A life lived by feeling vs. life by faith
Published on January 19, 2005 By oleteach In Religion
In my last post, I presented how different our approach to life can be, depending on whether we are legalistic or if we are in a faith-filled relationship with God.

Here are some more observations about these differences.

5. In a legalistic approach we are concerned with activity. In a relational approach we are caught up with identity.

In Romans 8:23 it speaks of the “first fruits” of the Spirit as being “our adoption as sons” which speaks entirely of our identity in God’s family. If we are children of God then we will act like children of God, not out of legal obligation but out of love. This must precede our good deeds; otherwise we will continually be using them to prove to ourselves, others, and to God that we are acceptable to Him. If we feel like living by faith, we are good...if we don't feel like it...we feel bad. This is not a Christian standard: our feelings.

Even as Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, in each temptation he was attacking Jesus’ identity…”If you are the Son of God…”

If we have grown tired in our efforts to prove our faith, and if we haven’t see a growing in love, joy, peace, patience (fruits of the Spirit), in our walk with Jesus, it’s probably because we have forgotten our first love. If faith wavers, admit it. Pray for an increase in faith. It can grow as we begin to experience how faithful God is in all his promises.

We must keep uppermost in our minds our true identity: I am a child of God. Some people always go by what they “feel.” They live by their emotions. They might say: “I don’t feel God’s love and strength in my life.” We must live by the truth of God when He tells us in MT 28:20 “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

If you are unsure of that truth then just keep saying it over and over until you do believe it. Believe the Word of God over your emotions and your feelings.

6. A legalistic view will promote self-works. God’s relational approach encourages Spirit-works.

Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? You have begun in the Spirit. Are you now trying to perfect yourself?

Many of us fall back into our self-effort to “conform” to God’s ways. We can’t do it. We will continue to return to people to confide in. We will only be more confused and distraught. I hear it said once: Go to the Throne and not the phone to speak of your problems.

Instead of making promises to God (again and again) that we won’t do this or that, we need to ask Jesus to reveal our sins, and ask His help to remember His gift of salvation. Only the Holy Spirit can truly convict us of our sins and when He does that, He gives us the power to change[/B]. He will slowly transform our stinking feelings, thoughts, emotions and wants. It is a matter of maturing and it isn't done in one day. We might take a few steps of faith and then quit. We need to take step after step until it becomes a peaceful walk with God.



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Comments
on Jan 21, 2005
Excellent post. I'm often accused of legalism myself because of my insistance that the person who is truly born again will bear fruit in a changed life. I stand firm that if you're truly saved your heart & life will be changed; but the parable of the sower makes it clear the best of conversion experiences will have varying effests on individual believers.

on Jan 21, 2005
getrealwith god
Thanks for the comments. I don't see legalism in the truth that we are transformed in our thoughts, wants, and wills when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. John 15 ... The Vine and the Branches... is one of my favorites for meditation. The transformation may be very gradual but it will be there are we let the power of God's grace flow through us.
on Jan 21, 2005
Mine too. I think that's one of the reasons for so much of the trouble in our churches today. We're trying to finish what God started ourselves. I didn't even decide to get saved. God decided to save me. God drew me into salvation. Then God saved me. Like Galatians 3:3 points out, it's awful stupid for me to try to finish what God began on a spiritual level in the flesh. Heck, I get in trouble all the time for trying to understand infinite truthes with my finite mind.
on Jan 21, 2005
Another point is that we're doomed from the beginning. We're born with a sinful nature, and just sinning once will send us to hell for good. It's not like God keeps a checklist and reviews it once you die to see if you get into heaven or not. We all miss the mark of perfection. It's like my pastor explained the other day, if you're a trapeeze artist and you're swinging from bar to bar, and touch the next bar with your fingers and fall or miss by a longshot, it doesn't matter. You're still going to fall.

It really sucks though, because so many, I'd almost go as far as to say most, churches today are so stuck on legalism. Jesus came for a reason. By trying to be perfect in ourselves, it's like saying that God's gift of His Son isn't enough for us. Why can't more of us see that and live in grace? Even I, knowing all this, struggle with it a lot of times.

Good article. God bless!

~Sarah