Christ & the Bible - Do They Teach the Law of Success?

Christ & the Bible - Do They Teach the Law of Success?

By Matthew Toone
To be clear from the outset - I completely understand and respect the fact that many readers of this article may not be Christians or believe in the Bible and even Christ Himself. The intention of this article is in no way to discuss and debate the doctrines and tentacles of Christianity in any way, or to disparage the beliefs or religious affiliation of any reader. The only intent is to prove that Christ and the Bible, regardless of whether you believe in them or not, actually teach the very fundamental elements of success. Contained in their teachings, we learn about the foundational attributes, mentality, and actions necessary to be successful in anything in life - be it physical, intellectual, mental, financial, or spiritual pursuits and goals.
However, having said that, I also do not apologize in any way of the belief that I personally have of the reality and divinity of Christ, that the Bible does contain truth, and of the witness I have obtained that His gospel is 'the way, the truth,' * and the path that leads us all back to our loving God and Father. Because of this fact, I have written this article from my perspective and belief, and again, acknowledge and respect the fact that not everyone will share this same outlook and belief. And yet, the principles taught by Christ and the Prophets and Apostles, are nonetheless still applicable to anyone, in any situation. Thus, regardless of your dream or goal - applying these principles will inevitably result in your success in anything in life!
More than a religious leader, historical figure, revered Jew, or inspiring philosopher, Christ was and is literally the Son of God. The truth, doctrine, and gospel that He established is in reality the very plan of the Father - a plan that outlines what we need to know, do, and become in order to return to His presence. To simplify and summarize the entirety of this gospel and plan that Christ taught - we need to know and do certain things and become a certain type of person in order to obtain the 'reward' - eternal life with God. In essence, those 'certain things' can be boiled down to three simple categories: the mental, physical, and spiritual - or perhaps as the Bible phrases it: faith, works, and character.
Christ taught us to have faith in Him and His gospel, to put forth the necessary actions He required, and to 'become' - or in other words, to develop a Christ-like character. For example, do not God and the Bible tell us that if we believe in Christ, we could have 'everlasting life?'* Likewise, they teach us that 'faith without works is dead,"* thus placing greater significance on the commandments to 'love thy neighbor'* and to 'keep my commandments.'* And lastly, the 10 commandments He gave to us through Moses were not recommendations or suggestions, but the very recipe we must follow - not only to become like Him, but to also return to live with Him, God, and our families forever!
Wouldn't you agree that another way of phrasing the very same scriptural and spiritual principles would be: Think Big, Believe More, Act Now! Eternal life requires us to believe or hope in a dream, to have faith in the reality that it is possible (not to mention faith and belief in ourselves), a commitment to follow that path and hope (dream) regardless of what happens, a resolve to repent and get up after sins and failures, a determination to withstand temptation and put forth action daily, and persistence in developing habits of keeping the commandments and never giving up - enduring to the end. Ironically, the very same mentality, actions, and attributes necessary to obtain eternal life are the exact characteristics and elements to be successful in anything.
Below I have listed many of the elements of the law of success - the very mentality, actions, and attributes necessary to be successful in anything in life. I have also included a few of the many scriptural passages that prove not only that Christ and the Bible did actually teach the law of success, but that the law of success is in reality the very Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Desire: Mark 11:24; Prov. 10:24; 1st Cor. 14:1; Psalms 37:4; Prov. 21:25; Deut. 4:29;
Thoughts (Dream Big):Prov. 23:7; Phillip. 4:8; Gen. 24:63; Matt 9:4
Believe: Heb. 11:6; Matt 8:13; Matt 9:28; Matt 21:22; Mark 5:36; John 3:16, 36; John 11:25-27; John 20:27-29
Faith:Matt 9:22, 29; Matt 15:28; 2nd Cor. 5:7; Hebrews Ch. 11; James 2:17-22; Prov. 3:5
Commitment: Psalms 37:5; Prov. 16:3; Psalms 119:10; Joel 2:12; Luke 9:62; Psalms 112:7;
Dedication: Matt 22:37; 2 Tim. 4:7; Prov. 10:4; 2nd Peter 3:14, 17; 1st Cor. 15:58; Heb. 3:14; Phillip. 3:14
Self-Mastery: Prov. 25:28; Matt 16:24; James 4:7, 8; Exodus 20:3-17
Actions: James 2:17-22; James 1:22; Matt 7:24-29; John 14:15; Prov. 24:12
Persistence: John 8:31; Matt 10:22; James 1:12; Job 27:5; Col. 1:23; Heb. 12:1-7
Priorities: Matt 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Matt 10:39; Matt 22:37-40; Joshua 24:15; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:1-4; Gen. 18:19; Exodus 20:12;
Integrity: Job 2:3; Phillip. 4:8; Psalms 24:3-4; 1st Kings 9:4-5; Romans 12:17; 2nd Cor. 4:2; Job 27:5;; Exodus 20:3-17; 2nd Cor. 13:7;
Give & Serve to Receive: Matt 25:35-40; Luke 6:38; Prov. 28:27; Luke 12:48; Prov. 21:26; Deut. 16:17;
Potential: Matt 5:48; Matt 19:26; Mark 9:23; Deut. 18:13; 2nd Cor. 13:11; Mark 14: 26; Gen. 17:1; Gen 6:9
Thus, do Christ and the Bible teach the law of success? The answer to that important question is a resounding YES! The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us the very mentality, actions, and attributes we must possess - which He exemplified and commanded we should ultimately develop. It is actually the Law of the Gospel, or law of success, that we must follow in order to achieve our goals and dreams, obtain wealth or talents, and to develop the necessary spiritual character to obtain the real success and reward in life, which is eternal life with Him who is the Author of this law of success!
* (First scriptural reference: John 14:6; 2nd: John 3:16; 3rd: Matt 22:39; 4th: John 14:15)
Matt is the founder of http://www.awakeyourpotential.com/ - a website focused on inspiring people to achieve their goals and dreams, live up to their full potential, and learn the secrets for success in anything. As a successful entrepreneur, Matt recently accomplished one of his dreams - to write a book! His book is entitled: "Great Games! 175 Games & Activities for Families, Groups, & Children." To view the book and learn more, visit: http://www.greatgamesbook.com/Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Toone Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3558774