Appropriately, this treatise is founded on my many years of radically practicing “The Way of Christ” – a method of living clearly described by Jesus in the Gospels of the Bible.  So often, we read or hear a Truth and make excuses for it.  We read that we should “Love our enemies”, and yet assume that means “everyone but terrorists.”  We hear that we should not worry and let “today’s troubles be enough for today”, and yet rationalize that it’s still OK to plan for the future, fill our savings accounts, &/or sign legal contracts with others; hoping to guarantee a “security” that God apparently cannot.  I, too, used to read Sacred Wisdoms in this manner.  I, too, read the words of Jesus and rationalized that they could not be literally applied to my life.  And so in the beginning phases of my Grand Experiment I only tested them “safely” – only practiced them “reasonably”; never going all out, and never truly pushing their apparent limits.

 

Of course, applying his Divine Truths half-heartedly only reaped me half-hearted benefits.  I still struggled with feelings of sadness, frustration and meaninglessness when I did so.  It did not comfort me the think I was going to Heaven after I died – as that hope seemed hollow & selfish.  Deep within, I simply KNEW that there was so much more to this Life and its Living … and I kept searching for it diligently, though more via written words and impassioned tones than courageous actions.

So one day, after reading the New Testament for perhaps the twelfth time (having heeded the Bible’s call to focus more on the New than the Old — see Hebrews 7:18-19, Hebrews 7:22, Hebrews 8:6-7, Hebrews 8:13, and Hebrews 10:9), I decided to completely give up my old way of “living” and radically follow Jesus’ advice found therein — every single verse of it.  I first identified all of Jesus’ admonitions related to “The Way” and what living that Way in its purest sense entails (see Matthew 4:4, 4:7, 4:10, 5:3-11, 5:16, 5:19, 5:39, 5:42, 5:44, 5:48, 6:3, 6:9-13, 6:14, 6:19-20, 6:25, 6:34, 7:1-2, 7:12, 8:20, 10:7-9, 10:12, 12:49-50, 18:4, 18:21-22, 19:21, 19:29, 22:30, 22:36-40, 23:12, 26:39 and Mark 1:13, 1:22, 1:35, 10:15, 10:21, 10:29, 11:25, 12:29-31, 12:43-44, 13:10, 14:36 and Luke 6:27-31, 6:37, 8:1, 9:5, 11:41, 12:11-12, 12:15, 12:22, 12:33, 14:8-10, 14:33, 17:20-21, 18:17, 18:29-30, 21:4, 22:42, 23:34 and John 3:3-8, 7:24, 8:15, 8:50, 10:25, 10:37-38, 12:47, 13:1, 13:34, 14:15, 14:23, 15:4, 15:12, 20:23) and then I simply assumed that he had meant exactly what was written in the texts… and then I simply set out to literally act accordingly.

 

Of course, “on paper”, living this way was considered to be “dangerous”, and “irresponsible” — even “rebellious.”  And it took no small measure of courage to actually take that first great Leap of Faith.  And yet I made that leap and have been radically living The Way ever since.  And throughout the years I have done so, I have never been happier; never felt more content; and never proven to be more Power-fully Effective in my life … It was (and still is) a Beauty-full Way of Living; one filled with Peace and Love and a deeply intimate relationship with the Divine (or “God” – or however you might define that Celestial Source to be).

Along with this deep-seated sense of inner peace, my life “in Christ” has allowed me to re-discover some amazing truths about the Word of God that are not readily available to the average church-going Christian.  The most important one of these truths is that God is actively communicating with us all in every moment of our lives.  Just as important – I realized that we can all quite readily access that information – that we can all literally Hear what God has to say; and as such, we can all clearly know God’s Will!  And, perhaps most importantly of all, no one need copy my “radical lifestyle” in order to hear that Divine Guidance.

So, for both those Christians who are already certain of their post-mortem Salvation, as well as those others who feel a bit “lost” and yet have not abandoned hope for living a Meaning-full life, this article offers an awakening to a “fresh Faith” – a Way of Living powerfully &  literally “in Christ.”  The grace of God’s Will is His greatest gift, and this epistle shines a clear light upon that grace — a beacon that all Christians (indeed, that all the members of any religion) can use to illuminate their respective lives; a practical method to Truth-filled living; a “hearing aid” which all human beings can use to know God’s Will for their lives.

“Nothing is covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing is secret that will not become known.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:26)

 

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” ~ John 1:16

 

“Anyone who resolves to do the Will of God will know whether the teaching is from God … Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the Glory of Him who sent me is true.”~ Jesus (John 7:17-18)

 

“The Word is near you; on your lips and in your Heart … Be transformed in the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the Will of God.” ~ Romans 10:8+12:2

 

“For we are God’s servants … You are God’s field; God’s building … Each builder must choose with care how to build on [the foundation of God’s Grace] … Do you not know that you are God’s Temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells within you?” ~ 1 Corinthians 3:9-10+16

 

“Let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God Called you.” ~ 1 Corinthians 7:17

 

“With the eyes of your Heart enlightened, you may come to know the hope to which God has Called you.” ~ Ephesians 1:18

 

“Lead a life worthy of the Calling to which you have been Called … making every effort to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the body of Peace.” ~ Ephesians 4:1

 

“Do the Will of God.  Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to mere men and women.” ~ Ephesians 6:6-7

 

“Therefore my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own Salvation with awe & reverence; for it is God at work in you, enabling you both to intend and to work for his Will.” ~ Philippians 2:12-13

 

“Indeed, the Word of God is living and active … It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the Heart.” ~ Hebrews 4:12

 

“And the Word of God abides within you.” ~ 1 John 2:14

 

“And the Spirit is the one who testifies, for the Spirit is the Truth.” ~ 1 John 5:6

 

 

Even though living exactly as Jesus lived is obviously a very power-full Way to knowing a sense of perfect contentment, it is not necessary to do so to experience the Grace of which he speaks.  Indeed, it is not even necessary to “be a good Christian” to live The Way he encourages.  The truths Jesus preached are general guidelines for all humans, designed to allow everyone to more effectively design their own paths to Salvation (“Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given … Let anyone accept it who can.” ~ Jesus in Matthew 19:11-12 & “I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them.” ~ Jesus in John 12:47).  Indeed, to obtain the inner peace of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is only necessary for us to incorporate the truths underlying Jesus’ Way into our current lives (“Everyone who does what is Right is righteous, just as God is righteous.” ~ 1 John 3:7 & “Love is from God; everyone who Loves is born of God and knows God.” ~ 1 John 4:7).

To make this clearer, every sentence that follows is supported by verses of Scripture (well over 400 of them!), showing clearly that what I have experienced (and am now professing) is not merely “my idea”, but rather is simply a more representative way to both honor the Word of God found in the Bible and to abide by (i.e. “worship”) the Way of Jesus Christ …

Filed under: Knowing God's Will by Scaughdt