Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Christian Absolutes (Pt.1)

John Wesley's Rule for Christian Living: Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever... you can! (Christian History, Vol II, No I). A great list that all of us can apply!!! In fact I wonder if any of us have ever made such a list. I have!! It is found right here in God's Word. And in God's Word there are absolutes that I like to call Christian Absolutes.

We Are to Believe God

The first absolute is we are to believe God. When you examine the lives of Noah and Abraham that is exactly what you see. A life that was committed to obeying God. Genesis 6:8-9 tells us that Noah "found grace in the eyes of the LORD" and that he was "a just man, perfect in his generation. Noah walked with God." The characteristic that marked Noah's life was his trust in God. This trust or belief was not some mental assent to some facts about God. It was a belief that was acted upon. He "found grace in the eyes of the LORD" because he was a "just" and "perfect" man. The direction of his life was that of obedience and holiness. While his generation perverted their ways and the God who created them, Noah loved God by obeying Him. Abraham was no different. He believed God "and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen.15:6). Do you truly believe God? If so, your life will manifest a heart of obedience. If someone were writing a story of your life, would it be similiar to Noah's or Abraham's? Think about it.

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