Faith and Control

[Tree of Life]

The Christian life is a life of faith. We are justified through the instrumentality of faith. And the Christian life is a life of faith from beginning to end (Romans 1:17).

Faith is so much more than acknowledging God's existence, though this is of course necessary to faith. Faith is so much more than confessing the right theology, though this is also necessary for healthy faith.

Faith is a daily submission to God's control. Faith is submitting ourselves to the idea that God is indeed in control of our lives and it is better for God to be in control than for us to be in control. Faith is a daily saying: "Not my will, by thy will be done."

Everyone is a control freak. We all sinfully seek to control our lives and attain and fulfill our own desires at all costs. But this is the opposite of faith. Faith says: "God is in control and God should be in control." Unbelief says: "God is not in control and I need to be in control." Faith submits to what God wants for me and not try to foolishly compete with him for control.

How's your faith doing today?

 

[redleghunter]

How's your faith doing today?

Constantly learning the lessons of your OP. God is in control, His will be done.

 

[Jamsie]

"My God, I am willing that you should make me willing" - Absolute Surrender, Andrew Murray.

 

[Tree of Life]

Constantly learning the lessons of your OP. God is in control, His will be done.

It's so easy to forget these simple things. Every time we sin we are attempting to control our lives in some way and resisting God's control of our lives.

 

[tdidymas]

The Christian life is a life of faith. We are justified through the instrumentality of faith. And the Christian life is a life of faith from beginning to end (Romans 1:17).

Faith is so much more than acknowledging God's existence, though this is of course necessary to faith. Faith is so much more than confessing the right theology, though this is also necessary for healthy faith.

Faith is a daily submission to God's control. Faith is submitting ourselves to the idea that God is indeed in control of our lives and it is better for God to be in control than for us to be in control. Faith is a daily saying: "Not my will, by thy will be done."

Everyone is a control freak. We all sinfully seek to control our lives and attain and fulfill our own desires at all costs. But this is the opposite of faith. Faith says: "God is in control and God should be in control." Unbelief says: "God is not in control and I need to be in control." Faith submits to what God wants for me and not try to foolishly compete with him for control.

How's your faith doing today?

Sometimes it feels like I am "barely escaping from the ones who live in error" (2 Pet. 2:18). My consolation is the promise of God to purify my heart through Christ. I trust His promise, although I also see myself wavering between letting the Spirit direct me and trying to self-direct.

In this age of "right to choose" mentality, I think there is a confusion between the natural and the spiritual dimensions. How do we trust God to direct us, yet have the responsibility to make right choices? I think that few people understand the addiction to natural thinking, that free-will is the solution to the problem of sin. But free-will is autonomy, which is an arrogant detachment from God, and lack of submission to His will, since autonomy doesn't even consider God's will first before acting or decision making. This makes free-will the problem, not the solution. I think autonomy is the idol of the age.

And I've no doubt that my words will stir a hornet's nest.
TD

 

[Tree of Life]

Sometimes it feels like I am "barely escaping from the ones who live in error" (2 Pet. 2:18). My consolation is the promise of God to purify my heart through Christ. I trust His promise, although I also see myself wavering between letting the Spirit direct me and trying to self-direct.

In this age of "right to choose" mentality, I think there is a confusion between the natural and the spiritual dimensions. How do we trust God to direct us, yet have the responsibility to make right choices? I think that few people understand the addiction to natural thinking, that free-will is the solution to the problem of sin. But free-will is autonomy, which is an arrogant detachment from God, and lack of submission to His will, since autonomy doesn't even consider God's will first before acting or decision making. This makes free-will the problem, not the solution. I think autonomy is the idol of the age.

And I've no doubt that my words will stir a hornet's nest.
TD

Indeed we must freely choose to submit our wills to God's will.

 

[redleghunter]

Every time we sin we are attempting to control our lives in some way and resisting God's control of our lives.

I would consider the above axiomatic.

 

[redleghunter]

The will of God vs. Jonah's free will:

Jonah 1: NASB
1The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

4The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. 5Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. 6So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”

7Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”

10Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” 13However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. 14Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O LORD, have done as You have pleased.”

15So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

​

Once again, of course God wins. ​

 

[tdidymas]

Indeed we must freely choose to submit our wills to God's will.

How do you do that if your will is in bondage against it?
John 8:32 "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."
TD

 

[Tree of Life]

How do you do that if your will is in bondage against it?
John 8:32 "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."
TD

Only if the Son sets you free.

John 8:36 - "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

 

[david tyler]

AMEN

 

[royal priest]

The Father must take us from ourselves or else we never release our attachment to self.

Take me, O my Father, take me;
Take me, save me, through Thy Son;
That which Thou wouldst have me, make me,
Let Thy will in me be done.
Long from Thee my footsteps straying,
Thorny proved the way I trod;
Weary come I now, and praying,
Take me to Thy love, my God.

Fruitless years with grief recalling,
Humbly I confess my sin;
At Thy feet, O Father, falling,
To Thy household take me in.
Freely now to Thee I proffer
This relenting heart of mine;
Freely life and soul I offer,
Gift unworthy love like Thine.

Once the world's Redeemer, dying,
Bore our sins upon the tree;
On that sacrifice relying,
Now I look in hope to Thee:
Father, take me; all forgiving,
Fold me to Thy loving breast;
In Thy love for ever living
I must be for ever blest
--Ray Palmer, 1864

 

[Jonaitis]

The Christian life is a life of faith. We are justified through the instrumentality of faith. And the Christian life is a life of faith from beginning to end (Romans 1:17).

Faith is so much more than acknowledging God's existence, though this is of course necessary to faith. Faith is so much more than confessing the right theology, though this is also necessary for healthy faith.

Faith is a daily submission to God's control. Faith is submitting ourselves to the idea that God is indeed in control of our lives and it is better for God to be in control than for us to be in control. Faith is a daily saying: "Not my will, by thy will be done."

Everyone is a control freak. We all sinfully seek to control our lives and attain and fulfill our own desires at all costs. But this is the opposite of faith. Faith says: "God is in control and God should be in control." Unbelief says: "God is not in control and I need to be in control." Faith submits to what God wants for me and not try to foolishly compete with him for control.

How's your faith doing today?

I think many persons view God has in control of the universe, but forget that God should have control of our actions, our desires, with all that concerns our personal and private life. It is true that to know God, we must be willing to let him rule our hearts and minds. Faith from beginning to end, resting that his will is the best, regardless of what it costs.

 

[tdidymas]

Only if the Son sets you free.

John 8:36 - "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Yes, it requires faith in Christ. It's a matter of trust, not choice. He is the Savior, not ourselves. We have to combine faith with submission, that God is the one doing the righteous acts through us. If we make it about our choice, we will fail at it. I've seen it in my own experience, and I observe it all around me. "If the Son sets you free..." then you're free. Just quoting the verse doesn't magically make it happen, because we still are subject to addictions. We are also subject to the deceptions of the age.
TD

 

[sunshineforJesus]

While I still struggle with doubt at times,I can see my faith growing and growing more all the time.
Gods been working on me so much,helping me to grow in him in lots of different ways.