I think I have come upon somewhat of a revelation today. Well, perhaps "come upon" isn't the correct phrase, nor the correct credit.
I think I have been given somewhat of a revelation today. In all honesty, I don't remember what sparked this thought.
I believe the brain cycle went:
1) "Hmm, maybe I'll go over to the library and study there, that seems like it'll be nice."
2) (Now over-analyzing) "Do I just want to go over there because I think there are things, people, girls perhaps, there that will make me happy?"
3) "Maybe it's ok for me to do that under that mindset, just to see if it works, because maybe those things, people, girls, will make me happy."
4) "Isn't that ok, for Christians to try other things just to make sure those other things aren't the real truth?"
5) "Wait a minute..."
Enter revelation:
"Perhaps this is how I've been living. I've been living as a cautious Christian, not in the sense that I'm saying that I'll live for Christ and then not really doing it, but saying, 'I think I'll just.. give this Christianity thing a try, and maybe it's true, maybe it's not,' and doing it all on the pretense of the verse in John 7 that says, 'If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own,' not realizing that God's will for us is not a half-hearted commitment nor a cautious following, rather complete abandonment to ourselves and total commitment and joy to God's glory, and then we will know, in some form."
So perhaps this is the answer for people who are seeking to know whether Christ is true and real or not. To really know if God is real, well, to really know God, you have to be COMPLETELY committed and have full faith in Christ. Perhaps it's not a introspective intellectual find, but a heart's commitment to faith. It's probably good that God doesn't let us get away with a flighty intellectual testing, but let's us know the fullness of Him in giving Him the fullness of our lives.
But that means that I have to give up my full life, my full control, every SINGLE aspect of me to Him for justifying and purifying and refining to truly follow Him.
When I really think about it, that's scary.
So I pray God would change our hearts and give us the grace to truly follow Him, to fully commit to His glory, and to both know it intellectually and emotionally, but also in the every spot of us.
Crap.
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your last comment says it all.
ReplyDeleteWait... who said that?
ReplyDeleteIt is quoted as "Levi.."
intriguing
Keep on.
ReplyDeleteThere is no greater joy than that which is found in absolutely, utterly, following Jesus.
but you can still go to the library and enjoy whatever happens there.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about truth really began to hit me about a year ago and has had more effect since then is this: by its own definition, truth is exclusive.
ReplyDeleteIf I say and desire to demonstrate that Jesus is the ultimate Truth, all must be measured in that light. If 'X' does not line up to Jesus, the True Life, then 'X' does not line up with Life, a.k.a. death.
One that knows the Truth can choose to not live in the Truth. Once one lives in the Truth, experience comes to reinforce our knowledge of the Truth.
The hard part is that we live in the gap between knowledge and fully living in Truth, trying to reach the fullness while still holding on to what we logically or rationally know.
Live in the tension, brother!
Live in the present, yet always mindful of the eternal.
It seems that we try to find some "balance" between Christianity and living in the world. Oh how we're all guilty of it... oh how we need the grace of Christ to show us more of His abounding love.
ReplyDeleteLuscious, This is Blake.
ReplyDeleteI don't want you to live as a cautious christian, but a confident one.
God and the apostles both want us to be absolutely certain about Christ. Faith isn't a hope so kind of thing- Biblical faith is a mutual assent to truth, and trust in Christ.
Check out Acts 2:36 to see what I'm talking about.
The old testament is littered with statements uttered by God through His prophets along the lines of "That they may Know that I am He"
Faith isn't blind- faith is based off of convictions. You're not alone in your struggle. I too often struggle with intellectual doubt.
I'd love to throw some resources your way if you're interested.
-Blake
Thanks for all the thoughts, and I would agree.
ReplyDeleteBlake, I would love those resources.
Even now, it is so tempting to live half in the world, half Christian, which isn't really half Christian at all, but purely the world.
Some websites that you might want to look through are as follows.
ReplyDeletestr.org (this website is quickly becoming one of my favorites)
carm.org (another old favorite)
tektonics.org (another good resource)
You'll probably be able to find an answer to almost any question you have on one of those three websites.
There are several great books out there too.
I stronly recommend Tim Keller's the reason for God, and Francis Schaeffer's trilogy.
Most of all, read the word good sir! It is self evidencing! -Blake.