are we too compassionate? do we allow too many emotions to control logic, or reality? do we take scripture as christians and still change it to our own authority? is it too hard to follow the words of GOD, or is it just that we think we can do it better? do our individual beliefs reflect christ, or christ and society, or just society? are we too afraid of being called the label; bible beater? are we just too lazy to put GOD first?
for the last few months i have been doing something more frequently than i have in years. the last couple of weeks i started asking myself why? i know that it is displeasing to GOD, so why i have been doing it? i have no excuse - none. i was beginning to bury the guilt and ignore GOD regarding this sin. i was beginning to justify it. my husband even pointed it out to me, and i argued with him because i knew he was right. so i decided to stop it, deal with it and repent. i'm not feeling guilty about it anymore and it's be given to GOD. i have been forgiven.
i just read a blog posting that talks about conservative evangelicals. it talked about how some believe in abortion, but not as a means for birth control. it talked about money of course, and what we ignore about it. it talked about social issues and what we believe regarding those that are in place. what's interesting about this is most of their views are half truths of scripture - we believe some of what GOD says and some of what society says. we are living by the interpretation of man's idea of scripture instead of what scripture actually says. that's why it is so important to actually read scripture on your own if you are a christian.
some time ago my husband and i had a discussion about paul. paul is one of my heros. my husband sometimes thinks he was too judgemental of how individuals lived. maybe it's more that he thinks his tone was too harsh. see to me i see paul as this; he was instructed by GOD alone no matter what the tone he may have used. he held those that believed to be accountable to what CHRIST instructed. two of my biggest sins is being quick to anger and being too harsh. i've had to adjust my tone and become slow to anger. i have had to be silent on many occasions.
i believe a lot of things that go against some of what my friends and family believe. i always question why i believe it. i always ask myself if i am living that half truth when it comes to what scripture has instructed me to do. am i too compassionate in situations where the truth needs to be said. i am allowing myself to fear the reaction and placing myself in a position where i will be judged harshly by GOD because i didn't stand up for HIS word?
i believe a child is created at the time of conception - no matter the circumstance. i believe that we are to pay what is owed to "Caesar" (taxes) and what is owed to GOD (so i do believe in tithing whether it is a quarter, or a thousand) luke 20:25. GOD never said that you could stop giving what is owed just because it is no longer 10%. i believe you have to pay your debts. i believe that if GOD asked you to give up your possessions you are to do it. i believe that you have to hold yourself accountable to what GOD's instructions are to live a christ like life. i believe if you don't accept CHRIST you are not going to heaven no matter how good of a person you are. are these society's beliefs, or can i back it up with scripture; yes?
HE's not telling you, you have to be perfect, HE's telling you to be accountable to HIM and that there will be consequence of your actions. i believe in truth no matter how hard it is to hear and live it. i don't like hearing it, but there is a reason why it is being said. the truth of it is, is either you accept HIS rules or you don't. you accept what HE has told you is a sin, try to resist the temptation of it, or you give in to it. this is not about how your family sees you, how your friends see you, your children, or even your spouse - it's how GOD sees you. you are only accountable in the end.
each on of us has our issues that we have to work and keep in check. i believe so strongly in the power and being silent to hear what HE is telling you. this is a process and will happen overtime. if bad things keep happening over and over again maybe it's to listen to HIM and why it keeps happening; we haven't learned our lesson.
i have had all these sins in my heart that i have to keep in check because they are displeasing to HIM; anger, revenge, hatred, envy, greed, anxiety, worry, jealousy, and vanity..i will hold myself accountable to GOD for this.
"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" 1 john 2:3-6
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