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Post by taylor510ce on Oct 4, 2010 16:53:53 GMT -5
One more question.
We discussed on Sunday the requirement of each believer to take up their cross.
Since the call to follow Jesus is to come and die, how can we pursue any other happy pursuit that is not "coming to die?" Should we deny everything in life we want to do?
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Post by Mike Miller on Oct 5, 2010 10:08:06 GMT -5
No. When we come to Christ, we have a new nature and new desires. God has created all things for His glory and our enjoyment. Of course, we misappropriate created things regularly and distort them by abusing them for sinful desires, but God still delights in the delight of His people. It's just that with a new nature, we want to do different things than before--or at least we want to do them differently. God did not call us to asceticism, but He did call us to follow Him wherever--even to death. If I am enjoying life to God's glory--and if my pursuits now are dominated with a desire for His glory--then I have died to my former selfish and sinful life.
Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." If the Lord is my delight, then all the things I desire will be the things that honor God. And He will give them to me. For the Christian, the pursuit of the things of God will always be a happy pursuit.
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Post by taylor510ce on Oct 8, 2010 15:56:20 GMT -5
Thanks for the response. What I've really been wrestling lately is the fact that the Gospel doesn't simply mean behavior modification. It's the mystery and truth that God is transforming me by the renewal of my mind--molding my character and actions to line up with living life in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Something I can't do because I don't wield the power to change my soul. It's a beautiful journey as the Lord changes my heart. Thanks Mike!
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