This from a conversation with a young Christian here in Belfast. (No, not the guy in the picture!) Nothing particularly Belfast about the question, but that's where the conversation was. My brother shared an opinion that the important thing is to have faith in God, but that it was not all that important to understand the details. If one's soul, one's "I," is understood as the mind, emotion, and will, and we believe without really using our minds to understand what it is we're believing, then what is left but the emotions and the will? How then is "faith" anything but to say, "I will because I feel like it?"We can talk about being redeemed with old sermon illustrations about pawn shops and mortgage loans but the ottom line is that what is redeemed belongs wholly to the redeemer. If God has truly redeemed a life, then that life is thoroughly, wholly, His, and will be lived, by choice, in holy love.
To live in holy love, which is the nature and character of Christ, do we not need to understand what "holiness" really is? (Otherwise, how is "love" anything but "what feels good?") Instead, we are growing stronger through obedience when we "study to prove ourselves, unashamed ."
"Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." [Hebrews 12:14]
Nothing particularly Belfast about the question, but that's where the conversation was. My brother shared an opinion that the important thing is to have faith in God, but that it was not all that important to understand the details.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Ireland trip is going very well for you, I am still here in BC for the time being.
Instead, we are growing stronger through obedience when we "study to prove ourselves, unashamed.
My latest is similar, please check it out...
Nice cartoon...
Thanks, Russ! That looks like the best entry yet on your blog. I'll hibernate my lap so I can read it later (My current arrangements require a trip downtown to connect!).
ReplyDeleteMaybe the extra rest is doing you more good than you thought! Blessings on ya!