How to live

[Oatmeal]

How should one live their Christian life?  Definition of "Christian" being, well, I'm not sure, but certainly someone who is trying to find God's will for their life and who seeks God for instructions and seeks to be obedient.  When I see deep into myself I see someone who is rebellious and haughty and that doesn't actually bother me any more, I just wonder who is this nice guy who is seeking God – where did he come from?  Knowing that deep inside I am an absolute rebel should I even try and serve God?  What about addictions in my life, for example eating too much dark chocolate (possibly not really a problem – I am trying to give an example)?  Should I try and stop them, or what should I do?  What about the more serious addictions, fornications and adulteries, what should a Christian do about those?  If small sins are OK (occasionally but not often eating too many chocolates), and if tiny sins are OK, then who can argue against the bigger sins?  Where is the diving line?  I have a friend who may be, I'm not sure, be committing adultery.  She knows a lot about the Scriptures.  I am not talking about the surface stuff, but deeper things.  However she seems to be of the opinion that because God has not given her the power to stop, therefore it is OK that she continue.  What can I say to her?  I asked her if she had asked God for the strength, but she accused me of using God like a Santa Claus – I wasn't to ask God for things that I wanted.  And it's the dividing line again – if I have faults myself then who am I to say anything about anything?  This is a serious thing and, if you wish to, please pray before you answer. 

[Dave in Tenn]

When I've figured out exactly how one is supposed to live, I'll let you know.  

We're all as babes and youths.  "Study to shew thyself approved, a workman that need not be ashamed" isn't an admonition for us to get smart enough to debate religious topics.  "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works..." adds to a knowledge of the Ten Commandments that went into the Ark.  That adds with the first chapters of Romans and Paul's assumption concerning believers in Romans 7:14--"For we know that the law is spiritural..."  That adds to much medititation on just what "spiritual" means. 

And all that adds to Psa 139:17-18 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Line upon line, precept upon precept.  Here a little, there a little.  Faith upon faith.  That's the way God works.

This doesn't happen quickly or easily.  Religion might, but not worship.  It also doesn't seem to me to be a straight line always upward and onward.  If we don't find ourselves doing "wrong" in the course of trying to do right, then we really don't need salvation at all.

God is Sovereign God.  He is responsible (and has taken responsibility) for all our actions.  That sovereignty and responsibility doesn't end when we first come to believe that it's true.  He made us, and is making us.  Consequently, He knows us better than we know ourselves--He even knows how we turn out.  

We do the things we do, and make the choices we make not so much to 'please God' with our righteousness but to reveal what's in our hearts.  I don't know about you, but there's not much in mine that's going to survive the 'burning'.

Dark Chocolate?  Do what you want to do.  If tomorrow you learn something new, then change what you want to do.

Don't worry about your friend.  We're in the same boat as Paul.  I think of it this way:  I can do whatever I want...except:

Rom 7:19  I don't do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don't want to do.
Rom 7:24,25  What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body?  I thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ rescues me!

[Dave in Tenn]

Some other hopefully helpful resources from the FAQ section of the forum.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,11572.0.html

[Deborah-Leigh]

If we don't find ourselves doing "wrong" in the course of trying to do right, then we really don't need salvation at all.
We do the things we do, and make the choices we make not so much to 'please God' with our righteousness but to reveal what's in our hearts.

Oatmeal

You have some sound council through Dave and for me the above really is as witness of the Truth.

I have been given for my edification the Message translation of the Bible in Psalm 107 where it is written three times ~ THEN, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.

What proceeds that desperate condition is staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion, turning your back on the High God's counsel with a hard sentence,  hearts so heavy,  not a soul in sight to help, out at sea in an ocean storm, towering waves, shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out, hearts stuck in your throat....THEN...God causes the THEN and the WHEN you call out to Him and that's the Truth. There's nothing you can do to push, speed up or go past the How, God is working to cause our desperate conditions. If you were not feeling the desperation, then you could be justifiabley concerned that God may have decided to cause you to fall from Grace and the Chastising Work He does on the children He loves.  

I agree with Dave. Conformation to the Image of God's Son Jesus Christ, is not a quick fix. ..or, how to do it, solution anyone can apply. God gives the desire to please Him and God gives the accomplishment of that desire too. It all has to come from God.   The following Scripture really is so good for my own edification and appreciation of how our God works in us all. So why should anyone be different?


