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| Volume 23 Number 1 January 2021 |
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| Volume 23 Number 1 January 2021 |
Page 9 |
What Is God’s Will For Me?
Thomas Baxley
What is the will of God for me? God’s will for me is the same as it is for you, your neighbor, your family and everyone else on the planet. God’s will is for all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). God has done all He can do to accomplish this. Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins, rising on the third day as the Scriptures foretold (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This event, as well as how to respond to it, was recorded and preserved for us today. It really is this simple; to find out God’s will for you, all you have to do is read the Bible. The real question is whether or not you will follow it. Humanity has taken something simple and contorted it beyond recognition – both by adding to what God said in some places and taking away from His Word in other areas. It’s our duty as Christians to help those in the dark to find their way into the light so that they may learn and obey God’s will.
Thomas Baxley
The world has not gone crazy. It’s been that way for 6,000 years, and it shows no sign of changing. So, what are we as Christians supposed to do when the world is in such a mess? First of all, remember that God’s kingdom is not going anywhere (Daniel 2:44). The Christian’s citizenship is in Heaven. Therefore, don’t get too discouraged with what goes on down here. Secondly, our duty as Christians does not change with the shape of the world. We are called to be the lights of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). We are sowers tasked with sowing the seed (Matthew 13:1-9). We are to care for widows and orphans (James 1:27). We are to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, take care of the sick and visit those in prison (James 2:14-26; Matthew 23:31ff). Regardless of the state of the world, never forget that this world is not our home. Never stop loving God, and never stop loving your neighbor as yourself.
Goodness
Thomas Baxley
Christians are good people. You can be a good person and not be a Christian, but you cannot be a Christian and not be a good person. Christians love their neighbors as themselves (Matthew 22:39; Luke 10:25-37), they speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), they serve one another (Matthew 25:31-46) and they behave properly (Galatians 5:19-21). People can do good or kind things in unloving ways, just as one can speak the truth in unloving and unkind ways. If we do good things with wrong motives, we are fooling ourselves if we think we are honoring God. Our goal as Christians is to do the will of God with good motives, including being good persons.
Luck or Design?
Thomas Baxley
Renowned atheist Bertrand Russell was asked what he would say to God if he had the chance, to which he responded, “Why did you make it so hard to find you?” Is God really that hard to find? People often announce that they’ve “found God.” However, is He really hiding? I submit to you that God is not hiding and that evidence for Him is all around and overwhelming. Yet, we simply must be honest to see it. For example, why does life only exist on planet earth? Is it luck as atheists claim, or is it by design of a supreme, supernatural being (God)? Why is it that only our planet is the perfect distance away from the sun, has the perfect rotation speed, perfect axis tilt, has the perfect atmosphere, etc.? How many “perfections” do there need to be before men for them to be willing to admit that this goes beyond luck and is designed? The evidence supporting Genesis 1:1 is present, but we have to be honest enough to admit it (Romans 1:20).
Thomas Baxley is a young Gospel preacher, a husband and a father. He serves the Highway Nine Church of Christ in Piedmont, Alabama, USA.