Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Do Godly People live better Lifes

Shaman,

You raise another good point about Godly people: they are thankful and content. Thankful because they can see all that God has done for them. That all good comes from God and you are truly thankful for the good he has done for you. Although I may never reach the state of peace of the apostle, Paul, I hope over time God can work on me so that I can become content in all situations. I use these verses from Habbakkuk as inspiration to me (prayed by the prophet ahead of the invasion and destruction of Israel by Babylon):

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

I also agree on expectations causing great strife in our lives. If you removed the expectations you place on God or others, along with the equally limiting assumptions, you will have a lot more peace in your life.

A Godly man doesn’t think that he is Godly.

A Godly man doesn’t measure his Godliness because as soon as he does his focus is on self rather than God.

A Godly man recognized that he is not righteous but that his “righteousness”, such as it is, is imputed to him through the righteousness of Christ.

Morality, while important, is never a measure of a believers righteousness. Rather, the measure of righteousness is outside of the man because no one is righteous.

Every believer is a sinner. We even sin in the self-righteous view that we adopt of our good works. As soon as we puff up our chest for some good thing that we have done we have sinned and prove that ultimately our good works are for ourselves because we like the feeling. Absolutely every Christian in the world is always in this situation because we are not righteous. That righteousness is not from us but to us so everything that we do, no matter the goodness of our intention, is tainted with our sin.


That is the teaching of Biblical Christianity. That being the case what are we measuring as a “better life”. I’ve known plenty of Christian’s who were total dumba$$es, stupid, poor decision makers etc. being a believer didn’t change them.

It sounds like many are championing the idea of your “best life now”. It appears that the measure of the “better life” is for many measures in material success and wealth which is never the measure. Truth be told, measuring our goodness, success and the value of what we do is one of the most dangerous and divisive things for the believer because it causes disparity in the believer. Think back to the admonitions of James and Paul.


If a better life is the measure of a benefit of being a Christian, as seems to be the general consensus what do we tell the Christian’s who suffer persecution worldwide ans throughout history? Is the implication that they were and are doing something wrong?

What do we tell the believer who is bipolar, schizophrenic, struggling with depression and anxiety?

The ones who have low IQ and will never rise above a menial job and constant struggle?

What do we tell the woman who is trapped in an abusive relationship who stays there for the sake of protecting her children?

The more that I think about it the more I question whether this thread is even about the faith.

I'd answer, yes, and no.
John The Baptist was beheaded, Jusus. died on The Cross.
There were, and still are many martyrs, of course, that was their death, and the question was about life.

It isn't about faith, it's about avoiding inevitable crosses or "YOLO".

If everyone lived with the YOLO philosophy, there wouldn't be any firemen or doctors among other things.

Let me just say, I am not Godly. I don't like saying that but its the truth. I have never read the Bible. I do pray to God all the time. I am thankful for my lot in life. I hope he hears me, i hope it matters. There is a famous fisherman that speaks of God at the end of his shows. He always says " WHEN IT BECAME REAL FOR ME" words coming from your heart instead of your head. Maybe that's where i have not gone. I will struggle and find my way, i hope. And thank you to some of the folks here for writing thoughts that make me think, I Can Do Better.

You fail because you are a hypocrite and a dodger. It has nothing to do with your typing or odd spellings.

You insist and insist in these posts that evidence-delivering proof is the only possible basis for certainty when you try to undermine the position and beliefs of others - proof that has to be gained by the individual in a constructive manner. Yet, when you are challenged to provide a simple proof basis for loose and negative statements you make in a post, you resort to some recorded spiel by another person - call it an "example" (of what?) - and try to pass that off as some proof that you constructed it through a rational process. If you are going to pretend to be a thinker, try harder and cut the phony stuff.

Hahaha! The Aussies trying to justify why they gave up their rights so easily.


They's society so good and right and godless that they dont need guns...but they do needs a govt that made them criminals for not getting a shot or wearing a mask.

I didn’t reference faith but THE faith.

Great post. Thanks for the candor.

In the last few (15) years, I've come to read and seek to interpret the Bible for myself.
Raised as a Catholic, we really were not taught to read the Bible for ourselves. By rote, we were taught to show up on Sundays and let the priest read the gospel then give us HIS thoughts in his homily. At least that is how I was instructed to be Catholic.

After going through a divorce and not being allowed the eucharist, I started to seek understanding on my own. Then a remarriage (now at 22 years) exposed me to a non-denominational, Holy Spirit filled church where I have a ton more exposure to ALL the scriptures in the Bible. Not primarily just the gospels.

I can say I have a lot more peace when I make room for scripture in my daily routine than not. I further believe that that peace does indeed make my life better, and those around me as well.
As said above, age plays a role in where we stand in our faith in my opinion. At 30, I believed a yacht and an island in the Bahamas would make my life better.

Then 35 hit. Divorce, loosing my mother, watching my youngest sister bury a 10 year old daughter and then loosing my closest personal relationship at the time, my grand mother, in a three year period, all made me reflect on this journey of life differently.

My wife's parents families both sides are missionaries and ministers.

My parent's families are more alcoholics and a few missionaries.

Her relatives live longer and reproduce better.

I've seen too many "Godly" types I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire. My own paternal grandparents to start. And some of the finest Christians I know live their lives as outstanding examples of humanity without pounding on their chests about their faith. It's up to others to decide if someone is Godly. If someone thinks they are they think too much of themselves.

Tyrone. My apology for my previous response. I misread your comment.

Here's the thing about being Christian. Jesus tells us to try to save others. So in love we obey.

I would take godly to mean people that go to church at least twice a week donate considerable money to the church. believe they sin as little as possible in today's world. I believe they THINK they live better than others.. but in today's world there are lots of liars and hypocrites.

In my book a person doesn't need to go to church doesn't have to donate to church. they do need to make choices in life they can live with. as hard as it is to believe you cannot go back and make things undone. some types believe you can go to confession do your thing and all is good. I am not one of them people. as I said before you make choices and do things you can live with.
is your things in life I wish I had done differently you bet some things I kind of even regret but nothing that keeps me from sleeping peacefully at night.

I understood that you misunderstood.

Even if I didn't understand that, we are good. I respect you even when we don't agree.

My apologies for being a terrible writer.

Certainly there are those types, but one of the points of Confession is the introspection and humility it fosters.

Crock, I don't talk about religion or atheism unless someone starts the discussion. Plus the whole 'God hater' thing is getting old and tired.

LOL!!! I hit a nerve. You're not something to worry about either.

Look in the mirror, sweetie. You are the epitome of hypocrisy and dishonesty. You lie and misrepresent your opponents in practically every response that you make.

I provided an article that gave examples of Christians not following the teachings of Jesus, which you avoided by deflecting onto me.

I then gave examples of my own, squabbling and conflict over theology, division, shunning and ostracism, etc, which you also failed to address, instead deflecting onto me.

That is your dishonesty, your gutter tactics....you try to punch above your ability, and grubby in your tactics.

And of course, this is another example of christian lip service, all talk but no practice.

Have a nice day, pretender.

Best post yet! .... All true.