The good, the bad, and the ugly Christian life: What makes the difference?
Is it God and His power to predetermine or predestinate human lives? Or
is
it human will?
Does our Lord, somewhere in eternity past, choose to really love and bless
one Christian's life while treating another believer as a stepchild, or as
no child of God at all? Or does the difference spring from the heart and
will of Christian believers?
Has God already given all people what we need to find the answers to the
big
questions in life? Or must we wait until we die to know why some
Christians
never seem to be able to "fly with eagles' wings" while others live a life
of great accomplishment?
One thing is certain: The Bible clearly teaches that God is Sovereign over
all things, including human lives. It also teaches us that we must make
good choices in life. In fact Scripture is filled with warnings and
promises, examples and lessons, urgings and pleadings, coaxing,
illustrations, and even satire - all aimed at provoking the believer to
make
wise choices.
According to the Bible, the true Christian walks by faith. But should we
literally follow Bible teaching? Our society opposes Bible-based thinking
and practices, and works hard to convince us (and everyone else) that we
should not take im****tant life principles from Scripture. Movies,
sitcoms,
novels, magazine articles, do***entaries, and even popular music mocks
Bible-based faith and living, attempting to draw Christians (and anyone
considering a Christian lifestyle) back into the mainstream of unbelief.
I believe that Christians are allowing themselves to be carried along with
the down-hill flow of secular society. We are paying more attention to
the
empty claims of undisciplined thinkers and leaders, and less time seeking
out the will and wisdom of Almighty God. I believe the results are being
seen in our daily lives. God, who is truly sovereign in all things, is
allowing modern Christian believers to live with some of the fruit of
their
choices - just as the Bible says He will.
American society is fickle in its devotions. Today it is in love with
science, though not as much as in the first half of the last century, when
science dominated as the "chief source of all truth and wisdom." Still,
most people think that science offers the best course to truth about the
basics of life.
Granted, science shares its exalted place with superstitions and quite a
few
pagan ideas. I saw this trend emerging in the 1960's. In those days a
growing number of "mainstream" people were beginning to explore some of
"the
old ways" a little more. Not with any great seriousness, of course, but
through the lens of fiction in both literature and film.
People have always held onto their love for fantasy, and many also try to
mix superstitions with any accepted truth of the day. Even Christians do
this. You will remember that the 1960's and 70's were a season of
dropping
out and experimenting with all kinds of drugs. The art and thought that
grew out of such experiences reflected the loss of order and discipline in
American thinking.
The fact the people began taking a second look at life and its meaning was
not in itself bad. A great many people from all walks of life discovered
God and the Bible and the Lord Jesus Christ in their searches. But the
loss
of a disciplined mind brings undesirable consequences in the long run, I
think.
Today, the youth of the 1960's and 70's are grandparents and in leader****p
roles throughout our society. Fiction is king among the young and among
many older adults as well. Movies and games, with their special effects,
rule over the minds of developing children. When an entire generation of
adults gives little serious or disciplined thought to anything, the
children
will also learn how to simply experience life without much concern about
truth or reality.
You can see where we are as a result. We do whatever feels good with
little regard to the consequences. And even when we care a lot about the
outcome, Christians still tend ignore the clear teachings of God in favor
of
doing what feels good at the moment. This leads us into divorce, drug
addiction, bankruptcy, strange teachings and a host of other unproductive
results. Then we blame God because His blessing seems to be missing from
our lives.
Christians are also behaving in this way more than we should. We give our
attention to what we want, and tend to avoid the truth that God gives us -
truth that can keep us from much of the pain and unhappiness that always
results from undisciplined thinking and living.
If we know Jesus Christ, we need to follow Him and His teaching, knowing
by
faith that we will have a better end when we trust the Lord. Our feelings
and wants are not good guides to take us through the darkness and
confusion
of this world. We need the steady hand of God, and the direction of His
Holy Spirit. We will do well to pay close attention to the messages,
lessons and teachings of God recorded for us in Holy Scripture. God does
not mislead His own, and His own, Jesus says, will follow Him.
Jim
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