Principled Living or Relational Living...You choose! by Marietjie Chase



You can either live by principle or by the moving and leading of the Holy Spirit. If you choose principle you will receive the reward of living by principle and also if you choose to live by the Spirit you will receive the fruit of that. He that lives by principle has to remember all the principles and has occasion for boasting, if he succeed to stay within these principles. It is a box. If you choose to live by the Spirit your focus will be on forming and entering into a deeper more intimate relationship.



Principle living engenders independence from the source much like parents try to instill principles into their children in the hope that it becomes a lifelong habit so that they may be safe and prosper. We would like for our kids to be able to stand on their own two feet and not be needy.



In order to walk in the Spirit the opposite is needed. The closer I am and the deeper my relationship with Him, the more I need Him. I seek more dependence upon the Holy Spirit and not independence. Romans 8 says those who are led by the Spirit are the sons (mature sons) of God. This may mean that those who still live by principle are immature in that area. Galatians teaches that the law, principles comes to train us for something better. We cannot be truly free until we have come to maturity in every area of our lives. We shall know(gain knowledge of; similar to learning) the truth and the truth shall set us free. John 8:32. Ephesians 4: 13-16 speaks of the whole Body growing up into a new man; the Dwelling place of God.



Is principles important then..? By all means! Paul says in the book of Romans: I would not have known sin, other than the law pointing it out to me. We will not know and understand God if we do not study and submit to being taught. Yet, if we stay at this, we will be only a little bit better of than any other dead religion since the life, the eternal life is in the relationship.



Jesus did not abolish the law by annulling it, but by fulfilling it. The law and principles are still there and those who would like to live by it can do that but, Paul says, then Christ and His righteousness becomes superfluous. Living by principles affords one his own righteousness out of his own right doing and therefore the " right" to condescend and judge those who has lesser measure of success.



Principles do not need a heart full of faith and love. Cold hard facts is all the lawyer needs. The father embraces the son who acted like a fool and squandered half a livelihood. Principles, law says: that's not fair. If you cannot live in love, faith and grace, living by principles is better than nothing. It is better to obey from a motive of principle than to disobey. But the best motive is love.



Tithing, first fruits, offerings and taking care of the poor are all Old Testament principles. In the New Testament living by love, grace and faith says that as Jesus gave His all, so I give my all. So out of love, grace and faith, I pour out of what I am entrusted with, am a steward off, as He wills. My life is now full of faith that includes risk. The only sure thing is God.



Most modern day believers runs back and forth between living by principle and living by the Spirit. From the view of a principled person - living by the Spirit is to risky and open to danger. From the view of a Spirit- led person - principled living is dry, cold and stuck in a rut.



What does God want?

By the Spirit, put to death your members that is bound to the earthly principles of touch not, taste not etc. Romans 6. Galatians: God wants us to grow up in all things into Him, so that our lives would be hidden with Christ in God and the life that we now live in the flesh, in the dust, would be lived by faith in Him. Col 1:28, Rom 8:14. The rebuke of Galatians three still stands: " Who has bewitched you, that beginning in the Spirit, you now try to complete it in the flesh...?



Principles is just another word for law or works. Faith or grace or Spirit means that I seek to know Him and the power of His resurrection, being conformed to His image - even unto death - as a partaker of His divine nature.

How do we Personally Prepare the Way for Revival?(Adapted from Andrew Murray)

“A revival of holiness is what we need. And how is it to be found? It will cost much in prayer. It will cost more than that - much sacrifice of self and of the world. It will need a surrender to Christ Jesus to follow Him as closely as God is able to lead us. We must learn to look upon a life like Christ’s, having the very same mind that was in Him, as the supreme object of daily life.” Andrew Murray

· Become thoroughly dissatisfied with yourself - Be sensitive to God's conviction. “Press on toward the goal (Phil. 3:14)."

· Set yourself like flint toward a sweeping transformation of your life - Throw your whole soul into the desire for God.

· Prepare yourself in the way of blessing - Pray with all your heart, and ask God to enlarge your prayer and worship life. Make time for God, and practice fasting.

