Why do so many professing Christians just want God's grace but are reluctant to accept God's demands?

Question

I teach Bible study at church, and I will tell you people love to talk about God's love and grace, but when you start talking to them about the necessity of repentance, obedience, and perseverance they start becoming quiet and even obstinate. Any church leaders also notice this?

Answer 1

Amen and amen again.

It is not just about love and mercy and grace and faith, being a christian is about being accountable and responsible teaching and preaching the word of God in season and out of season.

I had the joy and privilege of going on a retreat and I read a magazine that says we want revival but on our terms not Gods.

People want revival that packs out stadiums and over fills the offering plate they don't want the kind of revival that causes one to look at sin and repent. The truth is we don't' want true Holy Spirit revival because it is not just about being loving and encouraging it is about putting the finger where it hurts in life.

Repentance, obedience, persevering and trusting God all take work and discipline and true faith involves action and it hurts to be strecthed and it hurts to grow and chance and that is why people don't bother trying.

Keep preaching the Truth of Gods word as this will expose Satan's lies also too many Christians are drinking the milk of the word a little too long and not becoming meat of the word Christians. God love grace mercy = milk of the word. Obedience, perseverance and repentance = meat of the word.

Be encouraged God bless E4G

Answer 2

Let the truth be told , the Book of James speaks much on this
and Paul in Romans tries bringing some balance . But ! all in
all people who say they are Christians , you know , the ones
that are only Christians for the duration of church service or
the others that are there only for the private school discounts
or entertainment club with no real conviction for anything . But
as it is said that if God started a good work in you , you can be sure that He will finish it with the Holy Spirit . Everyone is at
different levels spiritual maturity .We don't know what is in the
heart of others but only our own heart . It is Gods job for the rest and our job with joy to bring forth the Gospel Message
and walk in the Spirit , being a example of Gods Love for all .
So at these time we must remain still at the Cross and trust
God and Faith in Him and let His will be done . Thanking Him
for Saving us and remembering we were once lost ourselves .
So persevere in all that we do for Gods Glory until we are called home . Jesus said we would have troubles in this fallen
world . Turn to Him for strength and pray and keep on bringing
the Gospel to all , Amen ....

Answer 3

I'm not a church leader, but I agree with you wholeheartedly. We have to take the good with the "bad" if we want God. He didn't say "follow me and you will forever rest in my grace." No, Jesus said "take up your cross and follow me." Taking up a cross means you will have to "accept God's demands." I don't know why people think you don't have to. I know Christianity seems like a "harsh" religion, but if people are going to choose to follow it, then they need to accept all that there is to it.

I know that it's hard. Sometimes obedience can be a difficult thing to keep doing, but if our hearts, if MY heart, truly wants God and is going to be willing to love Him no matter what, then I have to do what is asked, or as you say demanded.

People don't get upset if they truly love their spouse and their spouse asks something of them. Their love for their spouse will allow them to do what they ask. It should be the same with God. We should have the exact same love for Him. Obedience, repentance, perseverance and so forth will immediately follow afterwards.

Answer 4

There are certain things that are not commanded which are regionally important to certain 'churches'. They are not God's commandments, but are the views of those specific churches and perhaps the specific pastor's within the church. I find this to be errant and silly.

I attribute these things with the attempt to compromise the message of James and the legalist that he was, with the message of grace and peace which Paul and Jesus preached.

I have recently talked to a Nazarene who saw the difference and leaned to James. I am also aware of the Amish leaning towards James. To me, they have an advantage. They have no delusion that James and Paul were speaking the same about how to be saved. I also see these two as being different, and I am neither Amish nor a Nazarene.

I suppose that if you really want to judge your ability to see the difference, look at Acts 15 very, very closely. It is made even more complex because Paul went along with what James said along with Barnabas; the only one standing for what is right ( in my opinion) was Peter. It is plain to me that Peter was speaking the truth, yet was ignored. It is also clear to me that Paul would fold almost anytime James was speaking to him. Yet when you look in Galatians 2, you can see that Paul and Titus had differences ( vs. 2-4), with James, Cephas, and John ( vs. 5 - 9) . Peter too fell to the sympathies of the Judaizers, showing that the temptation to obeserve the Law of Moses was infectious. ( vs. 11 - 16) .

