The Good Christian Life

[mark s]

How do we live the Good Christian Life?

The just by faith they live.

Faith in what? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to Him for righteousness. What did God tell me that I believed?

It is Finished. He is risen. In Him I rise.

I believe. It is finished in Jesus, and I am accepted in the Beloved, that is, Jesus.

In this moment, I know that God is here with me. In fact He created - me - for the purpose that I may receive His love, and in receiving His love, display His glory, and reflect His nature amidst a glorious and beautiful family.

There is nothing that can separate me from Him, ever. Nothing. I know this, because it has nothing to do with anything other than me believing Him. Nothing I do or don't do, can do, will do, nothing can ever increase or decrease my acceptance by God, because it is based entirely and solely on Jesus being accepted by God, and I am in Him, accepted in Him.

In this knowledge, I am sharing this moment with my Creator, Who has given me a new life to live, and that is the life I live. And in this is no sin.

Even if I do sin, and who is there that does not sin? Even if I do sin, Jesus is enough, and is cleansing me from all sin. But that is so rarely an issue if we walk like this. It's simply not in focus. As I maintain my focus on my Creator, my life simply IS what He wants it to be. His Spirit in me makes it so without any real effort on my part.

The effort comes in when the world or the flesh try to allure me with lies, or torment me with lies, and I have to endure without letting it weaken my trust in God, and the finished work of Christ.

What if I believe otherwise? What if I believe as so many teach, that God REQUIRES our obedience if we are to be saved?

Suddenly everything is different.

Suddenly the focus is not on God, enjoying Him, worshiping Him, simply filling my mind with the knowledge of His presence, that can only come once I've satisfied the requirement of "Works", and IF I'm not confident in the quantity or quality of my works, then I'm not confident in my relationship with Him. And I shut the door on His power because I think I'm not qualified to receive it.

The problem with believing our relationship with God is dependant on our being able to meet a standard of obedience to a list of behaviors and works is that Law incites sin.

Romans 7:5 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."

The flesh is hostile to God, and Law gives it a target for it's rebellion.

Not that only, but the Law does not in fact justify, it only condemns. And any and every violation brings with it fresh condemnation, further separation, it can be no other way. That's Law.

If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

The answer is not to try to improve our behavior, or even give it too much thought, that more takes our focus off of God, onto ourselves.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth, they grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!

Grace to help in time of need. In Him there is no sin. And it is God, and not we ourselves, that makes this so.

Much love!

[Sonbeam]

Mark S,

I agree with most everything you said in your post, and I will add some comments on where I see a difference
between what you wrote and what I believe/see in the scriptures.

I have a question for you first. Do you adhere to the reformed position on salvation? I don't.



sonbeam

[mark s]

Mark S,

I agree with most everything you said in your post, and I will add some comments on where I see a difference
between what you wrote and what I believe/see in the scriptures.

I have a question for you first. Do you adhere to the reformed position on salvation? I don't.



sonbeam

No, my theology is not the Reformed view.

Much love!

[Abiding in His Word]

If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

The answer is not to try to improve our behavior, or even give it too much thought, that more takes our focus off of God, onto ourselves.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth, they grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!

Beautiful comment, Mark! I have just one reservation about the part I've separated.

"The answer is not to try to improve our behavior, or even give it too much thought...."

There are many believers who struggle with sins that should definitely been given much thought. They struggle with sins such as porn, gluttony, sexual attraction to children, alcohol, drugs, etc. that must be given attention in the form of support groups, therapy, avoidance or restriction methods, etc. These precautions must be taken in order for the safety of others and for themselves.

To admit the strong addiction to the things of the flesh need not lead to taking the eyes off Jesus, but neither should they be minimized in the necessity of employing earthly help on a continual, regular basis.

You are correct in emphasizing that such addictive/fleshly sins of believers do not affect our salvation nor God's love and forgiveness, but they do/may affect those they come in contact with during their lifetime. Paul makes that clear in Col. 1:10-14 where he begins with "that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects..." and ends with the assurance that " in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Paul also lists the deeds of the flesh as opposed to the fruit of the Spirit and self control is one that is needed in those deeds such as immorality, impurity, sensuality. They need special attention and very well may be a forever temptation of the flesh.

Again, believers are not like those who have no hope, and keeping our eyes on Jesus goes IMO hand-in-hand with specialized help in the area of fleshly weakness and temptation.

Thank God for His mercy and for the sacrifice of Jesus that rescued us from the kingdom of darkness.

[mark s]

If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

The answer is not to try to improve our behavior, or even give it too much thought, that more takes our focus off of God, onto ourselves.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth, they grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!

Beautiful comment, Mark! I have just one reservation about the part I've separated.

"The answer is not to try to improve our behavior, or even give it too much thought...."

There are many believers who struggle with sins that should definitely been given much thought. They struggle with sins such as porn, gluttony, sexual attraction to children, alcohol, drugs, etc. that must be given attention in the form of support groups, therapy, avoidance or restriction methods, etc. These precautions must be taken in order for the safety of others and for themselves.

To admit the strong addiction to the things of the flesh need not lead to taking the eyes off Jesus, but neither should they be minimized in the necessity of employing earthly help on a continual, regular basis.

You are correct in emphasizing that such addictive/fleshly sins of believers do not affect our salvation nor God's love and forgiveness, but they do/may affect those they come in contact with during their lifetime. Paul makes that clear in Col. 1:10-14 where he begins with "that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects..." and ends with the assurance that " in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Paul also lists the deeds of the flesh as opposed to the fruit of the Spirit and self control is one that is needed in those deeds such as immorality, impurity, sensuality. They need special attention and very well may be a forever temptation of the flesh.

Again, believers are not like those who have no hope, and keeping our eyes on Jesus goes IMO hand-in-hand with specialized help in the area of fleshly weakness and temptation.

Thank God for His mercy and for the sacrifice of Jesus that rescued us from the kingdom of darkness.

Thank you Abiding!!

This brings in what I think I had in mind in "too much", as to say, "not too much more than like what you wrote above".

I've experienced the benefits that have come through understanding in my deepest weaknesses. Deliverance is always through trusting Jesus for it, but so many times the key that seemed to open that lock was some new insight into myself, and into both the mental/emotional and spiritual mechanisms working inside me.

Those insights have come so clearly from God, it remains all His work. But in coming to understand we are better equipped to take each thought captive, and that's where the battles are either won or lost.

Mentioning addiction, I've learned that this is itself a state of the flesh, and can be transcended in the Spirit. There is no chain so strong God cannot give us freedom.

It will come in His time and in His way, but we must never doubt that it will come. And we can experience that freedom at every time we completely surrender ourselves into our trust in Jesus. Trusting Jesus is the only work we need to set ourselves to, so long as we trust in Him, His Spirit in us will cause our lives to be both holy and righteous.

Much love!