Sunday: A Relationship With Christ
Love of worldly possessions, even by those who don’t have much, can be a powerful chain that binds the soul to the world instead of to Christ. Even if we don’t have much in terms of earthly possessions, the passionate desire to attain material goods can become a terrible curse that will, if not brought under the control of the Lord, lead a soul away from salvation. Satan knows this, which is why he uses the love of material possessions to ensnare as many as he possibly can.
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What is our only protection?
“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2, NKJV). How do we do what Paul tells us to do? (See also Ps. 119:11, Eph. 6:18.)
What other texts can you find that talk about what we should be keeping our mind focused on? (See, for example, Phil. 4:8.)
The only cure for worldliness, in whatever form it comes, is a continual devotion to Christ (Ps. 34:1) through the ups and downs of life. Moses “regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt” (Heb. 11:26, NIV). Before any other relationship, Christ must be our first priority. Christ is looking for a commitment based on conviction, not on preference; that is, we must be devoted to Christ because of who He is and what He has done for us, not because of any immediate advantages our faith and commitment to Him might bring.
Our lives are to be hidden in Jesus, and His plans are to be our plans. True commitment is putting our hand to the plow without “looking back” (Luke 9:62, NKJV). When we make that kind of commitment, Jesus elevates us to our full potential. When we surrender to Him, He will break the world’s hold upon our souls. We must become Christ-centered instead of stuff-centered; that alone will fill the void in our lives.
| Think about a time you acquired a material possession, something that you really wanted badly. How long did the joy and fulfillment last before it faded away and you were right back where you started? |
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I think we try to find our security and our value in material things. However, if we will look at the mission of Jesus and see the value God puts on us, we would only need His Spirit of Love for our motivation to produce the actions that lead to a valuable life.
Material things don't produce our true value.
If we will choose to let God be our employer and cooperate with Him in life, we will have perfect security that does not depend on material things or even money. I'm not saying that we won't have things and money, but I'm saying our security will not be based on material things or money.
Matt. 6:33 is Jesus' formula for financial and material security and value in our lives. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
I think that's it because he loves us. I think the emphasis of being in relationship with God and the 'turn your eyes on Jesus' is the way that the things of the earth grown dim. I don't think it's like mind over matter...it is a deepening relationship with Him, through His word.
Jesus assured His Apostles, after telling the "Rich Young Ruler," to sell all and give to the poor, Mark 10:21 that no one that would do what he challenged that Rich fellow to do would receive essentially more than that "Rich Man," when they did it for Jesus and His Kingdom here on this earth and then they would have also eternal life. Mark 10:29,30
Today's lesson states: "Christ is looking for a commitment based on conviction, not on preference; that is, we must be devoted to Christ because of who He is and what He has done for us, not because of any immediate advantages our faith and commitment to Him might bring". It therefore proposes/implies that commitment to Christ that is motivated by any immediate advantage that our faith and commitment to him might bring is a wrong motivation and that it should not be our primary motivation.
How can this be when Jesus said that He came that we might have life abundant (Jn 10:10)? If I desire to live the life that Jesus came for me to live - the kind of life that results from living in a Christ-like manner via development of a Christ-like character where I find joy in serving and honoring God and serving others, why is that wrong (according to the lesson)?
Preference changes many times in a life! When I was younger I preferred blue clothes, now I realize that red looks better and I prefer red! Commitment doesn't change so easily! A strong marriage stays intact because of commitment, not because of emotions! All relationships are stronger with commitment (which seems to be a lost art in the 21st century).
Hi Sharon.
What you say is true. However, the lesson is not comparing commitment versus preference - it is comparing commitment based on conviction with commitment based on preference. It is suggesting that commitment should not be based on any immediate advantages that our faith and commitment to Christ might bring. So, I am no closer yet to understanding why the lesson has suggested that such is a wrong motivation.
I find that in my experience it is a daily choice, even a moment by moment choice to choose Jesus above all else. I also have found that when I study the word more deeply (Proverbs 2) and I seek to get to know God's thoughts better, my compulsion to choose Christ increases.
The passionate desire to attain material things is a satanic snare. Think about betting. Satan has ensnared many in this curse. How many betting ads can you watch,read or hear from the media? Why are betting machines everywhere even in poor countries in Africa. People are betting even in church when the sermon is going on.
If our daily focus is on Christ and His sacrifice of love our walk will automatically be a commitment-centered one, rather than preference-centered.
Who among us can accept this great sacrifice for our sins and not choose to commit our lives to Christ- this goes beyond a mere preference.
Colossian 3:1-14 is the key to today topic...Read it from a different translation.
