Too Abstract

[Porpoise]

Sometimes I feel like Christianity is too abstract. I really want to grow spiritually but the things I hear from people and read in the bible just seem so fuzzy, like the words vaguely sound like they lead somewhere, but then they don't seem to actually translate into anything concrete. Like, if we abide in Christ we will bear fruit. Okay, I want to abide. I'll just do that. Simple, right? I'm just abiding. Wait, how do I know if I'm abiding or not? How do I know if his words are in me? I've read the NT, does that mean his words are in me? Sometimes I read parts of the NT again. Does that count? I think about the bible most days. I remember quotes from the bible. So, I'm abiding, right? Wait, what? Well maybe it's about being obedient and having this desire to follow him and do his will. I'm doing that, right? Wait, how do I know I'm doing that? Well I'm not intentionally disobeying. I haven't been stealing things or attacking people. So, I'm obedient, right? Wait a minute, I didn't really do those things before I was Christian, either. So what am I doing now to be obedient that I didn't do before I even believed in God?

I keep hearing about moment-to-moment surrender to God's will. I'd like to do that. I'll just do that right now! (silence) I'm surrendering, right? (nothing happens) Well, now what? (does anyone else feel like this when they try that?)

So I'm also supposed to trust God. Okay, I'll do that! I'm trusting, trusting, trusting. Wait what? How do I know if I'm trusting or not? What can I actually do to trust? I'm Christian, does that mean I'm doing enough to trust him?

If we seek God, we'll find him. So I just have to seek him, right? I can do that! I'm seeking. Wait, how do I know I'm seeking? How do I do that, how do I seek? I would like to be closer to God, does that mean I'm seeking him? What am I actually doing though?

I have to put God first in my life. Okay, I'll do that! Wait, how do I actually do that? What if I just put lots of effort into being spiritual, like reading the bible everyday and praying a lot? Does that mean I've put him first? What if somebody offered me a million dollars to give up my belief and I said "no", would that mean I'm putting him first?

Do you get what I mean? I really want to grow as a Christian, but sometimes the instructions seem like cotton candy, they look substantial and taste sweet at first but then they melt in your mouth and disappear. They never make it past words to turn into anything concrete, not because I don't want to but because I don't know how to, because the instructions were too abstract. It's one thing to want to make God the center of my life, but how do I actually, concretely do that? Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Halbhh]

I really want to grow spiritually but the things I hear from people and read in the bible just seem so fuzzy, like the words vaguely sound like they lead somewhere, but then they don't seem to actually translate into anything concrete. Like, if we abide in Christ we will bear fruit. Okay, I want to abide. I'll just do that. Simple, right? I'm just abiding. Wait, how do I know if I'm abiding or not? How do I know if his words are in me? I've read the NT, does that mean his words are in me?

Well, since this refers to John chapter 15 wording, which has been so helpful to me, I wonder if I could help on this part.

Ask yourself: In addition to abiding, having His words remain in you (John chapter 15), what is Christ asking you to also do that is very specific in John chapter 15?

It's also in John chapter 14 more broadly too, a specific to-do action. It's very specific in my view, but it helps so much to hear it in His wording, and I think it's extremely helpful to most to hear it in a clear modern translation, like the NIV. Here's a link:

From the verse first verse of 14, you may find this compelling! I have.

John 14 NIV

Continue, taking your time, into 15. Now, you can see the very specific things you are to do?

It helps to see that same general instruction from another gospel and another passage. Here we see this in Matthew 7 --

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”


What words of His are we to do? This is part of chapter 7, and one good place to review commands might be starting from the beginning of the chapter.

And that would make you read very fully and carefully the verses on seeking, verses 7 through 12 (notice 12 is included usually as part of that passage).

Ask, and you will receive -- that's right there in John chapter 14 isn't it! (we can look again and again, verses 13 and 14 for instance)

And we hear it in John chapter 15.

See? The same ask and you will receive as in as Matthew 7: 7-12

Solomon asked for wisdom.

What will you ask for?

