Decision-Making as a Christian

Decision-Making as a Christian:

Five Questions

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  –Col 3:17

Some things are clear from God’s Word: thou shalt not steal, kill, or commit adultery, etc..  But some things are not so clearly stated. What about the ordinary lifestyle choices we make every day?  How do we work out how to live daily in a biblical way?

The Christian life is not about following man-made rules.  It is about setting our minds upon the Lord Jesus Christ: all of life flows from our relationship with Him.  Joined to Christ by faith we have died to the law, which could only condemn us, and we are liberated from the principle of sin that used to control us.  Our union with Christ is like a marriage, and just as a marriage produces children, so our union with Christ will produce a lifestyle of godly choices.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.  –Rom 7:4

Unless we are in union with Christ by faith, our best efforts will only amount to good moral choices, but will not be acceptable fruit unto God.

Grace teaches us to abandon self-effort to obtain righteousness that will justify us before God and trust in the righteousness of God found in Jesus Christ alone.  Grace continues to teach us to depend on the Spirit of Christ to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.  If Christ is your life, your life will show it.  You will walk in Him.  He will be the reason you live.

You will not be focused on do’s and don’ts, but upon Him.  You will not be asking how far you can go, how close to the edge you can get.  If Christ is the center of your life, all else orbits around Him.  God’s will does not feel restrictive—it is your delight.

You have one Master, and every decision must be submitted to His Lordship.   For the submissive heart, knowing the will of God is first.  Glad obedience follows, even when it is not what you might have originally desired.

Sometimes questions are asked of me as a pastor: Should I work on Sunday? Should my wife work outside the home? Should I watch a particular movie . . . or any movie?  Should I listen to this band or that group?  Should I read this book?  Should I drink this beverage, smoke this plant, or wear these clothes?

Every word and every deed needs to be laid before the Lord.  When faced with decisions like these, there are five questions that will help toward a godly answer:

Does God have ANYTHING to say about it? Does Scripture in any way address this issue?  You might not know the Word of God well enough to answer. It is helpful to obtain wise counsel from other believers who have a better knowledge of the Word.  Bible study tools, such as the Strong’s concordance, are useful as well.

If not forbidden, is this lawful thing beneficial?  Not everything that is allowed is helpful:  All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient” —   I Cor. 6:12a.  Is it helpful?  Is it necessary?

Does this lawful thing have a hold on me?  Am I controlled by it?  Can I give it up?  All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any –I Cor. 6:12b.

How will this affect fellow believers?  It is good neither to eat flesh, or to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.—

Rom 14:21  Devotion to Christ changes our perspective—it’s not all about me anymore:

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.—Rom 15:1-3

If our choice might affect another believer in a negative way, we should model Christ and deny ourselves.

How will this decision affect my testimony for Christ?  Will doing this affect my ability to be taken seriously as a follower of Christ in my culture? Will this affect my effectiveness in speaking  about the gospel so that others might be saved?

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.—I Cor 10:31-33

If Christ is your life, you will care how you live!

What Would Love Say?

SPEAK TRUTH IN LOVE

I recently read an article in a Christian publication (http://christiannews.net/2012/11/18/franklin-graham-mormonism-will-never-be-labeled-a-cult-again/) dealing with Franklin Graham’s decision to remove a note from their website that named Mormonism as a cult. His decision was not made because he believes their doctrine is sound, but because he didn’t want to shut the door to possibly ministering to a Mormon. In his opinion, to call them names (classifying them as a cult) is not helpful in keeping dialogue open.

In that same article John McArthur spoke:

[Mormonism] is a damning religious system,… It is so far from Christianity that it is more like paganism than Christianity.

Evangelicalism is in a desperate situation, and that is made manifest by its inability to distinguish who is a true Christian. We have abandoned any clear understanding of what it means to really be saved… We have no right to redefine [salvation] in our own terms in order to be be popular or in order to be accepted. True and historic Christianity has never been confused about what it means to be a Christian.

I am of the opinion that in our attempts to keep doors open and practice love, we have in fact shut doors and done anything but demonstrate true Biblical love. To muddy the waters of pure gospel truth with the idea that it is possible to have eternal life apart from the righteousness of God through His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, plus nothing, is to shut the door upon eternal life and to act in a most unloving manner.

How can it be construed as love to hide or confuse the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to keep dialogue open? Dialogue about what? What does such thinking hope to accomplish? Was Jesus unloving when He told the religious, well-meaning, Nicodemus that he must be born again? Would it have been more loving for Him to have encouraged Nicodemus to continue in his religious pursuits, just as he was?

The most loving things we can do for others is to lovingly communicate the truth! Eternity hangs in the balance. For those with whom we have already shared the gospel truth, we should live out that gospel in our relation to them. Do not bend your life to accommodate their wishes. Live your life with purpose to distinguish yourself as a Spirit-filled believer. 

The Spirit of truth blesses truth! Speak it and live it!

Will You Murmur?

NO REASON FOR CHRISTIANS TO MURMUR

There is no greater joy in this life than to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. What joy there ought to be in every person who knows his sins against a holy God who made him are all forgiven because of the sacrifice of His Son upon the cross. Yet, often times Christians murmur and complain as much as anyone else.

Thomas Brooks, a well-known preacher in his day (17^th century ) in England, wrote a book to instruct Christians on how to properly face sufferings and trials of life. The following is an excerpt from that book. Christians reading this will understand what Mr. Brooks is saying and will hopefully be positively impacted. To non-Christians, I offer an apology that we Christians have been all too guilty of murmuring!

And will you murmur?
Is not Christ your treasure?

Is not heaven your inheritance—

and will you murmur?

Have you not much in hand, and more in hope? 

Have you not much in possession, but much more reserved in heaven—

and will you murmur?

Has not God given you. . .

     a changed heart, 

     a renewed nature, and

     a sanctified soul—

and will you murmur?

            Has He not given you. . .

     Himself to satisfy you,

     His Son to save you,

     His Spirit to lead you,

     His grace to adorn you,

     His covenant to assure you,

     His mercy to pardon you,

     His righteousness to clothe you—

and will you murmur?

Has He not made you. . .

     a friend,

     a son,

     a brother,

     a bride,

     an heir—

and will you murmur?

Has not God often turned. . .

     your water into wine,

     your brass into silver, and

     your silver into gold—

and will you murmur?

When you were dead, did not He quicken you?

When you were lost, did not He seek you?

When you were wounded, did not He heal you?

When you were falling, did not He support you?

When you were down, did not He raise you?

When you were staggering, did not He establish you?

When you were erring, did not He correct you?

When you were tempted, did not He support you? and

When you went in dangers, did not He deliver you?—

and will you murmur?

What! You who are so highly advanced and exalted above many thousands in the world? Murmuring suits none so badly as saints.