Is it even Possible to live the Christian Life?

[Vine Abider]

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that people are blessed if they are a certain way and do certain things.  That's great - like a good handy-man, just give me a list of what's needed and I'll do my best to get-er done!

Here's some of the things Christ tells us we should either be or do here:

1. Be humble, Be meek, Be merciful

2. Be pure

3. Be peacemakers

4. Don’t be angry with others without cause

5. Don’t lust in your heart

6. Turn the other cheek when hit

7. If someone sues you, give them more

8. Love both your neighbor AND your enemy

9. Love those that spitefully use you

10. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is

So what does that say --> Not only love your neighbor, but love those that spitefully use you!?  What!?!? I have to confess I have a hard time even loving people back that love me and are good to me, let alone someone who is spitefully using me!!!  

So how possible is this Christian life as outlined in this chapter?  I got to be honest here, I say it's pretty much impossible . . . how could we possibly do and be these things Jesus expects of us? 

[Starise]

22 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

So what does that say --> Not only love your neighbor, but love those that spitefully use you!?  What!?!? I have to confess I have a hard time even loving people back that love me and are good to me, let alone someone who is spitefully using me!!!  

But you love all of us here right? 

I don't have much trouble liking someone that likes me. I am trying to learn to just laugh at the mean ones. I mean, not out loud where they can hear it or see my laughing. That usually makes things worse.

[enoob57]

11 minutes ago, Starise said:

But you love all of us here right? 

so your just supporting the fact of the impossibility of it  

[Starise]

Look they loved you so much they squeezed you until you turned blue, or is it purple? I guess it's a purple blue. Probably LPT.

[missmuffet]

50 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that people are blessed if they are a certain way and do certain things.  That's great - like a good handy-man, just give me a list of what's needed and I'll do my best to get-er done!

Here's some of the things Christ tells us we should either be or do here:

1. Be humble, Be meek, Be merciful

2. Be pure

3. Be peacemakers

4. Don’t be angry with others without cause

5. Don’t lust in your heart

6. Turn the other cheek when hit

7. If someone sues you, give them more

8. Love both your neighbor AND your enemy

9. Love those that spitefully use you

10. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is

So what does that say --> Not only love your neighbor, but love those that spitefully use you!?  What!?!? I have to confess I have a hard time even loving people back that love me and are good to me, let alone someone who is spitefully using me!!!  

So how possible is this Christian life as outlined in this chapter?  I got to be honest here, I say it's pretty much impossible . . . how could we possibly do and be these things Jesus expects of us? 

Sure you can to be obedient to God. Or we can do our best to not sin. But we are human and we sin everyday.God knows that.We need to ask for forgiveness for those sins. We can not be perfect on this earth until we get to heaven.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 

[missmuffet]

29 minutes ago, Starise said:

But you love all of us here right? 

I don't have much trouble liking someone that likes me. I am trying to learn to just laugh at the mean ones. I mean, not out loud where they can hear it or see my laughing. That usually makes things worse.

This time of year it makes me think of:

[Not me]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that people are blessed if they are a certain way and do certain things.  That's great - like a good handy-man, just give me a list of what's needed and I'll do my best to get-er done!

Here's some of the things Christ tells us we should either be or do here:

1. Be humble, Be meek, Be merciful

2. Be pure

3. Be peacemakers

4. Don’t be angry with others without cause

5. Don’t lust in your heart

6. Turn the other cheek when hit

7. If someone sues you, give them more

8. Love both your neighbor AND your enemy

9. Love those that spitefully use you

10. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is

So what does that say --> Not only love your neighbor, but love those that spitefully use you!?  What!?!? I have to confess I have a hard time even loving people back that love me and are good to me, let alone someone who is spitefully using me!!!  

So how possible is this Christian life as outlined in this chapter?  I got to be honest here, I say it's pretty much impossible . . . how could we possibly do and be these things Jesus expects of us? 

Hello, Paul did….