One time I could not forgive a neighbor "from your heart" as Christ said to.... So I asked that my heart be changed to forgive her.

He changed it. I asked, and I recieved.

You can too.

Continuing to think of the "do" (or "put into practice" in the NIV) in Matthew chapter 7:24-27, we sense this is even broader than just Matthew chapter 7. Here we are still inside the Sermon on the Mount, and that beginning is at the start of chapter 5, so that's the place to begin to review these things He says to us to put into practice.

We are going to learn a lot about how to do "Love one another" well in these chapters!

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Sometimes I feel like Christianity is too abstract. I really want to grow spiritually but the things I hear from people and read in the bible just seem so fuzzy, like the words vaguely sound like they lead somewhere, but then they don't seem to actually translate into anything concrete. Like, if we abide in Christ we will bear fruit. Okay, I want to abide. I'll just do that. Simple, right? I'm just abiding. Wait, how do I know if I'm abiding or not? How do I know if his words are in me? I've read the NT, does that mean his words are in me? Sometimes I read parts of the NT again. Does that count? I think about the bible most days. I remember quotes from the bible. So, I'm abiding, right? Wait, what? Well maybe it's about being obedient and having this desire to follow him and do his will. I'm doing that, right? Wait, how do I know I'm doing that? Well I'm not intentionally disobeying. I haven't been stealing things or attacking people. So, I'm obedient, right? Wait a minute, I didn't really do those things before I was Christian, either. So what am I doing now to be obedient that I didn't do before I even believed in God?

I keep hearing about moment-to-moment surrender to God's will. I'd like to do that. I'll just do that right now! (silence) I'm surrendering, right? (nothing happens) Well, now what? (does anyone else feel like this when they try that?)

So I'm also supposed to trust God. Okay, I'll do that! I'm trusting, trusting, trusting. Wait what? How do I know if I'm trusting or not? What can I actually do to trust? I'm Christian, does that mean I'm doing enough to trust him?

If we seek God, we'll find him. So I just have to seek him, right? I can do that! I'm seeking. Wait, how do I know I'm seeking? How do I do that, how do I seek? I would like to be closer to God, does that mean I'm seeking him? What am I actually doing though?

I have to put God first in my life. Okay, I'll do that! Wait, how do I actually do that? What if I just put lots of effort into being spiritual, like reading the bible everyday and praying a lot? Does that mean I've put him first? What if somebody offered me a million dollars to give up my belief and I said "no", would that mean I'm putting him first?

Do you get what I mean? I really want to grow as a Christian, but sometimes the instructions seem like cotton candy, they look substantial and taste sweet at first but then they melt in your mouth and disappear. They never make it past words to turn into anything concrete, not because I don't want to but because I don't know how to, because the instructions were too abstract. It's one thing to want to make God the center of my life, but how do I actually, concretely do that? Has anyone else had this problem?

Jesus said the two most important commands are to "love the LORD your God with all of your heart, and your neighbour a your self". It is simple love God, and love others. You probably need to put a focus on just living your life. Enjoying what you do. But incorporate God into that life. There is a balance in the word of God on one side there is the spiritual on the other side is the natural. God does not want us polarised on just the spiritual, and he does not want us polarised just on the natural. If you can learn to love your life, you can learn to love God.

As for the spiritual side, having God's word in your heart, is a mixture of knowing God himself, and knowing his word to us in the bible. You can't know God without the bible, for it tells us who God is. But there is a general knowing of God that occurs over time. Along side just enjoying life, set aside daily time to bible read, and pray.

