I grew up in Christian faith, but lacked stability and eventually compromised until I came to a place where I committed to follow God's word ahead of human sentiment. The 1st thing I felt led to do was to tell every non-Christian guy friend or girl friend I had that I was choosing to completely commit to living a Christian lifestyle, and no longer live like the pagan world.
I lost every friend I had, but gained friends who had likewise made such a commitment to Christianity. And I felt empowered by the Spirit as long as I committed to what I saw as God's path.
The path I've followed has been a problem, however, even in my Christian world. I found that even in the Christian society there is compromise with pagan lifestyles and a resistance to hearing that there is a right way and a wrong way. Insistence on "one way" seemed like "judgmentalism" to a number of Christians.
To this day I find that even Christian friends are trying to put boundaries around me so that I can't talk about this theology or this political belief in the interest of "Christian peace." But my original commitment to God stands--I have to follow my consicence and declare what I see as God's word.
Even if I have to separate from Christian friends I will declare the word of God as I see it. This isn't about always being "right," or about "bomb throwing"--it is about our responsibility to follow the Spirit of God in our conscience.
This may even get me booted off of forums and discussion groups. People in my church may even refuse to talk to me. But my commitment to God stands. Wrong or right on my ideas I have to follow my conscience and pursue truth as I see it from God. There is no other lifestyle for me.
If we choose to instead follow human sentiment, and not stir things up among our friends and acquaintances, the truth will become compromised and be blurred. What we stand for will no longer become a testimony, and God's truth will no longer be heard through us in our society.
I believe we must be true to what we hear from God in our souls--not just express what we speculate about what the Bible means. It may seem like "Christian love and kindness" to avoid speaking out God's word, and at times that may be true. But true Christian love not only avoids needless arguments, but it also is willing to say unpopular things to help people who may appear resistant to that truth.
Truth should make a match between biblical truth and God's voice in our soul. Unless we are able to process biblical truth through to the way we live our lives and express our ideas, biblical truth will remain separate from us and will not witness to the world through us. My belief only...
I lost every friend I had, but gained friends who had likewise made such a commitment to Christianity. And I felt empowered by the Spirit as long as I committed to what I saw as God's path.
The path I've followed has been a problem, however, even in my Christian world. I found that even in the Christian society there is compromise with pagan lifestyles and a resistance to hearing that there is a right way and a wrong way. Insistence on "one way" seemed like "judgmentalism" to a number of Christians.
To this day I find that even Christian friends are trying to put boundaries around me so that I can't talk about this theology or this political belief in the interest of "Christian peace." But my original commitment to God stands--I have to follow my consicence and declare what I see as God's word.
Even if I have to separate from Christian friends I will declare the word of God as I see it. This isn't about always being "right," or about "bomb throwing"--it is about our responsibility to follow the Spirit of God in our conscience.
This may even get me booted off of forums and discussion groups. People in my church may even refuse to talk to me. But my commitment to God stands. Wrong or right on my ideas I have to follow my conscience and pursue truth as I see it from God. There is no other lifestyle for me.
If we choose to instead follow human sentiment, and not stir things up among our friends and acquaintances, the truth will become compromised and be blurred. What we stand for will no longer become a testimony, and God's truth will no longer be heard through us in our society.
I believe we must be true to what we hear from God in our souls--not just express what we speculate about what the Bible means. It may seem like "Christian love and kindness" to avoid speaking out God's word, and at times that may be true. But true Christian love not only avoids needless arguments, but it also is willing to say unpopular things to help people who may appear resistant to that truth.
Truth should make a match between biblical truth and God's voice in our soul. Unless we are able to process biblical truth through to the way we live our lives and express our ideas, biblical truth will remain separate from us and will not witness to the world through us. My belief only...