Sacrifice & Mortification (see also Persecution & Hardship)
The Pilgrim sets out on his journey.
Verse Observations: Phil 1:29, 3:10, I Pt 4:1
I think I can put the tension here succinctly:
"My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mt 11:30)
and yet:
"To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless" (I Cor 4:11),
but despite it all:
"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (II Cor 4:8-9)
Will there even be moderation in heaven?
It seems that there ought to be. This is somewhat hard to stomach, however, because here on earth we often associate moderation with constraint, which isn't fun. I mean, isn't always sad when you get to the bottom of the potato chip bag? I know this may sound a bit sacrilegious, but in all seriousness, maybe it doesn't matter if you have an eternity. After all, even if in heaven you eat only 1 potato chip a day, you still get an endless number of days, and therefore a bottomless potato chip bag, and therefore, while there's moderation, there's no "constraint" (the no-fun part).
What’s the relationship between moderation and mortification?
Why should the good things in life and God be at times mutually exclusive? (Mt 13:22 [parable of the 4 seeds]) Why is it that goodness often draws us away from the ultimate Good?
How could Jesus’ afflictions be lacking? (Col 1:24)
I don't understand how you can suffer with Christ and yet have his joy. To me this is a really great paradox, and I think a uniquely Christian one. (I Pt 4:1, II Tm 2:3) Didn't even Jesus truly suffer? (Heb 5:8-9, 12:11)
On one hand Christ said, "I thirst" (to alleviate the suffering of being thirsty), but on the other he refused the painkiller. What's going on here? What does this tell us about the nature of pain and sacrifice?
God made us physical, and it's good that we're physical (though I don't know why, only that whatever God does is good), but what's the proper way to be physical, considering that we fast to mortify the flesh? (That is, God made us so that we have to eat, he made it so that we are to enjoy our food, so why give up a good thing?) Why are we so often condemned by the beautiful and good things in this world? What I'm really asking here is -- What is the correct balance? What is the proper perspective and attitude to have towards moderation and indulgence? (Mt 13:22)
The following question actually belongs in many categories (Grace vs Work, Good & Evil): If God gives his grace, why must we suffer (that is, through work, which requires perseverance and patient suffering)? That is, what is precious must be bought through suffering, since everything has a price, but the grace of God is free.
How would a “thorn in the flesh” keep Paul from being conceited? (II Cor 12:7)
I think this is really a subtype of the question (which I list elsewhere, so I won't go into it here) of: why does punishment work?
God will often put someone through a hard time in order to make them a better person. However, he'll also give that person the necessary strength, wisdom, etc to overcome. Well then, why not just give that person all these virtues right from the get-go and forget about all that pain and suffering? But that's not how God does it. This isn't Lala Land. So what's the necessity of trials and tribulations?
Why did God grant Jabez what he asked for when what he asked for were selfish requests? Also, life is full of pain, it's the way of this world, and we must pick up our crosses if we want to follow Jesus. I mean, it sounds like this guy just got it too easy. I'm sure Job must have prayed this same prayer! (I Chr 4:9-10)
I think I can put the tension here succinctly:
"My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mt 11:30)
and yet:
"To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless" (I Cor 4:11),
but despite it all:
"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (II Cor 4:8-9)
Will there even be moderation in heaven?
It seems that there ought to be. This is somewhat hard to stomach, however, because here on earth we often associate moderation with constraint, which isn't fun. I mean, isn't always sad when you get to the bottom of the potato chip bag? I know this may sound a bit sacrilegious, but in all seriousness, maybe it doesn't matter if you have an eternity. After all, even if in heaven you eat only 1 potato chip a day, you still get an endless number of days, and therefore a bottomless potato chip bag, and therefore, while there's moderation, there's no "constraint" (the no-fun part).
What’s the relationship between moderation and mortification?
Why should the good things in life and God be at times mutually exclusive? (Mt 13:22 [parable of the 4 seeds]) Why is it that goodness often draws us away from the ultimate Good?
How could Jesus’ afflictions be lacking? (Col 1:24)
I don't understand how you can suffer with Christ and yet have his joy. To me this is a really great paradox, and I think a uniquely Christian one. (I Pt 4:1, II Tm 2:3) Didn't even Jesus truly suffer? (Heb 5:8-9, 12:11)
On one hand Christ said, "I thirst" (to alleviate the suffering of being thirsty), but on the other he refused the painkiller. What's going on here? What does this tell us about the nature of pain and sacrifice?
God made us physical, and it's good that we're physical (though I don't know why, only that whatever God does is good), but what's the proper way to be physical, considering that we fast to mortify the flesh? (That is, God made us so that we have to eat, he made it so that we are to enjoy our food, so why give up a good thing?) Why are we so often condemned by the beautiful and good things in this world? What I'm really asking here is -- What is the correct balance? What is the proper perspective and attitude to have towards moderation and indulgence? (Mt 13:22)
The following question actually belongs in many categories (Grace vs Work, Good & Evil): If God gives his grace, why must we suffer (that is, through work, which requires perseverance and patient suffering)? That is, what is precious must be bought through suffering, since everything has a price, but the grace of God is free.
How would a “thorn in the flesh” keep Paul from being conceited? (II Cor 12:7)
I think this is really a subtype of the question (which I list elsewhere, so I won't go into it here) of: why does punishment work?
God will often put someone through a hard time in order to make them a better person. However, he'll also give that person the necessary strength, wisdom, etc to overcome. Well then, why not just give that person all these virtues right from the get-go and forget about all that pain and suffering? But that's not how God does it. This isn't Lala Land. So what's the necessity of trials and tribulations?
Why did God grant Jabez what he asked for when what he asked for were selfish requests? Also, life is full of pain, it's the way of this world, and we must pick up our crosses if we want to follow Jesus. I mean, it sounds like this guy just got it too easy. I'm sure Job must have prayed this same prayer! (I Chr 4:9-10)