· Do a thorough job of repentance - Don’t tolerate sin in your own life. Let godly sorrow over your sin touch you deeply.

· Make restitution when possible - Make the crooked ways straight in your relationships and life.

· Practice living the Sermon on the Mount - This is the description of holy living.

· Be serious about personal revival - Pray instead of watching TV, and don’t get caught up in the ways of the world. Lay aside the crooked roads.

· Deliberately narrow your interests - If you narrow your interests, God will enlarge your heart. “Jesus only” is the way into a world that is infinitely wider and richer than anything else.

· Begin to witness - Make a new commitment to reach out to the lost. Ask God for opportunities, and He will help you.

· Have faith in God - Begin to expect God to move. All heaven is on your side.

Revival begins with us. It is each one of us getting our lives straight and turning from the crooked paths. Take seriously the need for personal revival. Take seriously the need for prayer. God is dealing with His church. The following is the testimony of Charles Finney during a revival in a small village in New York.

"I should say a few word regarding the spirit of prayer which prevailed at Rome during this time. Indeed the whole town was full of prayer. Go where you would, you heard the voice of prayer. If you were walking down the street, and if two or three Christians happened to be there, they were praying. Whenever they met, they prayed. Whenever there was a sinner unconverted, especially if he showed any opposition, you would find some two or three brethren or sisters agreeing to make him a special subject of prayer. No one could come into the village without feeling awestricken with the impression that God was there in a peculiar and wonderful way."

Divine Intention by Marietjie Chase

What was the Divine Intention with the creation of mankind? To have fellowship, to be one, to have open relationship. This is the mystery: God's desire to have mankind be part of Him. This now, finally, is the purpose of the church. Eph.3:12 Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through His faith. This is not even our faith but His faith. He is the One believing in and through us.

The mystery that Paul keeps writing about in Col1:27 - Christ in you the hope of glory. Eph.3:3-4 etc. Mysteries has to be revealed. It cannot be known by mental study. Braininess does not help in a mystery. Eph.3:6 The gospel(the good news)is that all , all nations, all people, has now become partakers - sharers, joint-heirs and part of the receiving end - of all the promises in Christ Jesus. In this mystery revealed, Jesus Christ opens the Godhead to include all that dare to believe in Him.

The prayer Paul prays for the Ephesian Church is that they may be filled with all the fullness of God. In order for this to happen we have to, by the power(dunamis - Divine enablement) of His Spirit become mighty and filled with strength in the inside. So that through faith we can be a habitation; a place where He can settle and be at home. And if God can empower us with strength to grasp ( kata lambano - to lay hold of so as to make one's own) together with all the saints - no room for exclusion - what the dimensions of this indwelling Christ is. On top of all that; that we may know( experience and in full knowledge) the love, agape, of Christ which surpasses(transcends, more excellent, superior) knowledge(general, intelligent, understanding). This fullness of God, according to Col1:19, is embodied in Jesus Christ (not historically, after the flesh, but now).

If all this seems an impossibility listen to verse 20: Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think.... God is able to accomplish all this according to His power(dunamis- Divine enablement) that is working in us. Then He will be glorified in the church in Jesus Christ.

God's Love....

So many times God's logic is our illogical. Abraham sacrifice your only son , so that I can give you many sons. Death is the way to life and humility the way to victory. Submission is the way to authority and nothing the substance of something. In human terms - this makes no sense; but to Him who sees all and knows all and made all, it is common sense.

Think. God so love the whole world.... John 3:16. Romans says that while we were His enemies He showed His love to us in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Point. God loves sinners and saints the same and so must I. There is no room for separatism. I must embrace what He embrace and love what He loves...

God loves people. God loves humanity enough to offer His only begotten Son as ransom for all - eternity past and eternity future.

Number one deception of religion and religious hypocrisy is that God hate sinners and love saints. Number two deception is that some sins are worse than others and some even without forgiveness and then it gets really cloudy and convoluted.

God is not afraid of sin. He made provision for it's removal by grace through faith - And even grace and faith are His gifts. How about that?!?