Living between tolerance and hypocrisy
If you want to “fail to do the duty” established by God, what can you do to have peace?I see at least five possible strategies.
- 1.
- You can avoid thinking about “duty”.
- It is the most common strategy in the world.
- A lot of people just don’t put the energy into thinking about what to do and what they shouldn’t do.
- It’s easier to let the radio ring.
2. You can reinterpret the “duty” to make it look like your “desire”. It’s a little more sophisticated; therefore, it is not very common. This usually requires a specialized education, which is done with credibility; or graduating from a seminary can do so with refinement (I firmly believe in special education and seminary!).
3. Can you gather the powers of your will to fulfill a form of “duty” even if you do not have the “will” in your heart?This seems very good and is often misunderstood as a virtue, even by those who do. In fact, there is a philosophy that says, “Duty without will is the essence of true virtue. “The problem with this philosophy is that Paul said, “Does God love those who give with joy?”(2 Corinthians 9:7). Does this place those who contribute?In a precarious situation.
4. Can you feel remorse for the fact that you?Is it too small and fragile,, like a mustard seed. So, if you have the ability, do it. Duty? By the effort of the will, while he regrets that his?Want to be weak and pray that it will soon be restored. Maybe it will even be restored while you do your duty. This is not hypocrisy. Hypocrisy hides the absence of “wanting” and pretends it exists. Virtue confesses a deficient desire in the hope that grace will forgive and restore.
5. By grace, you can seek God, that He may give you the “will”, so that when it comes time to fulfill “duty”, you may have the “will”. In the end, he? Love is a gift from God. “Is the spirit of the flesh hostile to God?And can’t they submit to God’s law? (Romans 8. 7?Author translation). Can’t natural man understand the things of the Spirit of God?Why are they spiritually appreciated? (1 Corinthians 2:14?Author translation). ” In the hope that God will grant you?Repent to fully know the truth? (2 Timothy 2. 25).
The biblical doctrine of original sin comes down to this (taken from Augustine): we are free to do what we want, but we are not free to love what we want. “By the disobedience of a man [Adam], did many become sinners?(Romans 5:19). This is our condition. And we know, based on our own hearts and the scriptures, that we are responsible for corrupting our “will. “In fact, the better we become, the more embarrassed we are of being mean, and not just of hurting. As NP Williams said: “The common man may be ashamed to practice what is wrong, but the saint, endowed with the greatest refinement of moral sensitivity and the insightful powers of introspection, is ashamed to be the kind of person who is subject to practice, what is wrong?(quoted in Edward Oakes, “Original Sin: A Disputation”, First Things, No. 87, November 1998, p. 24).
God’s sovereign and spontaneous work to change the heart is our only hope. Therefore, we must ask for a new heart. Should we pray that He will give us?”? Tilt my heart to your testimonies and not to greed?(Psalm 119. 36). Rejoice in the soul of your servant, for I raise my soul to you, Lord?(Psalm 86. 4) God promised to do this: “Will I put my Spirit in you and make you walk in my statutes?(Ezekiel 36. 27). This is the new covenant bought with the blood of Jesus (see Hebrews 8:8-13; 9:15). “Wherefore, let us go confidently to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace for timely help?(Hebrews 4: Sixteen).
Devotion of John Piper’s book Provai e Vede
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