Belief and Behaviour

[stephen]

"Sin shall not have dominion over you...." Romans 6:14

There is an idea in some folks minds that the life of victory needs no effort. I thought that at one time myself, and I was wrong. It was said in my hearing concerning the fullness of the 'Spirit' "If I ask the Holy Spirit to forgive me, then all I have to do is lie back and let him do the work"...... That is not true.

The epistles of the New Testament are chiefly about two things, when dealing with personalities. They are about docrine and they are about belief and behaviour.

And the area of cover given in the 'Epistles' of the New Testament to these two subjects is fairly equal.

What I believe in my head about Christ, I practise in my life for Christ. Belief requires behaviour. Behaviour arises from belief. A belief which doesn't behave isn't Christian belief.

When I turn to Hebrews 11, that great chapter which some have called the Westminster Abbey of faith, I find something very interesting about the faith of these great worthies of yesterday.

I find that their faith was not passive: but it was active. Every single name in the chapter is written there because of a faith which did something.
It did not lie back. It wasn't an 'only believe' kind of faith.

"By faith Moses forsook Egypt, ...by faith...by faith...and every man/woman named there, lived by 'faith' ....in action and obedience. They did something.

And your faith and mine today in Jesus and Him crucified, and risen from the dead, the faith which we exercised when the Holy Spirit incorporated into Christ....into His death...and into His resurrection, is a faith that works acording to the requirments of grace.....

My old life is dead in Christ. My sinful tendency is doomed...in Christ. My sinful behaviour and such is at an end...denied in Christ.

Is yours?

 

[Radzi]

That is true. "What you believe determines how you behave" as someone put it.

As Christians our faith must produce corresponding action, otherwise it'll be as James asks in
James 2:14 that without works, "...can faith save him?"

 

[koge06]

Thanks for this post. I have been grappling with what it means to pick up our cross and follow Jesus and what it means to lose my life to gain it. I think Jesus is requesting a radical, life changing difference in our lives that reflects our love of Him. I think it means that we cannot let our Christianity be a part of who we are (like our political affiliation or our careers) but that it must be utterly and completely what defines us.

Everything under the sun has already been done and what matters in the end? When we have to take account of our lives will we list our careers, house, car and material possessions (that we spend majority of our lives trying to accumulate)? Matthew 25:36 states "I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'" How much of our time is dedicated to others versus ourselves. I'm thinking more and more that this life on Earth is nothing more than a trial and a test. God gave us this time and what did we choose to do with it?

This is where the effort comes in. I most certainly do not say this from the place of a person who has spent her life practicing this. Honestly my life feels really really selfish but I also have hope and know that every change has a beginning and I seek to radically change who I am and what I am doing on this Earth. I ask for your prayers that I will have the courage and strength to let go of what I want in order to live a life that is pleasing to God. Praise God!

 

[RJ]

And your faith and mine today in Jesus and Him crucified, and risen from the dead, the faith which we exercised when the Holy Spirit incorporated into Christ....into His death...and into His resurrection, is a faith that works acording to the requirments of grace.....

exercised when the Holy Spirit incorporated into Christ..And I would like to say: and incorporated into us. I believe that Jesus Christ did not come down from heaven so much to get us out of hell and into heaven but, rather he came down to earth to get into us.

It is still not a matter of our perfection yet but, it is a change in heart and a renewing of our mind, that sets us apart. Sin is not extinguished in our lives but we should have a renewed desire to control it and continue to grow in Christ.

He said that he was the vine and we are the branches, as long as we are in him and he in us, we will bare much fruit but, with out him we can do nothing!

What many unbelievers can't understand, it is not a matter of us not looking at our sin, we do but, God said he wouldn't!

 

[koge06]

I agree RJ it is not a matter of our perfection. None of us will ever be perfect and there was only one perfect man who was God Himself. Our works will certainly not get us into Heaven.

Romans 10:2-4 I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God, but they are misguided. They don't understand how to receive God's approval. Christ is the fulfillment of Moses' Teachings so that everyone who has faith may receive God's approval.

Romans 9:16 Therefore, God's choice does not depend on a person's desire or effort, but on God's desire.

Romans 10:8-10 ...This is the message of faith that we spread. If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. By believing you receive God's approval, and by declaring your faith you are saved.

Our actions and efforts can not earn us salvation but we are called to change the way we think and act.

Luke 5:32 I've come to call sinners to change the way they think and act, not to call people who think they have God's approval.

Romans 11:6 If they were chosen by God's kindness, they weren't chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God's kindness wouldn't be kindness.

Romans 6:1-2 What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God's kindness will increase? That's unthinkable! As far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin's influence?

Luke 6:46-49 Why do you call me Lord but don't do what I tell you? I will show you what everyone who comes to me, hears what I say, and obeys it is like. He is like a person who dug down to bedrock to lay the foundation of his home. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house. But the house couldn't be washed away because it had a good foundation. The person who hears what I say but doesn't obey it is like someone who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The floodwaters pushed against it, and that house quickly collapsed and was destroyed.

I think our Love of Jesus should influence how we live our lives but that we won't always get it right. I'm not sure belief and action are always inextricably linked. I think someone can believe stealing is wrong and still steal. I think that is why we are not perfect and need Jesus because even though we have faith in Him we will still fall short of a standard of perfection that none of us can reach.

Lastly, I think it's a good idea to focus on our own actions and look onto others' actions with a kind and forgiving heart (something I myself need to work on): Luke 6:37-38 Stop judging and you will never be judged. Stop condemning, and you will never be condemned. Forgive, ad you will be forgiven...The standards you use for others will be applied to you.

 

[spottydog]

"Sin shall not have dominion over you...." Romans 6:14

There is an idea in some folks minds that the life of victory needs no effort. I thought that at one time myself, and I was wrong. It was said in my hearing concerning the fullness of the 'Spirit' "If I ask the Holy Spirit to forgive me, then all I have to do is lie back and let him do the work"...... That is not true.

The epistles of the New Testament are chiefly about two things, when dealing with personalities. They are about docrine and they are about belief and behaviour.

And the area of cover given in the 'Epistles' of the New Testament to these two subjects is fairly equal.

What I believe in my head about Christ, I practise in my life for Christ. Belief requires behaviour. Behaviour arises from belief. A belief which doesn't behave isn't Christian belief.

When I turn to Hebrews 11, that great chapter which some have called the Westminster Abbey of faith, I find something very interesting about the faith of these great worthies of yesterday.

I find that their faith was not passive: but it was active. Every single name in the chapter is written there because of a faith which did something.
It did not lie back. It wasn't an 'only believe' kind of faith.

"By faith Moses forsook Egypt, ...by faith...by faith...and every man/woman named there, lived by 'faith' ....in action and obedience. They did something.

And your faith and mine today in Jesus and Him crucified, and risen from the dead, the faith which we exercised when the Holy Spirit incorporated into Christ....into His death...and into His resurrection, is a faith that works acording to the requirments of grace.....

My old life is dead in Christ. My sinful tendency is doomed...in Christ. My sinful behaviour and such is at an end...denied in Christ.

Is yours?

Wonderful post..thank you:shade: