Comments on: 2 Questions for Examining Our Affection for Christ

By: 2 Questions for Examining Our Spiritual Condition | Desire Spiritual Growth

2 Questions for Examining Our Spiritual Condition | Desire Spiritual Growth — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:56:27 +0000

[...] This is Part Two in the series, “2 Questions for Examining…” Part One: 2 Questions for Examining Our Affection for Christ. [...]

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:09:55 +0000

Good to point this out, Al. Thanks!

By: al

al — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:14:36 +0000

Jonathan, your observation reflects the promise, “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Sometimes the familiar hides the obvious from view… If we delight ourselves in Christ, then Christ becomes our delight– He IS the desires of our heart!

And, Fellas, there is no neutral affection! Neutral is a figment of the imagination which, as Ruth reminds us (above), is to be cast down in the process of bringing our thoughts into captivity to obedience to Christ. CAPTIVITY! Does that sound neutral? Our affections are either for Christ or for something other than Christ. Be not deceived; God is not mocked. “Neutrality” is a mockery of God. We must understand this…

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:24:18 +0000

I have asked the question lately of “do I really want the things of Christ, or do I want what I find pleasure in?”

Interestingly, when I am after the things of Christ, He IS what I find pleasure in.

By: Barry Wallace

Barry Wallace — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:57:55 +0000

Those are good (and probing) questions, Daniel. There was an excellent interview with Matt Chandler in Leadership Journal last month where he explored some of those same topics. You might enjoy it:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2009/summer/thegoodfight.html

By: Ruth

Ruth — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:49:52 +0000

Thanks for the thoughtful post, Daniel. These are some worthwhile questions to consider. I’ve started praying/thinking on paper about the answers to these, and I’m sure there is still a lot more to dig out…

The quote you shared by Matt Chandler about trying to be aware of what’s in his mind and heart all the time is something the Holy Spirit has really been pushing me to do all this year. It’s tough business this keeping a diligent watch on the thoughts of the mind and the intents of the heart, even being honest with yourself much less sharing it with others. The Spirit has revealed many different types of sinful thoughts, some that led to actions, and the sin of pride that kept them hidden for so long.

I continue to rely on a passage He sent me a while back: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) Using this passage as a gauge has been very helpful (what in my mind or in my life exalts itself above God? is every thought in my mind obeying Christ?), and in the face of huge failure, the ideas in the first verse (our weapons are mighty through God and capable of pulling down strong holds) are wonderful truths to cling to.

By: Daniel C. Wilson

Daniel C. Wilson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:53:54 +0000

And the problem with identifying blind spots is that if we could see them, they wouldn’t be blind spots.

The difficulty in finding blind spots alone highlights the importance of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and Christian accountability.

Good point about neutral and negative affections. Neutral often slides by easier than negative.

Thanks for coming by.

By: Demian Farnworth

Demian Farnworth — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:11:46 +0000

I think identifying blind spots is critical in moving onto the second question, because we could reform via positive affection for Christ while sabotaging our affections by neutral or negative affections.

Great questions.