 

[eleos1954]

Sometimes I feel like Christianity is too abstract. I really want to grow spiritually but the things I hear from people and read in the bible just seem so fuzzy, like the words vaguely sound like they lead somewhere, but then they don't seem to actually translate into anything concrete. Like, if we abide in Christ we will bear fruit. Okay, I want to abide. I'll just do that. Simple, right? I'm just abiding. Wait, how do I know if I'm abiding or not? How do I know if his words are in me? I've read the NT, does that mean his words are in me? Sometimes I read parts of the NT again. Does that count? I think about the bible most days. I remember quotes from the bible. So, I'm abiding, right? Wait, what? Well maybe it's about being obedient and having this desire to follow him and do his will. I'm doing that, right? Wait, how do I know I'm doing that? Well I'm not intentionally disobeying. I haven't been stealing things or attacking people. So, I'm obedient, right? Wait a minute, I didn't really do those things before I was Christian, either. So what am I doing now to be obedient that I didn't do before I even believed in God?

I keep hearing about moment-to-moment surrender to God's will. I'd like to do that. I'll just do that right now! (silence) I'm surrendering, right? (nothing happens) Well, now what? (does anyone else feel like this when they try that?)

So I'm also supposed to trust God. Okay, I'll do that! I'm trusting, trusting, trusting. Wait what? How do I know if I'm trusting or not? What can I actually do to trust? I'm Christian, does that mean I'm doing enough to trust him?

If we seek God, we'll find him. So I just have to seek him, right? I can do that! I'm seeking. Wait, how do I know I'm seeking? How do I do that, how do I seek? I would like to be closer to God, does that mean I'm seeking him? What am I actually doing though?

I have to put God first in my life. Okay, I'll do that! Wait, how do I actually do that? What if I just put lots of effort into being spiritual, like reading the bible everyday and praying a lot? Does that mean I've put him first? What if somebody offered me a million dollars to give up my belief and I said "no", would that mean I'm putting him first?

Do you get what I mean? I really want to grow as a Christian, but sometimes the instructions seem like cotton candy, they look substantial and taste sweet at first but then they melt in your mouth and disappear. They never make it past words to turn into anything concrete, not because I don't want to but because I don't know how to, because the instructions were too abstract. It's one thing to want to make God the center of my life, but how do I actually, concretely do that? Has anyone else had this problem?

Ephesians 5

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

[Tolworth John]

have to put God first in my life. Okay, I'll do that! Wait, how do I actually do that?

A simple way of doing this is to live by the 10 commandments.

 

[longwait]

A simple way of doing this is to live by the 10 commandments.

Yes, that and the sermon on the mount.

 

[John Bowen]

Jesus told us the "Kingdom of God is within you " " You have to be as little children to enter the kingdom" "You have to put on the wedding garment to enter the wedding feast " " The kingdom of God does not come with observation" " You have to remove the beam in your eye " All of these describe changing your mind set raising your consciousness working on it. You will know intuitively what you should study you will get insights to follow .Just keep asking Jesus what you need to see.

 

[Greg J.]

...
Well maybe it's about being obedient and having this desire to follow him and do his will. I'm doing that, right? Wait, how do I know I'm doing that? Well I'm not intentionally disobeying. I haven't been stealing things or attacking people. So, I'm obedient, right? Wait a minute, I didn't really do those things before I was Christian, either. So what am I doing now to be obedient that I didn't do before I even believed in God?
...

Stopping all intentional sinning is only a small part of what it means to be obedient. Here's more. I don't recommend you start on everything in the list.

Basically, take the goal of being a disciple of Jesus more seriously. Your overall goal is to know the Lord like you know another person face-to-face. Understanding Scripture is a big part of that. So is prayer and doing the kinds of things Jesus did (summarized as "be obedient"). Stop living each day for what is best for yourself, but rather doing the things that will help others (especially if they will draw people to Jesus).

A typical activity for a follower of Christ is to regularly be serving the people of your church in some capacity. For your own benefit, tithe fully. Love others: sacrificing what you want for what other people need. An hour a day of Bible study and an hour of worship+prayer is a good. Fast twice a week. Your goal is not to do these things as rote necessities, but to seek God. Seek to know what gifts God has given you to use for his kingdom. Seek to know what God wants you to do for him. With patience, ask Him for what you want Him to do for you and persist in asking.

Mind you, none of this is to be right with God or even to stay right with God. It is some ways to draw closer to him. Then he will draw closer to you.

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14:21, 1984 NIV)