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What do you do different now?

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Felix:
I don't have to worry about a tithe. I never knew exactly how much this was anyway.
I don't have to sing the same old songs.
I don't have to sit through boring mundane sermons.
I lost one of my very best friends.
I don't believe my country needs to go around the world killing people anymore.
I understand God more as spirit and not as a figure.

lderr:
Thank you, rose, that's a good point: If this knowledge is only information and doesn't produce a change, then it didn't do much good.

Dave in Tenn:
I simply AM different.  I 'do' everything differently because of that, though it is not perhaps blatantly obvious to folks outside 'me'.

I love more, hate less, am more 'optimistic', and less fearful.  I 'sin' less and enjoy it less when I do.  I test the gospel and find it more and more true.

I still lack the 'religious' bone and try not to take sides in other people's arguments.  I've got plenty to concern myself with without that.

I know for a fact that whatever I do or don't do, there are at least a few christians and possibly entire denominations who won't like it.  That's fine with me.   

Farlsborough:
Where to start!
I trust God properly. Before, despite knowing with certainty that He existed, I had to get my head around the fact that He either took pleasure in the death of the wicked (unbiblical) or was helpless against the onslaught of "spiritual warfare" and had hands tied by satan, man's free will and so on. Now I know all things will be redeemed, judged with mercy and justice and perfect restitution made.

Speaking of satan, not that I particularly suffered with fear of the supernatural/demonic but I now see satan for who he is: formidable, yes, and not to be "messed with", but a necessary part of creation doing a necessary job, and in no way a competitor for God's omnipotence. So I am even further away from worrying that satan is going to "get me", and God is powerless to stop him.

I feel far less intimidated by theologians, having previously regarded them as amazing, clever people who reveal truths to God's people. I now see them as an extremely mixed back, with some undertaking useful study but many obscuring and complicating scripture whilst remaining spiritually blind themselves.

I feel far less enamoured with doctrines. As I recently heard someone say, "where there's a doctrine, there's an idol" and as Ray teaches, there are almost no problem-free doctrines within the church. I study to learn truth; all truth is God's truth and again, as Ray says, if something is true, the more you look into it the more it will show itself to be true (and vice versa). I'm therefore happy enough to be branded a heretic or whatever by those who love to bolt down immovable doctrines.

Finally, I have become a lot more forgiving and loving as I have realised that it really is only by God's grace that I have ended up seeking and following Jesus, and that the genetics and experiences and so on of others mean that, whilst they will be brought to account for their actions, they are ignoble vessels and I am fundamentally no better than them. When you accept that without grace you would/could be an axe murderer, drug dealer, predatory paedophile and so on, you can't really go round slamming people for where their "free will" has taken them.

Extol:
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:29-30

The biggest change for me has been the burden of eternal torment being lifted. The burden of guilt I would feel when thinking What if an unbelieving friend or co-worker dies tonight? I could have "witnessed" to him... Not to mention the thousands of unbelievers who die every day who were out of my "reach". And even though I was a "Christian," there was still the little voice in the back of my mind: What if I'm not good enough? Terrifying!

As far as what I "do" differently, I do less, not more. That is, I don't have set times to read the Bible, I don't go to church, I don't sing nearly as much (though my heart sings with much gladness), I don't "raise my hands", take "Communion", etc. Praying is way more fun now, because before, a great deal of my prayers were for dying people to cry out the name of the Lord with their dying breaths so they could be saved. Now, my prayers are filled with thanksgiving and confidence. It truly is a great comfort to know that God knows what He is doing.

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