IAmAWitness said:
Did you cleanse your thoughts, stop cursing others, judging them unfairly, criticising without basis?
I certainly try, but am hardly perfect. Besides, I know that scripture tells me that without the Spirit's help, I can't do anything good anyway. So I strive, and pray for constant help in these matters. The joy I get when the Spirit does prod me along covers the sometimes frustration of not moving faster!
IAmAWitness said:
Did you receive His messengers?
Not exactly sure what you mean here. The Spirit has certainly been received...and through his help the scriptures are being understood. I listen to my pastor and those who are teaching in Jesus' name, clearly preaching the truth of scripture. And I also strive to be guided by the godly people in my life. Is that what you mean?
IAmAWitness said:
Did you read the Word and take it to heart?
Yes...I love the word of God. I probably need to read it more, but then when I find the time to do that, I also find that I take too much in, and can't really meditate on it as well!
I love knowing that everything I read is not just intended for the audience when it was written...it's God teaching me and growing me now!
IAmAWitness said:
Did you give up pork like His Father asked?
I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree with this. God asked the OT Israelites to give up pork etc. In the NT, under the new Covenant of Christ, who fulfilled the ritual cleanliness laws completely by his perfect life and death, I am now free of any such need. In fact scripture also tells me that I needn't let others tell me I must steer clear of pork.
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17 ESV)
Any of the writings of Paul confirm these things. If I was truly required to give up pork, it would not be a problem. But the simple fact is that the bible tells me again and again that I am free in what I eat and what day I worship. So with all respect, I am disinclined to listen to people who say differently.
IAmAWitness said:
Yes. I do not tithe 10%, or whatever the OT requirements are. Again, the NT teaches that when the Pharisees stuck to this down to the tithing of their spices, they totally missed the point. The point being...Jesus, and the furthering of his gospel. That takes money...so I give freely what I can to further his work.
IAmAWitness said:
Do you study to show yourself approved?
"To show myself approved?" I'm not sure what you mean by that phrasing, but yes...I study. But not to 'show myself approved'. I don't care what others think of me, if I'm well learned or not. I study because the more I discover about God and his wonderful plans, the more I'm awed and in love with him. I also study because the bible says we should be able to answer those who have questions.
IAmAWitness said:
Do you observe the Passover by eating lamb?
Jesus IS the passover lamb. I observe it by loving him and committing my life to him.
IAmAWitness said:
Have you given up your Christmas trees, Easter bunnies, and Halloween?
Sigh. I'm sorry, but I had thought all this had passed with Christmas. But to re-cap: I don't believe in Santa or the Easter bunny. I don't believe that Halloween is the time when spookies come out. But I do put up a tree...it's pretty. I do buy chocolates and I do eat candy. But I do none of that worshipping pagan deities. I don't believe in pagan deities. The only God in my life, is the ever lasting one of the Bible. So at Christmas time I go about my life enjoying the pretty sparkles in a purely visual way...(just as I enjoy my outdoor solar lights every single day), praising God that he sent his Son...at Easter I munch on Chocolate and amaze that Jesus would actually die for me...and at Halloween I roll my eyes at the fuss and bother...while I eat candy!
And you know what....as long as I don't worship any idols or pagan deities...the bible says I have freedom to enjoy these days for what they are...days that God has made and given me the freedom to thank Jesus for them. Trees are not evil...God made them. Chocolate is not evil, neither is candy. It's how mankind uses these things that are evil...and if I enjoy these things in a manner that thanks and enjoy's God's common grace to all, then I am free to do so.
IAmAWitness said:
Have you removed images from your home?
Again...I'm not sure what you mean here. What do you mean by "images"? Are you referring to photos? Pic's of the family, or a landscape? Are you talking about the bird bath in the garden, or perhaps the gnome?
See...here's the problem. Humans have the incredible knack of making idols from anything...it doesn't have to be an 'image'. As you mentioned above with Christmas...some do indeed make an idol from that holiday. Some make idols out of their children, out of sports...out of their dogs, for goodness sakes! They needn't have a little budda set up in a corner...it could be anything.
So as Christians we need to be very aware of this fact, asking ourselves every day if we're putting too much into something. If we would grieve and shrivel if something was taken away from us...if we think about it all the time, if we put our worth and happiness in something. If we do, we have an idol. Nothing, absolutely nothing, should be that important...only Jesus.
So yeah...I have photos on my wall....but if my entire home burned down tomorrow, I would be content...I would have Jesus.
IAmAWitness said:
Have you been a witness to others, with patience and longsuffering?
I'm still on this site, aren't I?!!
IAmAWitness said:
Have you taken note of the ordinances in the Law and made your life to adjust more correctly with His precepts?
Are you talking the Mosaic Law? I certainly respect it, but as it has been fulfilled by Christ, I no longer subject myself to it. Romans 10, Ephesians 2, Colossians 2 and Galatians 2 and 3 are fantastic to read for understanding about this...as is Hebrews.
But please understand...by this I do not approve the teachings of antinomianism. The NT gives us many things to 'live by'. Jesus himself tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our being, and to love others as we love ourselves. Paul gives us many things that are good to seek after, and also things we should put to death. And scripture also gives us knowledge of the Spirit's work within us...sanctification that we need to walk hand in hand with the Spirit...forever getting closer to Christ as we go. There are many things in life that help us on this path...reading scripture and praying, for one thing. Actively striving to put sin to death. That sort of thing.
IAmAWitness said:
Or does the Son of God have to die for you and nothing is expected of you in return?
If we can't answer yes to all of these questions then we are failing as a people.
I think there is a huge difference between what could be said as an 'expectation' from conversion, and a 'necessity' for it. It almost feels like you have made the above list as a necessity for salvation (please correct me if I'm reading it wrong).
Nothing is done by us to receive or keep salvation. If we needed to do anything to either receive or keep, then we could not say that all glory is given to God for the gift we receive....and clearly scripture teaches that the work and upholding of salvation is entirely his work.
But out of true conversion comes an outpouring we see in fruit...if a person has truly been regenerated by the grace of God, we see evidence of their new hearts. In this God receives glory in our forever coming closer to Christ...and as we see in Ephesians, God is after his own glory. It's what he seeks, what is rightfully his. So in our transformation, he gets glory. That's what he wants...not a Pharisaical tick list that is followed with a sense of "if I don't do this, I'm going to hell".