Sunday, February 5, 2017

The Relevance Of Conversations About Things That Matter To God

By Raymond Cooper


Humans more often than not are conscious that there is a supreme being. The concept of some sort of god is found in most cultures, although more modern philosophies may be dedicated to the idea of a godless universe governed by chance. However, anyone having conversations about things that matter to God has presumably accepted that God is an entity mindful of man and the things of the earth. So, the question to start with is perhaps: what does matter to God?

Someone who feels that divinity is in everything will have to look inside for revelation. Their belief will depend on feelings about what is right and wrong, or true or false. Since people are invariably subjective to a degree, this probably happens anyway. However, many people arrive at a faith that comes partly from ancient sacred writings and partly from their own experience. This is called New Age philosophy and may incorporate almost anything.

Even those who accept much of a doctrine, say Christianity, may reject the rest. Take the matter of hell as a place of punishment when a proscribed code of conduct is broken. There are many who like the God of love portrayed in the Bible, but cannot accept that such a one could condemn created beings to torment. They deny the existence of hell, which is mentioned in the Bible more often than heaven. This lessens the necessity for a savior and a sacrifice and may also dilute the difference between right and wrong.

The other way for Christians is to let God speak for Himself. By taking the Bible as a revelation, believers can seek to understand the Lord and find out what is important to Him. The Bible contains both commandments and promises. Millions find security and comfort in a diety who does not depend on man's input. They like knowing there is absolute truth and a way to grasp it.

Many things support this kind of reliance on scripture, including archaeological discoveries and miracles. However, there are more skeptics than believers in the world. This to some seems tragic but to others only logical.

Two or more are needed for a conversation, and they have to share some ideas. A person who embraces the mystic power of crystals probably won't be interested as much in what matters to the Lord as in what matters to them, what will enhance their life. It will be easier for two believers to talk about spiritual things, since they will agree on many basic concepts.

Some enjoy studying the Bible in an effort to understand God and his expressed will. They are comfortable with helping the poor, since this is a recurring commandment. Discussions of how best to implement this and other obligations are both enjoyable and productive. Those with no one to talk to can listen to Christian talk radio and call in if they want to participate more deeply.

The Bible teaches believers to talk about the things of God. The Book of Ephesians is full of guidance about what constitutes worthy discourse. If spiritual life is important to someone, he or she won't be loath to enter into discussion about it.




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