Tau Esay; you may like to expand on your comment and say why you think this passage is relevant to this discussion.
Don’t forget we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. We are not God.We depend on His Grace and Righteousness, not ours. We live in a material world and we buy stuffs. But only if we love our possessions and count our possessions instead of being thankful that we fall into the trap of Satan. God said He will provide for us and bless us. But a thankful heart is the only way of getting away from the trap of materialism and possession glorification.
We give thanks to God before having our meals because we thank God for providing us with food and to bless the food. Therefore, whatever we have, we do the same thing and thank God for providing and ask for blessing that whatever God gave us, we can use it to bless others.
Irene, do you think that we have to keep sinning because we have sinned in the past? Or do we have to just keep calling ourselves sinners if we did even one sin in the past? Is it not possible for us to overcome sin and selfishness in our lives? Is it OK to continue in sin and ignore the Grace and Spirit of God?
When our commitment is based on preference for some real or percieved advantage, it is likely that if it does
n't materialize, then we would cease to be committed. On the contrary, if it is not motivated by preference, the commitment would still be there, even if there were no apparent advantages. As one hymn said, " for I Know what e're befalls me Jesus doeth all things well."
Jesus is worthy.
A prayerful life & a diligent Bible Study will not only bring peace and joy to one's soul but will also be a blessing to others by leading them to the Savior.
There is a comment on Sunday that is talking about commitment to Christ and it says that a commitment is based on "conviction, not on preference". I would like to know an example of "preference". There must be a distinction between the two if it is as important as purported to be. I know what conviction is. Commitment is the word.
I don't think desiring good things is wrong. I think selfishness is the condition that leads us away from God to destruction.
Hi Paul
It would appear the lesson used to word 'preference' to mean a motivation based on experiencing "any immediate advantages our faith and commitment to Him might bring". The dictionary defines preference as doing something because you like it more than some other alternative/option.
Hence, the lesson appears to be implying that we should not be motivated to make a commitment to Christ based on the "immediate advantages" that our commitment brings.
I too raised this topic in my comment because I frequently see reference in the lesson (and in many people's comments/responses) to our motivation to commit to Christ because we 'should' - because we "owe" him, because he "owns", us, etc (2 words that have been used by the lesson this past 2 weeks).
If we step back and look at what is often held up to be our motivation for commitment to Christ, that motivation is obligation-based. While it is true that God has done everything for us and that without Him we are nothing and have no hope of anything, I seriously doubt that God wants our love to be based on a sense of obligation (I only have to think whether I would want my partner, children or friends to love me because they were obligated to in order to arrive at that conclusion). In fact, I would assert that obligation-based love cannot be actual love because actual/true love can only come from a base of absolute freedom to love ... or not love.
Have I responded to the point you were raising - or have I missed something you were asking?
True Love comes from God through the Holy Spirit and cannot be derived by human effort. Love is fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The Faith of Jesus also is a product of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We can have it by choosing to let God have His way in our lives.
When we give of ourselves completely to Christ, we are living a life of willing obedience to all His requirements. A wounderful experience then happens Paul, Christ with all the treasures of heaven gives Himself to us. Christ Object Lessions, chapter 9, page 116. Preference in the lesson could be talking about feelings. And conviction involves principles. Though I am sure your preference as well as mine is Christ.
There is a comment from another source that is a good explanation of commitment. After you have crossed a river, burning the bridge afterward is true commitment. The point being made is, commitment to Christ is not a temporary plan. Galatians2:20 is used as a reference to help. It says Faith in the Son of God is the way to accomplish our Spiritual needs. We are well aware of the failures that we encounter. 1John 1:9,If we confess our sins, He "God" is faithful and just to forgive us our sins- and cleans us from all unrighteousness . A promise that we can cling to in our finite weakened condition.
Some years ago, even though I was already a 7th-Day Adventist, I would train 6 days a week and my spiritual and family life were left aside. I trained really hard and due to my crazy routine, I would see my son only three times a week; he would be sleeping when I left home and already be sound asleep when I arrived back.
I trained very hard for a South-American regatta and everyone expected me to clinch the gold medal. I was confident, but the Holy Spirit impressed me to pray to God, which I did. I asked Him to grant the victory only if I could handle the consequences of such a feat. On the day of the regatta I made a very serious mistake which resulted in a major loss; I arrived last.
After a couple of months whining about my defeat, I finally remembered my prayer and it dawned on me the fact that, if I had won, I would have become even more obsessed with medals, which would have drawn me even farther from God's ways. After some reflection, I sold my boat and my spiritual and family life improved a great deal!
Congratulations on making this decision. I'm sure it came at a price. Blessings