So to me, I am a sinner, saved by grace through faith. And I know, as the recipient of the Holy Spirit, who does indeed dwell in me, changes me according to the will of the Father. And I have changed.

So I have seen in the typical Christian in Orange County California the 'will worship' typified in the effort to make every of their brethren 'clean' and 'living a Christian life', making themselves 'better for God', as if that was possible. In my view, after these 20 years of being a Christian, I have noted that God makes us cleaner than we could ever make ourselves. And I know that those who are willing may be changed according to His purpose IF THEY TRUST HIM, and not because their will has entered into the war between the flesh and the Spirit.

James did not understand this. And at times Paul did not practice this. But I do lean towards Paul as being closest to what Jesus said for us to do:
John 4
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

And then there is the old truth so eloquently given:
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

People these days, especially in California, don't know how to wait. They can't get themselves alone with God to shut everything off, and do nothing until God moves them. It's as if they suspect that God would let them die there, and go to heaven bankrupt.

Is that what God would have His children do?

Answer 5

Too many rules to follow besides God’s demands. It’s cruel cosmic joke…. See but don’t touch… touch but don’t taste…taste but don’t swallow.
It seems like god is playing a game with free will and demands. “Hey guys here.. take some free will but… you must use it under certain conditions otherwise…no grace for you”
On the other hand, is bible actually “the word of god” or just an other manmade book and why god –who wrote the ethical code within our DNA coding- had to give us a book to make sure we got the message?
Besides what can a book do if people don’t read it any more?

Answer 6

Christians needs to be empowered from God on high to be able to endure the requirement he expects of us. Otherwise it is impossible if there is no repentance and or obedience unto the lord to follow the laws of God. God's grace in sufficient unto us all but we not to take them lightly because even though we have grace we are not to continue in sin but ask God to give us the power to overcome.

Answer 7

Thank you for this question...I want to be more like Jesus, ergo God (via the Holy Spirit) made the change in me when I surrendered to Him...percieving, believing and proceeding in the direction and will of God.

This is the work of God, my brother. Our job is to preach and teach, testing all things (1Thess 5:21) and verbalizing what we percieve is scriptural (2Tim 3:16) based on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Short answer...we can only pray for those who receive only what they want, and live our own lives IAW with ALL scripture.

You have my prayers in your work. Much love and support in the Lord.

Answer 8

That is the result of only having a head knowledge of grace without experiencing the reality of unconditional love. It is impossible to understand concepts clearly by reading about them in a book, or listening to someone talk about them. Unless the Spirit of truth makes them a reality in our life, our efforts will be in vain.

Answer 9

Your premise is misguided on quite a few stages. interior the previous testomony (The Books the Jewish human beings carry on with), it first says that God reported "Thou shalt no longer positioned the different Gods beforehand me". the way I understand that assertion is they are able to stroll beside or in the back of Him yet no longer in front. Later He replaced His techniques via asserting "i'm the Lord thy God, the Lord is one". At that 2d he grew to advance right into a jealous god. He killed off all the different Gods via fact He advance into egotistical. basically in the process the completed previous testomony He advance into an unforgiving God. Then alongside comes the recent testomony. God transformations. in accordance to the texts, He sent His in simple terms begotten Son to Earth. Jesus taught human beings to be style, turn the different cheek, etc. He soften the God of the Bible so as that he could be greater palatable to the masses. the two Testaments have self assurance interior the comparable God, yet he's a thoroughly different God in the two books. So i could could say that Jewish human beings have self assurance interior the fairway with envy, Jealous God. Christians have self assurance interior the type and forgiving God. and you have self assurance in stirring up hassle.

Answer 10

Oy Vey. Star for you!!! Good question.

We all want to have our cake and eat it too. We want to be Christians, but not good Christians. We want to be virtuous, but not heroically so.

I am a Secular Franciscan. We are called to walk a little closer to God than "regular" Christians. And yet, so many just want the title. What's the point of having the title if you aren't going to do the work?

Sigh... If you find the big secret to getting people excited about this, please let me know.