Life and
behaviour
I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father
except by me. - John 14 v 6 (NIV)
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. We therefore look to him
for inspiration on how to live our lives. His teaching in the
Gospels is of the highest ethical standards, yet he understands our
human frailty. We can also learn a great deal from the writings of
the apostles and from the Old Testament scriptures.
There are huge challenges today for anyone who tries to follow
Jesus. Here are some examples.
Materialism
The Bible says that the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of
evil
So often success in life is measured by progression in a career, a
fat salary, a nice home. However, a recent survey suggests that
people in the UK are less happy today than 50 years ago, despite
being much better off in the material sense. The writer of the book
of Ecclesiastes described all the things he had achieved and then
declared them to be meaningless.
This is the problem with life when there is nothing to look forward
to beyond the grave. Jesus advises us not to store up treasures on
earth or even to worry about food and clothing. It is best to be
content with whatever we have and not fret. It is more important to
put God first in our lives.
Sexual immorality
People may get the impression, from the media, that happiness means
being free to have sex with whoever they fancy, male or female.
They may be dissatisfied in their relationships, believing that
life would be more exciting with another partner. This so-called
freedom comes at a price, with sexually transmitted diseases on the
rise and more divorces, resulting in a great deal of
unhappiness.
There are many warnings against sexual immorality in Paul's
letters. Jesus commends life-long marriage for a man and a woman as
being God's intention from the beginning. However, if we ask He is
willing to forgive our failures and shortcomings, as is shown in
his treatment of the woman caught in the act of adultery.
Violence
Apart from all the violence and aggression on our streets, often
fuelled by drugs or alcohol, there are conflicts of various types
going on all over the world. Jesus said, Blessed are the
peacemakers, and, Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you.
Violence is an inescapable part of our lives
We can try to follow this teaching on a national level by refusing
to fight in the armed forces. On a personal level, we should seek
for reconciliation with anyone with whom we have a problem. Violent
language and swearing should be avoided.
We should always try to treat others as we would wish to be
treated. The apostle Paul wrote:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight
in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13 v 4-7
(NIV)
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