I have been thinking a lot over the past few years about consumption and materialism in relationship to faith. I have struggled often in my heart when I think about purchasing something new because I want to be a good steward of what I have been given. One verse plays in my mind over and over again:
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride in possessions - is not from the the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of the Father abides forever. - 1 John 2:15-17
If this verse is true (which I believe it is) then how should my life look? How will my actions reflect my belief?
I recently read something on another blog that was so encouraging to me because it gave some specific tools to evaluate "the things of this world." The author of the blog heard a speaker (Crawford Loritts) give 3 questions to help in evaluation:
1. The motive question: Why do I want this?
2. The worship question: Does what I want consume, control, or change me?
3. The purity question: Am I clean? Is my heart contaminated?
I was so excited to see this because I feel like now, instead of just walking around feeling guilty all the time, I can use these questions to evaluate my consumption.
Anyone else struggle with this issue?
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride in possessions - is not from the the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of the Father abides forever. - 1 John 2:15-17
If this verse is true (which I believe it is) then how should my life look? How will my actions reflect my belief?
I recently read something on another blog that was so encouraging to me because it gave some specific tools to evaluate "the things of this world." The author of the blog heard a speaker (Crawford Loritts) give 3 questions to help in evaluation:
1. The motive question: Why do I want this?
2. The worship question: Does what I want consume, control, or change me?
3. The purity question: Am I clean? Is my heart contaminated?
I was so excited to see this because I feel like now, instead of just walking around feeling guilty all the time, I can use these questions to evaluate my consumption.
Anyone else struggle with this issue?
1 comment:
i haven't been struggling with it because it hasn't been at the forefront recently. gee thanks, NOW it is.... :)
we've been reading respectable sins by jerry bridges and hit over the head with the message of true repentance, and there is a chapter on worldliness coming up, so rest assured that i will "get mine" very soon.
Post a Comment