... Living According To The Bible

Hi everyone! I just wanted to say that our God is an awesome God! My salvation is assured, so that is nothing to worry about.
I wanted to ask for some advice...

Before I moved to another country, I attended a non-denominational church... I thought that I was saved but realized later on that I wasn't. I didn't understand at the time what 'saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ' meant. When I moved here, my aunt, whom is a Baptist started to guide me and teach me through scripture... I really enjoyed the bible study and devotions we shared. I wanted to get on a spiritual level like my aunt. She told me, of course, from the guidance of her local church &pastor, she was able to get a better understanding of the Word. I understood what the importance of doctrine. And so a few months/year after moving , I committed to giving up my life to Jesus... live according to Gods will. It did take me 2 years to find a local church which has helped me grow in spirit & faith. The church I attend has solid doctrine backed up by scripture &I find joy in learning the Word of God... the thing is, I've been starting to question if I had been 'brainwashed'/closed minded because the pressure my aunt gave me on following Gods word? I mean, I know the Bible is our manual to life but sometimes it's like I am living to really just please her AND God. Does that make sense? I love the church, the people, what I am learning. But somethings seem a bit questionable. I'm scared that I'm doing things no longer in enjoyment but maybe I'm scared of God being disappointed in me? I don't want to disappoint him... but somethings that my aunt &cousin tell me are kind of questionable. For example: My cousin (a pastors wife by the way) was saying it's not biblical for a church to have a senior pastor &then other pastors. She said a church is to have 1 pastor, elders &deacons are ok. So therefore, I am getting an idea that I have to go to a totally independent church with only 1 pastor. Another thing is the use of drums at church. I understand the drums feed the flesh, but if a person listens to gospel songs with drums being played, with intention of praising God, is that bad? She was also saying it's not allowed to color the hair because it's not biblical... but c'mon! I know we must be living according to the bible but coloring the hair? It's not biblical to put on makeup, but I know Christian women still do. The not wearing jeans, I am starting to understand why a woman should refrain from using them...

When I go back to the states, I am not sure where to attend church... I want to live according to Gods purpose and I want to please him... I know theres no such thing as a perfect church, but a local church does help in guiding us..

I hope you all understand where I'm coming from.
 
I am in the Philippines... They are very conservative &life is different than America... I love what I am learning in the local church but sometimes I feel like if I don't do something a certain way, God will be disappointed with me. Like once, I was going to wear shorts &my aunt busts out the scripture. &of course since it was backed up by scripture... I felt terrible for wearing shorts b/c they aren't 'modest.'
The pastor doesn't enforce any of us to do anything, but he backs things up with scripture... The pressure I feel is more from my aunt and cousin... It has benefited me in a good way but also a bad way.... In a good way because I am growing spiritually... in a bad way because I feel if I dont attend a bible believers baptist church in the states, then I'll be 'lost' because I might be lead in a different path... What should I do Rusty?
 
I believe most of the pressure comes from what my aunt, and her methods of getting me to realize how to commit in giving my life up for Jesus. The pastor doesn't tell us we have to live a certain way, but since he backs things up with scripture (so does my aunt). I get this feeling like if I don't follow it, God is disappointed in me because hello, it's backed up in scripture. I shouldn't feel like this right? I'm starting to wonder, if Jesus Christ died on the cross, then why must I follow this or that? I know it's not right to sin but does the bible have to be followed word for word/taken seriously? The doctrine my church has is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ... but I've been feeling like attending a bible believers Baptist Church is the only 'right way' to live a life according to God's will BUT I know that is not true... My sister attends a non-denominational church and she is growing...

I don't know what to do... :( How do I please God, serve Him, glorify Him without feeling that I'm doing something wrong...
 
Hi everyone! I just wanted to say that our God is an awesome God! My salvation is assured, so that is nothing to worry about.
I wanted to ask for some advice...

