How do I go about living a God-pleasing life? It's the question that untold number of Christians have asked throughout the centuries. It's a question that continues to be in the mind of many Christians still today. And there have been a lot of different answers that have been given to this question. Some have been great answers. Others have been sadly lacking in their response.
From one standpoint, we need to ask what would actually constitute a God-pleasing life. What makes God happy? Is God happy when we live according to His design and will for life? Well, yes, He is. However, that's not the full answer to the question. After all, there are many in this life who live according to His will and design, and yet still stand outside of God's grace and gift of new life. So it can't be quite that simple.
That's where we find that Jesus is a part of this God-pleasing life. Jesus lived the perfect life, died the death that we deserve in our place, and then rose to life again to give us the hope and promise of new life. As we hear about what Jesus has done for us, and as God's Spirit gives us the gift of belief in His action, God makes a new creation within us. God gives us the gift of a new life, a life we share with Jesus.
When we share that life with Jesus, that also is pleasing to God. Living as a forgiven child of God causes God to rejoice. Our life is God-pleasing because we are in Christ Jesus. But what if our new life is found in Jesus, but we aren't perfect? What if we believe that God has forgiven us in Jesus, but aren't the new, perfect creation that He wants for us to be?
That's where this question then becomes very personal toward us. Let's say that you are a child of God's, given new life through Jesus, and you strive in your life to live according to God's design. Is God pleased with your life? Yes. You are in Christ, and you are also striving to live according to God's design. In a sense, we could say that this life is doubly pleasing to God. It is not only God-pleasing because of Jesus, but because our new creation also seeks to live in harmony with what God says.
Now, let's say that you are a child of God, given new life through Jesus, but you are rather careless with God's desire and design for life. In fact, let's say that there are times where you know what God's design is, but you blatantly and willingly live contrary to it. Are you still pleasing to God? Well, in the manner that you have new life through Jesus, yes. But as you continue to live in active, willful rebellion toward God and His design for life, you may find that you are living rather dangerously. The Bible doesn't tell us when exactly you cross that line into losing your new life, and so no one in this world can truly tell you if or when you have crossed that line.
In the next post, I plan to add some more to this thinking. I pray that this gets you started thinking about what it means to live a God pleasing life.
From one standpoint, we need to ask what would actually constitute a God-pleasing life. What makes God happy? Is God happy when we live according to His design and will for life? Well, yes, He is. However, that's not the full answer to the question. After all, there are many in this life who live according to His will and design, and yet still stand outside of God's grace and gift of new life. So it can't be quite that simple.
That's where we find that Jesus is a part of this God-pleasing life. Jesus lived the perfect life, died the death that we deserve in our place, and then rose to life again to give us the hope and promise of new life. As we hear about what Jesus has done for us, and as God's Spirit gives us the gift of belief in His action, God makes a new creation within us. God gives us the gift of a new life, a life we share with Jesus.
When we share that life with Jesus, that also is pleasing to God. Living as a forgiven child of God causes God to rejoice. Our life is God-pleasing because we are in Christ Jesus. But what if our new life is found in Jesus, but we aren't perfect? What if we believe that God has forgiven us in Jesus, but aren't the new, perfect creation that He wants for us to be?
That's where this question then becomes very personal toward us. Let's say that you are a child of God's, given new life through Jesus, and you strive in your life to live according to God's design. Is God pleased with your life? Yes. You are in Christ, and you are also striving to live according to God's design. In a sense, we could say that this life is doubly pleasing to God. It is not only God-pleasing because of Jesus, but because our new creation also seeks to live in harmony with what God says.
Now, let's say that you are a child of God, given new life through Jesus, but you are rather careless with God's desire and design for life. In fact, let's say that there are times where you know what God's design is, but you blatantly and willingly live contrary to it. Are you still pleasing to God? Well, in the manner that you have new life through Jesus, yes. But as you continue to live in active, willful rebellion toward God and His design for life, you may find that you are living rather dangerously. The Bible doesn't tell us when exactly you cross that line into losing your new life, and so no one in this world can truly tell you if or when you have crossed that line.
In the next post, I plan to add some more to this thinking. I pray that this gets you started thinking about what it means to live a God pleasing life.
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