??? Christians = Egoists ???

gymnast_girl_27 · 12-01-2001, 10:46 PM

revolution....

well said.

Bryan · 12-02-2001, 07:09 PM

The reason why I am a Christian is becuase of the award that awaits me in heaven. (That and becuase God chose me.)

**Chrysostom** · 12-03-2001, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bdan
I do whatever I can that will bring ME the MOST satisfaction.

i'm sorry, friend, but i don't feel that this is proper. We are to take on the very nature of a servant, as did Jesus. We are to take up our cross each day and die to our own pitiful self-interest, serving God alone and furthering His plans first, foremost, and solely.

Bryan · 12-12-2001, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mustbenothing
i'm sorry, friend, but i don't feel that this is proper. We are to take on the very nature of a servant, as did Jesus. We are to take up our cross each day and die to our own pitiful self-interest, serving God alone and furthering His plans first, foremost, and solely.

But you see mustbenothing, the thing that will bring the most joy is the hope we have in Christ. I have come to realize that the greatest joy to be found is in God, not in worldly desires.
[list=1][*]The longing to be happy is an universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful.[*]We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse. Instead we should seek to intensify this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.[*]The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God. Not from God, but in God.[*]The happiness we find in God reaches its consummation when it is shared with others in the manifold ways of love.[*]To the extent we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasure, we fail to honor God and love people. Or, to put it positively: the pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue. That is,[/list=1]

The cheif end of man is to glorify God
BY
enjoying him forever.

The best way to achieve joy as Christians is by "completing what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ." This is done by our own afflictions in giving the afflictions of Christ a personal representation. And in doing so, sharing the love of Christ and the joy to be found in him, we find the the peak of our own joy and satisfaction.

Dice · 12-12-2001, 04:48 PM

Bryan knows what he is talking about. It's not that we take Christ for granted, but that living for Him in total servanthood and denial of ourself IS our blessing. By dropping what I want I come to gain what I never knew I truly wanted. God calls us to let go of ourselves and to follow Him, through servanthood and love. Yet through doing this we gain all we ever wanted, because He is everything, He is our all, He is all we need and beyond. For this we rejoice and revel in Him, and there is nothing wrong with that because that is the heart that God is looking for, that is the heart that pushes us to a life of true love and servanthood in everything. Because in everything -whether at face value seeming good or bad- it is always good and we are always blessed, because our God is so good and we are thankful for all He does. Our lives and our hearts should be always giving yet always receving, it's somewhat confusing in that sense, but it's awesome, and it only happens through God.

I recommend reading the book Desiring God by John Piper.

Bryan · 12-12-2001, 11:21 PM

Let's not forget that God commands us to find joy in him. (Psalm 37:4)

**Chrysostom** · 12-13-2001, 03:21 PM

i sitll maintain that our first goal should be Christ, and our joy an inherent by-product thereof.

Dice · 12-13-2001, 06:19 PM

The way I see it is Christ is our joy, not separate from it.

The__Freak_Show · 12-13-2001, 06:40 PM

A true Christian is not egostical. There are times when we slip up and do something selfish, but we're only human and can't be perfect as God is. A Christian's goal is to do what Christ wants them to do. But even if there weren't a heaven, I would still follow Christ. Why? Well, because there's so much crap and hatred and so little love in the world that life would just be depressing and meaningless without Christ in my life. What everyone wants is to have this wonderful love that just feels so good and fulfilling, but what most people don't realize is that mankind cannot give such love and such peace. God and God alone gives us this love. Worshiping God feels so much better than anything else, do what God wants is often hard and painful, but the end result is awesome.
BUT(this is the best part), God loves us so much that he COULDN'T make us not go to heaven if we love Him back. No, we are not egostical. We just love God

**Chrysostom** · 12-13-2001, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr McB
The way I see it is Christ is our joy, not separate from it.

But why should one take the original leap of faith is the question. You cannot understand the joy until you are already saved.

Bryan · 12-15-2001, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The__Freak_Show
A true Christian is not egostical. There are times when we slip up and do something selfish, but we're only human and can't be perfect as God is. A Christian's goal is to do what Christ wants them to do. But even if there weren't a heaven, I would still follow Christ. Why? Well, because there's so much crap and hatred and so little love in the world that life would just be depressing and meaningless without Christ in my life. What everyone wants is to have this wonderful love that just feels so good and fulfilling, but what most people don't realize is that mankind cannot give such love and such peace. God and God alone gives us this love. Worshiping God feels so much better than anything else, do what God wants is often hard and painful, but the end result is awesome.
BUT(this is the best part), God loves us so much that he COULDN'T make us not go to heaven if we love Him back. No, we are not egostical. We just love God

I love God becuase of the promise we have in him. There is nothing selfish about this.