Monday, April 16, 2007
Sacrifice
My sister-in-law HG sent me this quote by Joseph Smith regarding sacrifice: “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation." It's a high standard and it should be. But it's also what keeps me from affiliated myself with a specific belief system and organization - at least for the time-being. There are a variety of mostly little things that I'm just not willing to sacrifice. Taken individually, my objections would likely seem petty but taken together they're currently a big barrier for me to overcome.
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2 comments:
What are some of the "little things" you are not willing to give up? love you.
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You are torn because you are searching for a higher truth and because you have always been an honest man.
From the Bible the sacrifice has already been made. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to die for our sins so that we may have eternal life. There is no mortal human being that can be saved to eternal redemption or to be at peace with God without accepting the GRACE that God offers to every living human being.
People torture themselves to get God's love when they have it just by asking God for it. God knows by our very nature we are not perfect. Each one of us struggles with things like pride, lust, envy, an unforgiving heart, greed, etc.etc. and God knows sometimes we will overcome and sometimes we will not. Rules and regulations have never stopped mankind from straying. That is why Jesus asking a crowd about to stone a woman "who has not sinned cast the first stone" stopped every person dead cold in their tracks. Nobody could come forward. They all dropped their stones. Jesus did not shun the woman but rather she was converted and became a devoted follower. The woman did not become a follower because she sacrificed but because of God's love.
Are there consequences for bad actions. Yes. God does not condone or look the other way but God sees into the heart and knows exactly why somebody is doing things or are driven to do things. The person who is born surrounded by thieves and murderers will have a very different start then someone who is born into a family of ministers. We are all at different steps of a spirtual journey and God helps us get to the next step. Without God we cannot progress. The church can make someone a more moral person but not necessarily a true follower of God.
To accept the loving GRACE of God is so simple that so many people miss it. In our achievement oriented society it is so hard to accept.
People think that good deeds and all kinds of other sacrifice will impress God. Throughout the Bible the message is that God is not impressed at all.
I almost refused in front of a whole church full of people to become a Christian because I knew in my heart I was willful. I was in a state of panic because I was terrified and knew that God was aware of all my frailty. All I could think of was God you have to get me out of here. I am a total phony. I believe in you but my faith is not strong enough and my human side is weak. I was about to stand up and run out when the Bishop got up and the first thing out of his mouth was "It is impossible to be the perfect Christian. Only Jesus was the perfect Christian". I very happily became a Christian - a follower of Christ. I was not the perfect Christian then and I will never be the perfect Christian up until my death. But I truly believe God will be there when it is time for me to go home.
God has made the sacrifice already for you. He wants you with all your weaknesses and all your strengths. When you simply pray to God each day he will lead the way. And if you can do that through the fellowship of believers then it will make the journey easier. But like I knew from the time you were five you will question everything along the way. God created you and knows you inside and out.
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