Everything the very best of all the rest of us can do is share that simple truth: You must listen to Christ! (Mat 17:5) If you have placed your faith in some sect of men, you are surely lost! How, though, do we avoid being misled, (Mat 7:15) and then, actually get help from the person of Jesus Christ himself? Please carefully consider and understand what I am saying is not an allegory or parable; I voice the very literal instructions Jesus gave on how to gain eternal life. To help yourself, you must simply listen to and build faith in the words God sent Jesus Christ to bring; (John 8:28; John 5:24; John 3:16) because your faith in those words, offered up in prayer to our Creator, form a conduit for you to receive God's Holy Spirit. That is to say; God's Spirit is "in" the words of Jesus Christ! (John 6:63; John 16:23; Mark 9:7) Now I'm not talking about reading the words of Christ once and thinking you know him. I'm talking about knowing him by spending time in his presence, that by reading those four short Bible Books that recount his life (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) over and over many times to familiarity, to an intimacy with his Jesus's life and teachings. You must become his friend. (John 15:14-15 of 11-15) That's the only way you "know" Christ! Another way the Bible words it is in saying we have to put on the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:16; Rom 15:5; Php 2:5; Gal 3:26-27; Rom 13:11-14; Eph 4:20-24; Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 15:53-57; Col 3:12) Ok, you say, I get it: Putting on the mind of Christ means we need to think like him. Well, yes! Or, as my tiny granddaughter once said to me after I stated something obvious, "well, duh!" What, though, does it really mean to think like Christ. One thing is Christ has absolute faith. In the account where his disciples had gone out ahead of him in a boat, Jesus had faith to just start walking to them on the sea. On seeing him Peter said Lord let me walk on the water. Jesus said come and Peter walked on the water. (Mat 14:23-33) Peter was thinking like Christ: He had faith. Then, Peter returned to thinking like this world, who have no faith. (2 Thes 3:1-2; Acts 28:23-24; Rom 10:16 of 11-16) Peter gave way to doubt and sank. Another time Jesus cursed an unproductive fruit tree and it withered immediately. His disciples were shocked but he told them if they had just a "little bit" of faith, they could do that and more. Thinking like Christ, then, includes being a person of faith. Take this to heart: "Faith" is God's provision for life to each one of us. (Mat 21:22 of 18-22) It doesn't matter what you pretend or assert yourself to be; or even imagine you are. It doesn't matter what other humans think of you or if they approve you. All that matters is your real and true faith in the words of Jesus Christ! If being able to help yourself using your faith seems a new idea, it really isn't! (Mat 9:20-22) Please consider some additional scriptures in a more detailed explanation:
In the tribulation our world has become, dangers abound. Some are hidden dangers! You can avoid one danger by simply realizing the clear and distinct difference between true Christians and Religionists! But, that difference presents a vulnerability for all: Jesus Christ warned every single professing Christian must be a suspect of deception; especially leaders having grandiose titles. (Mat 7:15; Mat 23:8-12 of 1-15) Some are pretend Christians and deliberate deceivers; (2 Cor 11:13-15) while others don't even realize they are missing the point... (Luke 13:26-27 of 24-27) The difference between real Christians and false prophets can be hard to identify; if you don't have help... Thankfully, Jesus went on to provide that help in saying you can identify "false prophets" by "their works," or, by "their fruits." (Mat 7:16) What "works," though, was Jesus talking about?
We should each one start with understanding just what working the works of God means. (John 6:28-29 of 26-29) We should then thank יהוה
for sending his Son to teach us what we need to know to live forever. (Mark 9:7; John 17:3; John 12:47-50; John 5:24) Possessing that simple truth: An awareness of our need to listen to Jesus, is a wondrous gift which demonstrates our Father's personal interest: (2 Chron 16:9) Really and truly realizing our need to listen to Christ is evidence יהוה is applying his Spirit to draw us to life [that He is drawing us to the words of his son]. (John 6:43-47) [You should recognize and know יהוה to be God's Hebrew Name (Pro 30:4) as written by God's finger on stone tablets He gave to Moses, (Exo 31:18)] that Name recorded over 6000 times in the Old Testament. What, then, is that bad fruitage Jesus taught us to watch for, and, how does understanding God's command to listen to his son help recognize what is bad? (Mat 7:15) That is to ask, what is one clear and easily identifiable difference between true Christians and wicked or misguided false prophets [spiritual wolves clad in sheep's skins]? (Mat 7:15; Mat 24:11 of 11-14) Simple really: Doing God's will identifies who is righteous! Jesus clearly explained what it means to be "doing the will of God"? (John 6:28-29; Mark 9:7; Mark 3:31-35; John 8:31-32) We must exercise faith and be telling people about Jesus and his Father [not be directing them to some church]. (Rom 10:9-10 of 8-11; Mal 3:16-4:3)
One obvious difference is love for other people, of course. (John 13:34-35; Jam 2:8; 1 John 3:14) Problem, though: Since "all" religious people assert they have love, even while choosing to harm or kill those they judge bad in some way, true love can be hard to spot. One thing all Christians share, and that can never be feigned, is this: "All" real Christians direct you to follow God's command (Mark 9:7) to listen to Jesus... Please just think about that and about just how simple that is! All that really means is true Christians encourage you to read and express faith in the words of God's Son; for your‑own‑self. (Read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.) True Christians always recommend you sit at the feet of Jesus by reading the Gospels (Mark 3:31-35) because that is what they are "each one" trying to do for themselves! (Rom 12:1-2) Contrariwise, "all" Religionists direct you to join