Wednesday, September 16, 2009

More of God


The goal of the Christian life is not the absence or management of sin, but a deeper intimacy and relationship with God. We don't experience more of God by sinning less, we experience less of sin by giving ourselves more to God. -Pastor Wayne

What do you think? Please click "Comments" 6 to leave yours.

10 comments:

Running Five said...

i think is what a lot of Christians need to hear. A lot of the time people choose to try and do good deeds, and try and live these perfect lives without ever resizing that it is something not possible. Giving your self to God completely is the only true and real way to start to have the "Perfect life". it's not about being perfect though, it is about fallowing God with all of your heart, in pursuit of becoming just a little more Christ like every day.

Bob McL. said...

I am convinced more and more each day that we were created first and foremost for a loving relationship with God. God's grace, which allows us to put sin behind us, is based on love. We are reminded in 1 John 4 that "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." Seeking that intimacy with God is the greatest act of repentance we can offer.

JC said...

I think that when the book is closed on America and Christianity that one of the more damning chapters will be on the introduction of the consumerist model, personal relationship, I do therefore God does mentality. I am sad to say that will probably not be a happy chapter. This statement in my mind is born from that and stands as a witness to the truest sense of how to live into the call of Christ. Bob is right and I love the 1 John God is love and those that abide in love abide in God and God abides in them.

Not if I manage my accounts but if I live in total Christ like 2 Philippians modeled love having the same mind as in Christ Jesus.

Les said...

I couldn't agree more. Managing sin is that which none of us are able to do. The answer is getting closer to Jesus.

gfdakin said...

I like it, Wayne. Why do we try and manage sin? Jesus already "managed it", so to speak. I have always liked Piper's phrase, taken from Jonathan Edwards that "God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him." Managing our sin does not cause us to be satisfied in him. But when we find our goal to be our being satisfied in Him, our penchant for sinning diminishes and God is glorified.

Dorin said...

There is a place on the history timeline of my life called "The Point of No Return". This was my mindful surrender, willfully trying to stomp out the wishy-washy giving of then taking back control of this life. I stress the word trying here because as Ian pointed out, there is no such thing as a perfect spritual walk.

There is however the proof positive of a Loving Father peering into the heart of a child and knowing they are His. He sees that when the child quiets down enough to listen, the child's heart swells and aches with a longing to be closer, and the ache becomes a tear rimmed eye that glistens with overwhelming joy and gratefulness.

It's a beautiful, ever growing love that has no other possible outcome or outlet then to love others and to serve. Following Him...the point of no return for me was a transformation. A coming outside of self and joining a stream or rythem of ever growing love.

Unknown said...

YES! Walking away from something doesn't motivate for long - only long enough to feel like you are out of the crisis. But walking toward something pulls us in...experiencing more of the living God brings us in relationship. This is the only way to usher in true, persistent transformation.

Peggy said...

When I read your statement something inside clicked and settled. Yeah, I heard my heart say. That's it. That's what God wants.

Mike Cooke said...

I couldn't agree more. Dallas Willard talks about the inadequacy of "the gospel of sin management" and you've captured that better in those two sentences than anything else I've read on this topic.

As I watch myself and others, I'm more convinced every day that there is a constant temptation to be lured away from a relational understanding of our faith. There is a constant tug towards reducing it all to principles and programs that we must master and perfect to be right with God. John Eldredge calls it "the gospel of tips and techniques" and it is a poor (actually, a demonic) substitute for a relationship with the LIVING God.

If someone wants the programatic approach, it is available in any number of religions: the eightfold path of Buddism or the five pillars of Islam or the Law of Judiasm. I'm passionate about seeing Christians grow in the life-giving relational understanding of their faith.

Unknown said...

With Arabs reproducing at 8.8:1 and the rest of civilization, white or black reproducing at an unsustailnable rate of 1.25:1, NO other religon including Christianity will ever dominate Islam. Bob McL is right, best one can do is strive to know Christ as best you can in your own lifetime.