{"id":211,"date":"2024-09-28T14:26:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-28T14:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/should-i-or-shouldnt-i\/"},"modified":"2024-09-28T14:26:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-28T14:26:00","slug":"should-i-or-shouldnt-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/should-i-or-shouldnt-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I or Shouldn\u2019t I?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do I belong to Jesus Christ?\u00a0<\/em>As a Christian, that question determines everything. \u201cYou were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God\u2019s,\u201d 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us.<\/p>\n

Glorifying God takes on new meaning in the details of life. How should I live? How should I live\u00a0differently\u00a0<\/em>because Jesus has saved me? Paul said he was \u201cseparated to the gospel of God\u201d (1:1). What does it mean to be separated?<\/p>\n

The Bible teaches right and wrong on some things, but what should our behavior be in questionable matters? How should a Christian live in the grey areas? God\u2019s Word lays out three guiding principles for living a separated, joyful life unto God.<\/p>\n

Principle #1: Conviction<\/h4>\n

Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.-<\/em>Romans 14:5<\/p>\n

Conviction means you are \u201cfully persuaded in your own mind\u201d that you can give yourself entirely to it without reserve. If you can participate in something and maintain a close relationship with Christ, it\u2019s not wrong for you. Our hearts determine our conduct.<\/p>\n

One day we\u2019ll give an account of our lives\u2014every word, every choice (see 2 Corinthians 5:10). Too often, we try to straddle the fence, trying to go with the world and with God.<\/p>\n

We also need to invest our energy and thinking to help us get along with each other. God is at work in each of our lives, though on His timetable. Respect what God is doing in others\u2019 lives. Avoid what offends another Christian and focus instead on what builds up fellow believers. You don\u2019t know how God is working in another\u2019s heart. Don\u2019t get in His way to exercise your freedom.<\/p>\n

When you live with conviction, be convinced this is what God is pleased you do.\u00a0Is this right for me to do? Can I do it with excitement, anticipation, and joy?<\/em><\/p>\n

Principle #2: Conscience<\/h4>\n

When God\u2019s Word hasn\u2019t spoken to an issue, invite your conscience to evaluate it as right or wrong to do. Your conscience helps you act in a way consistent with what you believe. If the way you live isn\u2019t compatible with what you believe, then it\u2019s wrong. Listen to the Holy Spirit prompt you about the grey areas and how to walk by faith.<\/p>\n

Principle #3: Consideration<\/h4>\n

Be thoughtful of others\u2014it\u2019s that simple. You might feel free in your convictions to do something, but how might it affect someone else? Consider how to live best in front of those who are spiritually weaker. Use your liberty, but don\u2019t abuse it. Jesus was willing to die for that weak brother, and we certainly ought to be willing to refrain from doing something that would hurt him in his Christian walk.<\/p>\n

As a Christian, your goal is to please the Lord. It\u2019s not a question of whether it\u2019s right or wrong. The real issue is, are you walking in the light? Don\u2019t walk the thin line with the world and try to maintain a Christian testimony. To live like this is only to know a shabby, shoddy Christian life.<\/p>\n

When you walk in the light, you show others the way to Jesus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do I belong to Jesus Christ?\u00a0As a Christian, that question determines everything. \u201cYou were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God\u2019s,\u201d 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us. Glorifying God takes on new meaning in the details of life. How should I live? How should I live\u00a0differently\u00a0because […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tld_youtube_id":"","tld_audio":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-go-to-scriptures"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mylegacyden.com\/joedifalco\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}