There is No Greater Love Than Laying Down Our Lives For Others!

So the Principle we are learning here is that it’s all about others. It’s about putting them first and giving up our lives for others. It’s not about looking good, feeding our ego, taking credit for what we do, no it’s all about putting others first even if they get all the credit. We should be excited when no one knows we are even involved because our lives have been laid down for someone else.