The Christian Life is not Hard - it is Impossible!

[Vine Abider]

A brother stood up at our gathering this morning and said:  "The Christian life is not hard, brothers and sisters, it is impossible!"  His point was, there is only One who did it, and only One who is still able to live the Christian life.  If we think it is hard, it shows we're trying to live it from the wrong source - our own self effort. Nobody, apart from Christ in us, is able to live it. Therefore, we must learn to live by a new source, our spirit, which is joined to His Spirit! (1 Cor 6:17)

Three supporting verses come to mind (there are many more):

"Apart from Me you can do nothing."

"My yoke is easy and my burden light."

"What is impossible with men is possible with God."

John 15:5, Matt 11:30, Luke 8:27

[lrs68]

This is an intriguing topic because I know people who actually don't follow God but they truly are morally better than many people I know that have been saved and walking with God for years.   I have seen them help those in need without hesitation while those proclaiming God purposely avoided them.  Seen them refuse to gossip or tear others down and sadly many churches have split over people running their mouths.

 

Now I am not trying to uplift anyone above my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  I am just pointing out that these morally people, moral not according to God but are doing things God would want His Own followers to be doing.  But because they can see that they are doing things to others better than many Christians causes them to spout off about not needing God for being so moral.

 

But I absolutely agree that we need God to be better than we are naturally and to live the Christian life.   And if some are naturally more moral than others just imagine if they had God what all they could accomplish.

[NConly]

 

 

1 Cor 1

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Phil 1

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Gal 4

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Rom 7

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

 

[Sower]

5 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

"The Christian life is not hard, brothers and sisters, it is impossible!" 

I remember 40+yrs back, only a few yrs in the faith, and over a cup of coffee was telling a good friend, (who eventually became a sorta mentor), that 'I just can't do it,' no matter how hard I try, and most of my failings are in my thoughts.

He told me I had just taken my first baby step in growing in Christ. None of us can do it. It's God working through us.
Not I but Christ. In Christ I can 'do it.' The flesh can do nothing.

Thanks VA...neat topic...needed.

[grumix8]

Is that everything changed it's not like the 90's things were more simpler back then. Too much technology has changed the world.

[timf]

2Ti_3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Most Christians live in the flesh and do not even rise to the point of "persecution". The word translated persecution means to put to flight and describes how the world reacts to anyone attempting to "live godly".

Walking by the Spirit instead of the flesh is something that few see as a practical reality. What is really difficult is trying to live godly using the power of the flesh.

 

[streeter]

I actually think God makes it ridiculously easy be auseche loves us and wants us to return..     

 

Now a perfect Christian yes there was only one but being perfect isn't the way to be a Christian.     Believing with your heart and just wanting to in your heart to better is enough.    

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, streeter said:

I actually think God makes it ridiculously easy be auseche loves us and wants us to return..     

 

Now a perfect Christian yes there was only one but being perfect isn't the way to be a Christian.     Believing with your heart and just wanting to in your heart to better is enough.    

It's learning to live by another source of life - His life within is to be our new source.

[farouk]

17 hours ago, NConly said:

 

 

1 Cor 1

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Phil 1

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Gal 4

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Rom 7

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

 

Great verses there, @NConly. The Philippians 1.6 quote paricularly seems to be widely forgotten.

Rather than depending on ppl's vacillating wills, it depends on an inward work of God.

[other one]

Might I ask what is "a Christian life"?

If you love God with al your heart and soul, and love our neighbors as ourselves, what else do we need to do to live a Christian life.