Php 2:13 For it is God Who Works in you, both to WILL and to DO of His Good Pleasure

Blessings
Arc

[grapehound]

Wise counsel indeed through Dave and Arc.
What caught my eye in your post Oatmeal, was your friend accusing you of treating God like Santa.
I remember Ray teacing on the "foolishness of preaching" and prayer. i.e. if God has already seen the outcome, why pray?

Ray explained that God often has decided that something should be, only after our utterance, and that we are provoked into praying to fulfill His plan for our lives.  The problem is with 'sin' is that we find it enjoyable because it's comfortable. We've gotten used to it. We're 'sinning machines'. 
God provokes us to prayer when we feel uncomfortable, and He will author our discomfort to cause a 'crying out'. That being the case, why 'tarry'? Unless of course you enjoy being mentally torn in two!

I think the point your friend is missing is she doesn't know the plans God has for her AND the object of her lust, and so is using the fact of that ignorance as a licence. So she might be using "greasy grace" as Ray calls it, as her own Santa. 

I find it interesting that the only folks that will dissuade you from prayer are those that need it most. Those that find delight in God are the ones that will do all the encouraging for this 'foolishness' that God has commanded we do.

hope this helps

Grape

[GaryK]

When I've figured out exactly how one is supposed to live, I'll let you know.  

Line upon line, precept upon precept.  Here a little, there a little.  Faith upon faith.  That's the way God works.

This doesn't happen quickly or easily.  Religion might, but not worship.  It also doesn't seem to me to be a straight line always upward and onward.  If we don't find ourselves doing "wrong" in the course of trying to do right, then we really don't need salvation at all.

God is Sovereign God.  He is responsible (and has taken responsibility) for all our actions.  That sovereignty and responsibility doesn't end when we first come to believe that it's true.  He made us, and is making us.  Consequently, He knows us better than we know ourselves--He even knows how we turn out. 

We do the things we do, and make the choices we make not so much to 'please God' with our righteousness but to reveal what's in our hearts.  I don't know about you, but there's not much in mine that's going to survive the 'burning'.

Rom 7:19  I don't do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don't want to do.

Rom 7:24,25  What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body?  I thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ rescues me!

You're a realist Dave, and an inspiration.  I like it.  Wisdom abound in your words.   Very practical and applicable for those (us) who feel God's leading from a life (style) of worldly centering.   Thank you.

gk

[jingle52]

All is from God.  As Jesus said, "There is none good but God."  Therefore all goodness comes from God.  The truth is all of us will sin and have our big and little sins and imperfections, and heartaches, and shortcomings until God decides to heal us and make us perfect.  Until then, we will wallow in sin like a pig wallows in mud.  We love it.  As Ray said, "We are sinning machines."  We do what the Potter designed us to do.

Remember how Paul was on his way to Damascus with murder and hatred in his heart.  In a few seconds, Jesus knocked him on his rear end and healed his heart and turned him toward the way of God.  Such is the way with all our sins.  Jesus will make us right when the Father so wills.

Thanks John,
I really needed to remind myself of your response as this is relevant in my life right now. I find myself giving angry responses or am a bit irritated to one of my family members and I find that this happens just when I think that I am getting things right.... and getting better as a person...  But God is still working in me and helphing me see where I should improve..

[ez2u]

Give us this day our daily bread.  don't worry about tomorrow  there is enough trouble for today.  What is the Lord putting into your life today to do?  Wake up eat breakfast  pray  be kind to those around you?  did someone come up to you today and ask for a cup of water?  Why make trouble?  can the clay fashion himself?  Are you thankful for all that the Lord has blessed you with   family, job,the world around us  Him?   going through the day with thanksgiving and praise.  this is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it.God has a job with these people not you  if they come to you for counseling or help  try to help them or led them into the direction  that the Holy Spirit directs you.  problems come soon enough  peggy

[grapehound]

Amen Sister Peggy.

Wisdom abounding in simplicity.

Thank you for your thoughtful post.

Grape

[Deborah-Leigh]

Beautiful Peggy ~ both what you wrote and the abundance of your heart ~ speaking pearls of wisdom and love.

Blessings dear sister

Arc