So, it has been a while since my last blog. I have been trying to think of a discussion topic that would generate some interest. And, I have been totally unsuccessful. But I think I have come up with a question that may generate some conversation.
Does God require anything from disciples of Christ?
Kodi and the Missional Lifestyle
13 years ago
Good question. I don't know exactly. Because while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)However, in a since, we are responsible to obey His commands, otherwise we are sinning. God hates sin. But clearly He does not need us to be responsible... He is perfectly capable and even decided to save us before we were repentive. But we need to be the hands and feet of Christ so others can know him right? In any shape/form that looks like. Thats our responsibility and expression of love for Him really
ReplyDeleteThat's a question I've been thinking about a bit lately also. Because while I do believe that God saved us before we yet repented, as the previous commentor said, as Ephesians 2:something says, God created in advance good works for us to do, and if we are to live like Jesus, not, of course, to be justified but rather because we love God and know that only in Jesus is He found, then I would think that we are required in one sense by God to do good works, but also in another sense free to do good works. I guess that I think, or my theology at least tells me, that the more we are truly transformed by the Holy Spirit the more and more we will see and love the Father and His Glory, and therefore WILL obey Him and are acting out of the freedom and transformation He has given us to pursue goodness, and then when we don't feel like doing His commands, perhaps that is when it seems more a sense of requirement. I think I'd say that we are never required by God to do anything. To me, that insinuates that our standing with God depends on our performance. NOT TRUE. Perhaps instead of saying that we are required by God to do good works, to be pure, it would be true and right to say that we are allowed by God to do good works and to be pure and to, at the very highest, know Him, because those are great privileges. But, hmm. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I would just say that in order to be saved we are not required to do anything (i.e. His sovereign grace has saved us, not our work), but as believers we are required to/held to/allowed to/helped to be like Christ. It's kind of hard to think about.