Once it is discovered why Paul was accused of preaching a gospel of ‘let us do evil that good may come’, the simplicity of the gospel of Christ is seen… Then;

Joy unspeakable and full of glory, free of trouble, no, but one is as free as any dead man could possibly be…

Be blessed in that freedom, a fellow believer, Not me

[missmuffet]

51 minutes ago, Starise said:

Look they loved you so much they squeezed you until you turned blue, or is it purple? I guess it's a purple blue. Probably LPT.

More like God 

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that people are blessed if they are a certain way and do certain things.  That's great - like a good handy-man, just give me a list of what's needed and I'll do my best to get-er done!

Here's some of the things Christ tells us we should either be or do here:

1. Be humble, Be meek, Be merciful

2. Be pure

3. Be peacemakers

4. Don’t be angry with others without cause

5. Don’t lust in your heart

6. Turn the other cheek when hit

7. If someone sues you, give them more

8. Love both your neighbor AND your enemy

9. Love those that spitefully use you

10. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is

So what does that say --> Not only love your neighbor, but love those that spitefully use you!?  What!?!? I have to confess I have a hard time even loving people back that love me and are good to me, let alone someone who is spitefully using me!!!  

So how possible is this Christian life as outlined in this chapter?  I got to be honest here, I say it's pretty much impossible . . . how could we possibly do and be these things Jesus expects of us? 

Hi Vine Abider.

I like to use the term Evergreen Christian to encourage and edify those who seek my counsel on the subject of Christian Life & Service, (another helpful term I also like to use).

Jer 17:7-8  But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.  (8)  He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

An Evergreen Christian is:

• close to the Spirit of God (planted by the Living Waters)
• sustained by the Spirit of God (irrigated by the Living Waters)
• aware that they are a victor not a victim (not afraid of the heat)
• continuously conscious of the purpose and power of faith ( leaves always green)
• confident that God will provide somehow in spite of deprivations (not worried by drought)
• committed to the Holy Spirit's leading, gifting, & empowering (producing fruit)

You will be familiar with the teaching that apart from Christ we can do nothing, (John 15:4&5), and so it is clear to me that in order to promote our spiritual growth and the spiritual (but not necessarily numerical) growth of the body of Christ, we need to avail ourselves of God's Resources rather than attempt to achieve righteousness in our own strength, as the Pharisees were prone to do.

I am not advocating the daily or weekly emotional fix that certain groups practice to feel good but rather the deep-rooted and firmly anchored belief that God is in control and as long as I set my heart on fulfilling His calling He will not let me slip so as to fall into condemnation, even though at times I may need to be corrected and disciplined. ( Hebrews 12:11)

Blessings from Michael37 - an Evergreen Christian (and a gardener by trade).     

 

   

[Marathoner]

2 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that people are blessed if they are a certain way and do certain things.  That's great - like a good handy-man, just give me a list of what's needed and I'll do my best to get-er done!

Here's some of the things Christ tells us we should either be or do here:

1. Be humble, Be meek, Be merciful

2. Be pure

3. Be peacemakers

4. Don’t be angry with others without cause

5. Don’t lust in your heart

6. Turn the other cheek when hit

7. If someone sues you, give them more

8. Love both your neighbor AND your enemy

9. Love those that spitefully use you

10. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is

So what does that say --> Not only love your neighbor, but love those that spitefully use you!?  What!?!? I have to confess I have a hard time even loving people back that love me and are good to me, let alone someone who is spitefully using me!!!  

So how possible is this Christian life as outlined in this chapter?  I got to be honest here, I say it's pretty much impossible . . . how could we possibly do and be these things Jesus expects of us? 

From glory to glory, my friend. One lesson and trial at a time, the Spirit of God conforms us to the image of Christ. 

He is our Teacher, yes? Yes!

He is our Comforter. The Lord Himself dwells with us, and we dwell with Him... so being the fallible men and women we are is simply a fact of our existence upon this earth. If we were perfect, what need would we have to be conformed to the image of He who is perfect? 

Patience. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by Marathoner