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It’s really a challenge for me sometimes to choose goodness especially when it goes against my values and principles. I’m not perfect and I know we all do make mistakes, but sometimes it’s just so hard to be kind, loving and compassionate to people. I know there could be a lot of factors at play but from another Christian to another, enlighten me with your advice and tips to find humility and surrender it all onto God. Thank you for taking the time to read and ponder on this.
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You are a Christian who follows the flesh, not a true follower of Christ. The habit of failing to uphold one’s own conscience-based values and instead always chasing self-interest is the fundamental nature and instinct of all humans. Everyone is the same. The so-called virtuous values that stem from one’s conscience exist only in thought but are rarely applied in real life. Faith that operates in this way is nothing more than faith that follows the flesh. Faith of the flesh will always reveal its limitations within the framework of personal interests and self-benefit. Only when you abandon your own greed and self-interest can you truly follow the love of Christ.
A true Christian does not commit sin by pursuing their own benefit and self-interest. However, many so-called Christians repeatedly sin, repent, and then fall into sin again. The reason for this is that they live for their own gain and advantage. People who live only for their own benefit are following a faith of the flesh, not a true faith in Christ.
The nature of repeating sin is rooted in prioritizing personal gain. As a result, people repent momentarily but inevitably fall back into sin due to self-interest, trapped in a cycle of habitual sin until death. This is what it means to have a faith of the flesh. True faith in Christ begins with self-sacrifice. Therefore, those who believe in God for the sake of their own lives will always place their self-interest above righteousness, inevitably becoming sinners and, ultimately, instruments of the devil. The Bible says, “Whoever sins is of the devil.”
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.(1 John 3 :8-10)
The habit of chasing self-interest and repeatedly sinning until death cannot be eliminated. Sin is simply repeated over and over, while the conscience gradually withers and becomes desolate. This is why Christians in name alone are not true followers of Christ. I sincerely hope you will become a true Christian who lives a life according to Christ.
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.(Titus 1 : 16)
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.(James 1 :22-26)
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Romans 10 : 2-3)
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15 :7-14)
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.(1 John 4 : 1)
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.(2 Corinthians 11 : 13-15)
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