Before I moved to another country, I attended a non-denominational church... I thought that I was saved but realized later on that I wasn't. I didn't understand at the time what 'saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ' meant. When I moved here, my aunt, whom is a Baptist started to guide me and teach me through scripture... I really enjoyed the bible study and devotions we shared. I wanted to get on a spiritual level like my aunt. She told me, of course, from the guidance of her local church &pastor, she was able to get a better understanding of the Word. I understood what the importance of doctrine. And so a few months/year after moving , I committed to giving up my life to Jesus... live according to Gods will. It did take me 2 years to find a local church which has helped me grow in spirit & faith. The church I attend has solid doctrine backed up by scripture &I find joy in learning the Word of God... the thing is, I've been starting to question if I had been 'brainwashed'/closed minded because the pressure my aunt gave me on following Gods word? I mean, I know the Bible is our manual to life but sometimes it's like I am living to really just please her AND God. Does that make sense? I love the church, the people, what I am learning. But somethings seem a bit questionable. I'm scared that I'm doing things no longer in enjoyment but maybe I'm scared of God being disappointed in me? I don't want to disappoint him... but somethings that my aunt &cousin tell me are kind of questionable. For example: My cousin (a pastors wife by the way) was saying it's not biblical for a church to have a senior pastor &then other pastors. She said a church is to have 1 pastor, elders &deacons are ok. So therefore, I am getting an idea that I have to go to a totally independent church with only 1 pastor. Another thing is the use of drums at church. I understand the drums feed the flesh, but if a person listens to gospel songs with drums being played, with intention of praising God, is that bad? She was also saying it's not allowed to color the hair because it's not biblical... but c'mon! I know we must be living according to the bible but coloring the hair? It's not biblical to put on makeup, but I know Christian women still do. The not wearing jeans, I am starting to understand why a woman should refrain from using them...

When I go back to the states, I am not sure where to attend church... I want to live according to Gods purpose and I want to please him... I know theres no such thing as a perfect church, but a local church does help in guiding us..

I hope you all understand where I'm coming from.

Not matter where you go or what church you attend, you will find other people living by ideals that don`t quite messure up to the written word. Even the best christians don`t get it all right. The lord wants us to be sober minded about the precepts of the scripture and check anything with the scripture when you would doubt something someone says about it. As about pleasing God and people, its your faith in God that pleases him, not how much you read the bible or go to church or how much good you try to do for him or other people. As for feeling brain washed and doubts, this is normal to feel this way as you your old nature fights your new nature to claim superiority over it. Dont suppress how you feel because it will do you more harm in the long run. Talk about these thing with the lord or a mature person in the faith.
 
Hey Rusty! I actually don't live under her roof... She visits me from time to time &I enjoy my time with her for she is a mature Christian... the other things that she has to say tho, aside from faith... it does get to me. It got to me so much that I basically thought that other people outside from this denomination, are wrong... BUT I know I have to pray on this and not care what she says because at the end of the day, the LORD knows my heart...

Thank you so much!
 
I guess all I can add here is that if you are living right-what difference does it make whether or not anyone tosses their own agenda at you 'using' scripture'? ;)

There is a reason we have Church persecuted martyrs...set your heart right with God. Paul said he had to 'die daily', 'crucify himself' to remind himself of the Lord sometimes. If Paul struggled....I think we might too. Remember what the message was: SELF (selfish) thinking people are the 'anti-christ' theologians. Christ taught to be "SELFLESS". If you are busy thinking of others-how much time will YOU get in the way?

I have gotten into a routine where I read the Bible (almost) every night to my daughter and explain as much to her as I can (she is 5). And I can tell you that having the 'Word' in your life daily like that makes a HUGE difference. Our relationship has become much closer since we started.

Also-something I NEED to start doing-consistently- is waking up to the Word. A quick verse and a prayer in the morning can set your attitude for the day. Nothing crazy long unless you feel the need-pick an uplifting verse you want to memorize and stick it on a note somewhere you will see when you first get up.
 
Good guidance by the previous posters. At some point you must make your faith your own, and I think this is that point for you. I'm not talking about salvation, but the living out of your faith. You look at the Scriptures and make your decisions on how you dress or what music you listen to or what church you attend based on what the Scriptures say. Are shorts immodest? There is no specific scripture which defines how many inches above the knee shorts or skirts cross the line into immodesty, so you have to make your best judgement based on the culture you inhabit. Your judgement may well be different from that of your aunt or cousin. Are drums a fleshly instrument? Hmmmm...I'll have to do a little study sometime on musical instruments of Bible times. I know timbrels are mentioned, which apparently are similar to tambourines, so we then have to ask (and use our best judgement) whether the modern drums used in modern music cross a line of propriety.

Actually, it would be interesting to have a talk with your aunt and cousin - not to argue with them, but just to pick their brains on how they apply Scripture. Women should not dress immodestly (neither should men, for that matter) that much is clear from Scripture, but what specific criteria do they use to determine what is modest and what isn't? My point being simply that you need to take what you clearly know from Scripture and use your best judgement to apply it to what is not spelled out in detail. Not looking for loopholes and excuses for excess, but looking for the best exercise of freedom in Christ and discipline in Christ and, in that, joy in serving Him.
 
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