I have been praying and thinking about this topic for more than a few years now, and recently, over the last few months, it has been a more pervasive topic on my mind. I wonder if the Apostle Paul ever got depressed. I wonder if it was important to him to stay happy all the time, or if speaking the truth in love was more important to him, even if it meant "sounding negative" about sin, about the flesh, and about our need for Jesus to see us through our darkness, rather than lifting ourselves up through feel good thoughts of our own. Does the call to "be light and salt" mean to only speak words that comfort our flesh? Or does it require us to speak the words that maintain the sinfulness and vileness of our flesh, and the only good coming from Christ alone? And why does that seem negative to some (many?) people, when it is the ONLY TRUTH that matters? The fact is many people are headed for hell, and that many Christians are too concerned about their own feelings (I also include myself in this number) to truly speak out the truth to the hellbound, to remind them of the truth about hell, and of forgiveness... and about the deceitfulness of our flesh, but instead only speak words that will bring ourselves "kudos" from those who likewise want their feelings stroked. Sigh.
Yes it is good to say uplifting words of comfort and joy and thanksgiving. ...however, our thanksgiving and our uplifting words are not to the edifying of the flesh, but to the sharing of the good news of the fact that this flesh will be put to death, by a loving God, who brings us to Himself, to keep us from having to go to hell. Those are truly the only things that we truly need to remember to be thankful for every day, and to remind others of, regardless of how they will "feel" about it.
Just some sobering thoughts.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Yes it is good to say uplifting words of comfort and joy and thanksgiving. ...however, our thanksgiving and our uplifting words are not to the edifying of the flesh, but to the sharing of the good news of the fact that this flesh will be put to death, by a loving God, who brings us to Himself, to keep us from having to go to hell. Those are truly the only things that we truly need to remember to be thankful for every day, and to remind others of, regardless of how they will "feel" about it.
Just some sobering thoughts.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
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