Been looking into Christianity for almost a year. It’s easy to get tangled in prophecy, which I love, and it builds faith, but the steps to salvation are also buried in the text.
It is disillusioning to see people practice by going to a church for an hour and a half then getting on with the nothingness. Considering the extent of messed-upness of postmodern humanity, this is just not going to cut it.
In sermons I’ve heard a lot about what not to do and not a lot about what to do. How exactly do we renew our mind? Overcome the world?
Looking for a clear blueprint of how God wants us to practice. Without practice no one can attain any of the higher states, much less the one that makes all the others fade away…
Repentance is utterly important in realizing our true fallen nature. Beneath facades, denials, excuses, and justifications our nature is hopeless, unending want; our motivations selfish, our thoughts idle, evil. Ongoing repentance brings these truths to glaring light. We realize our frailty as fallen beings.
The attributes a Christian aspires to as stated in 2 Peter 1:5-8 is a progression. Not all are attained at once. Can’t play leapfrog and be saved. Where are you in the progression?
Faith: putting our complete trust in Jesus to free us from self so we may see the kingdom of heaven on earth and be raised from the dead.
Virtue: moral excellence. This is can only be attained by repentance and reform, prayer, and adherence to God’s commandments. (Exodus 20)KJV
This includes observing the 7th day Sabbath as God intended, from sundown to sundown. How can a virtuous state be achieved if we cannot devote even one day a week, Saturday, to honor God the Creator of heaven and earth? In Mark 2:27 Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man, therefore it must be integral to transforming our minds.
Knowledge: awareness and contrast gained by experience in practicing virtuous living and diligent study of God’s word.
Temperance: habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions. If we ask the Holy Spirit will give us the tools to do this; even reign in the chaos in our minds caused by decades of flashing images on screens and the landscape.
Patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset. Once our minds are under our control, we can better bear with others and the devastated world.
Godliness: Living in obedience to God's commands, from a principle of love for him and reverence of his character and precepts. Being at peace.
Brotherly kindness: “love thy neighbor as thyself”
Charity: real meaning - selflessness, self-sacrifice, self-denial, all characteristics of Christ.
Study 1 Corinthians 13 KJV and notice at this point other qualities dissipate
Sounds like a tall order, but there’s nothing else to do here.
