To Live is Christ — with a soft heart

A challenging truth about Christian living is that I cannot live by rules. The Bible is full of them, but I still need to discern what is important for each situation. Which “rule” do I obey when?

For instance, the Bible says we are saved by faith, not works. Some grab that as an excuse for not getting involved in Christian service. They say they believe and that is enough. However, James wrote that faith without works is dead. While it challenges the person who does no works, there are others who grab that as their reason for attempting to earn their salvation by works.

I know that sin makes us do things like that with Scripture. Sin is wanting things “my way” instead of God’s way. In the above example, the Holy Spirit teaches me that while I cannot earn my salvation by doing good things, if I am genuinely saved, my life will change. He will produce good things in obedience to God. Those who have Jesus living in their hearts know that good works are the result of salvation, not the cause.

There are many other commands in Scripture. Some of them seem to conflict, and get polarized, just as the faith/works concept. The one that I’ve had the biggest struggle with concerns speech and silence. The Bible says I must tell others about Jesus Christ. Yet I can do that in the wrong way and be shoving it down someone’s throat.

The Bible also tells me to control my tongue. Yet I can do that in the wrong way too. Instead of speaking up, I can be quiet when someone needs to hear about Christ and the gospel.

My devotional verse offers the suggestion of another extreme. It speaks of the patience of God and speaks to me about my impatience and my need to repent and trust Him. 

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

For me, this means trusting God in all things, including His seeming slowness regarding the return of Christ. It says that He has a good reason for delaying that event, and that I need to get my life in order.

However, some think that they have all the time in the world to get their life in order. They say “later” when it comes to spiritual matters. They want to have their fun or do their own thing. They will consider Christ when they are old (assuming that old age will happen).

The other end of this patience/wait comes from a passage in Hebrews. The gist of it is do not wait; the time is now . . . 

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:8–15)

If God is speaking to a person’s heart, they must respond immediately, not think that He is patient and they have lots of time. Refusing to listen does not buy time — it hardens the heart so that the next time God speaks, His voice might not be heard.

For me, these thoughts beg the question: when do I wait for God to act, and when do I obey and do something right now? I’m not to harden my own heart and disobey Him, but when do I display the patience of God regarding others? And when do I urge someone to obey Him right now?

The Bible does not give pat answers to questions like this. Instead, God offers me a relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit is my guide who brings the commands of God to mind — at the appropriate time. Sometimes He wants me to speak, to urge. Sometimes He wants me to listen, to shut up, to wait.

Without the Holy Spirit, I could never discern the will of God for me at any given moment. He is that still small voice, the One who comes alongside and says, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)

As these other passages of Scripture say, “walking in it” means repent from my own sin, obey God, and keep my heart soft.