Part 9 of 12 of the theme 'Answers to Questions' by Gijs van den Brink
Great question. We were not created as robots, but as human beings. And we have been given free will to choose. To choose between good and bad. A good Christian chooses to do good.
But there are a lot of good things you can choose from. You are free in that.
Yet the Bible says in Eph. 5:10: Examine what the Lord asks of you (NBV).
The Bible gives 3 principles that help us know if my desire is consistent with God's will.
The first question to ask yourself:
1. Can I thank the Lord for it?
Paul gives a great example in Rom. 14:6. There are Christians who eat meat and they thank God for it. But others do not eat meat because of their faith and they too thank God.
Two believers can do the same thing while it is right for one and wrong for the other.
It's not about what you do or don't do, it's about why you don't or do something. With what motivation are you doing something. Can you thank God for what you do?
Because if you cannot thank Him for anything and you are ashamed of what you do, you wander.
Then you abuse the freedom you have been given for yourself, and you will experience more and more separation between you and God.
2. Does my behavior encourage mutual peace?
The second question to ask yourself is this: Does my behavior encourage peace among each other? Do others around me become happy with my behavior and my choice? Or am I causing others trouble and irritation?
The first principle was about your relationship with God. This principle is about your relationship with your spiritual brothers and sisters.
The Bible teaches us in Rom. 14:17 that always our motivation should be to increase goodness, peace and joy among ourselves.
If you let selfishness lead you then you lose more and more contact with God and also have less and less good contact with brothers and sisters.
3. Do unbelievers see something of the character of Jesus in us?
And the third question that may help you is this: When unbelievers look at me, am I a good example?
Jesus says in Mat. 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city cannot be hidden if it is on top of a mountain. ...
So three questions to ask yourself to know if you are making good choices:
1. Can I thank God for it?
2. Does my behavior encourage mutual love and peace?
3. Is my behavior a good example to others.
Next time: Part 10 of the series 'Answers to questions' is entitled 'What is the reason or purpose that we are tried or tested?'
See also: Part 8 of 12 of the theme 'Answers to questions‘ How can I be sure the Bible is not twisted?
Author: Gijs van den Brink
From: Study Bible Magazine
This is part 9 of 12 from the theme "Answers to Questions' Some of which we will be posting online in the near future. We hope this will help you understand the Bible better!
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