From: jodfishe@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (joseph dale fisher)
Subject: Re: So far so good
Organization: Indiana University
Lines: 58

In article <Apr.19.05.13.16.1993.29204@athos.rutgers.edu> armstrng@cs.dal.ca (Stan Armstrong) writes:
>In article <C4z5u3.Jxo@spss.com> luomat@alleg.edu writes:
>>
>>This may be a really dumb one, but I'll ask it anyways:
>>	Christians know that they can never live up to the requirements of  
>>God, right? (I may be wrong, but that is my understanding)  But they still  
>>try to do it.  Doesn't it seem like we are spending all of our lives  
>>trying to reach a goal we can never achieve?  I know that we are saved by  
>>faith and not by works, but does that mean that once we are saved we don't  
>>have to do anything?  I think James tells us that Faith without works is  
>>dead (paraphrase).  How does this work?
>>
>So long as we think that good things are what we *have* to do rather than
>what we come to *want* to do, we miss the point. The more we love God; the
>more we come to love what and whom He loves.
>
>When I find that what I am doing is not good, it is not a sign to try
>even harder (Romans 7:14-8:2); it is a sign to seek God. When I am aware 
>of Jesus' presence, I usually want what He wants. It is His strenth, His love 
>that empowers my weakness.
>-- 
>Stan Armstrong. Religious Studies Dept, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, N.S.
>Armstrong@husky1.stmarys.ca | att!clyde!watmath!water!dalcs!armstrng

I apologize to the moderator, but the first quote was deleted and I
would like to respond to both.

As for the "goal we can never achieve", the reward comes from the
trying.  Paul makes a clear claim that we are to continue straining for
the prize over in Philippians 3:10-16.  Only by not living out the
commands do we stagnate and become lukewarm, to be spit out by Jesus.
As it says in 1 John 5:3:  "This is love for God:  to obey his comands."
That obedience is our straining to achieve for God.  Of course, this
requires work on our part.

As for the quote in James, Satan doesn't care what we believe.  What
matters is the results of our belief (works).  If one truly has faith in
what one believes, one will either act on that faith or be lying to
oneself about believing in the first place.  

Stan, as for your first line, you have a very good point.  Obedience by
obligation (grudgery) is not what God desires.  Instead, look at how
many times the Bible talks about being joyous in all situations and when
doing God's work.  Being begrudged by the work has no value.  Also, we
should do the work necessary whenever we can, not just when we feel
Jesus' presence.  Feelings can deceive us.  However, as Paul states to
Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2:  "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and
out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and
careful instruction."  Also, remember that Paul tells Timothy in 1
Timothy 4:16:  "Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in
them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
So, in order to do the work necessary, we need to be sure that we are
correct first.  Remember Jesus' warning in Matthew 7:3-5 not to be
hypocritical about what we do.  The best way to accomplish this is to be
a disciple completely in both thought and deed.  

Joe Fisher
 
