“Christianity isn’t about following a list of rules. It’s about having an abundant life.”
This statement is passed around in the church a lot, and it is a loaded statement. LOADED. I have so much to say about it. It is a truth and a lie mixed together.
You see, as a Christian, you can live for Christ; or you can live for yourself.
You can be the Christian who only uses salvation as a get-out-of-hell-free card, or you can be the Christian who lives his or her life with gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice and lives according to the Bible.
There are commands in the Bible. Trying to wish them away won’t make them disappear. But don’t let the commands scare you or discourage you. You’ll never ever ever be able to follow them all, but you can be the Christian who tries to live in obedience to them.
I don’t know this from experience, but I think Christians will have the most abundant life when they are trying to please God.
Yes, Jesus came to give everyone abundant life; but I think the people who experience life most abundantly are the ones who are completely sold out for Jesus. (And they don’t get it right every time, by the way.)
It’s a lie that Christians have to obey the Bible to go to heaven. You can’t do anything to earn your salvation, and you can’t do anything to lose it.
HOWEVER…
Your life will not be full and rich if you are living for the empty pleasures of this world. You won’t have a very meaningful as a carnal Christian.
After all…
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15 NASB)
I hate when believers act like you don’t have to obey God’s commands. Okay, it is true that you don’t have to. You still have a free will as a believer, but you’ll live more fully if you are obedient. God blesses those who follow Him.
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are those who comply with His testimonies, and seek Him with all their heart. (Psalm 119:1-2 NASB)
Your life will be hard as a Christian trying to seek the Lord, but it will be harder if you’re running away from Him. When God is for you, no one can be against you (Romans 8:31).
Be on God’s path. Don’t try to wish away God’s commands for a worldly life.
It does sound good when people promise an abundant life as a Christian because we sometimes equate abundant with easy.
Trying to live a life that pleases God isn’t easy.
But it is truly abundant. It is rich, full, and complete. It isn’t full of temporary pleasures and happiness.
It is full of blessings.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 