There is something that everyone has been talking about that has been bugging me recently. I've even been having some strange dreams about it. Faith based works. Dad preached on it Sunday (more like attempted to but ran out of time... poor guy), and the bible study at high school fellowship was about it. God is trying to tell me something...
Here is the confusion: I struggle with sin constantly as all people do. I make a sort of commitment to not do that anymore, the next day it happens again. Now I do not believe in a works based faith but faith does not come without works. If you have the Holy Spirit in you then you will be compelled to do the right things. That is where I am confused. How are you a christian?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household. Acts 16:31
Belief is critical and trust is critical. BUT! There was the parable of the talents, here is how it goes:
Matthew 25: 14-30
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
This is talking about Jesus' return and what we have done to further His kingdom. Those who did nothing were cast away. Why? If it is belief based faith then why are they cast away? My thoughts: I think that the one who was cast away didn't have the same belief or any belief for he did not feel compelled to do his Master's work. The others who had faith were zealous about God's work and desired to further God's kingdom until His return. If you have faith you will feel the call, "Each according to his ability." Why is it that I am unable to overcome these problems? These sins. Shouldn't I have the killing desire to keep from it? I am not questioning my faith but I am confused... Why is that? By the power of the Holy Spirit you have done? What? Fill in your own blank.
4 comments:
Many will say "Lord, Lord" but God says that he never knew them. There's a big difference between knowing about God and knowing God (You might recognize that from Dads sermon) I think that if you know God you will have a yearning to please him, like the two servants did. If you know about God, that's nothing. Even the demons believe that.
Remember what Marc said? How satan can use guilt to Tare you down? Though the Holy Spirit is with you, your still flesh and bones like Adam. You wont be perfect but Jesus came to save us so that we can be forgiven for our crimes, not so that we won't sin anymore. What Satan doesn't want you to realize is how powerful you are. You are a child of God! You've got power to battle, your weapon being Gods word. So spend a lot of time in it.
Did that help you at all?
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36
Excellent question, Christian. It is an excellent question, because you're taking your relationship with God seriously.
Those who don't know God are "slaves to sin." Why? The Bible also tells us that Christians are set free from sin. Not only the penalty of sin, but the need to sin. This doesn't mean that Christians won't choose to sin (we will), but that we don't any longer have to choose that.
So what is the difference between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to sinning? Do Christians just want to not sin more, and therefore are not slaves to sin?
Thoughts?
I'll post more later.
Keep working on this, and keep asking those questions that might feel unsafe to ask.
Les
Christian,
I don't know if you will get back to this reply, so long after you posted, but I wanted to give just a few more thoughts.
You mentioned the Spirit a couple of times in your post. That's the key. A non-Christian can try all they want, but flesh cannot produce true godly holiness. In the same way, a Christian who tries to do godly things in their flesh will fail just the same. It is not about trying harder. It's about real change and true spirituality.
Galatians 5:16 (and following) tells us that if we "walk in the Spirit," that we won't carry out the desires of the flesh, but that we will see the fruits of the Spirit produced.
Too often, we Christians feel like we just are not trying hard enough. What we really are not doing, is submitting ourselves to His Spirit enough. Walking in Him is walking in His power. in that place, we will overcome sin.
There's more here, but this is where the Bible points us to overcome sin.
Choosing to serve God, in light of His return (parable of the talents) is similar. It is through the Spirit that we serve Him, and see Him use us. However, we have to feel like Being in His presence, available to Him is better than whatever we might be distracted with at the time.
In His presence, by His power, through Him. He didn't save us because he needed workers, and we were His best option. He saved us so that we could walk with Him, be with Him, and be used by Him.
Les
Post a Comment