Just do what?

Sorry for the delay, I'm a busy guy.

Today I want to look at actions.

Previously I wrote about how actions come from thought and that also emotions come from thought, and emotions tend to lead to uncontrolled actions, reflexive actions, or reactions. Last time we focused on thinking critically. Now we look at how that works with actions.

So I ask you: Where does the idea of what is a proper action from from?

In Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis we see Lewis make a compelling case for some higher being (he doesn't go as far as to say that it's the Christian God this early) having to exist. How he makes his case is with the idea of "Natural Law." What the Natural Law is, according to Lewis, is the law that all humans inherently have in them, the law of right and wrong. He writes that all humans (except for the severely mentally ill) have this law in them. Some may deny it, but try to cheat them and watch how they call "unfair" in the moment of offense. For example, watch drivers. Cut them off, go too slow, go too fast, change lanes, do anything really, and you'll get honked at, flipped off, shot at, run off the road, all because you're wrong. When I was working for Enterprise there was a guy who was weaving in and out of traffic, cutting people off, slamming on his breaks, tailgating, all for no reason. The others I was driving with were trying to avoid this guy like the plague because a wreck was bound to happen. Finally we get to our exit and get over, using blinkers, not going too fast, not cutting anyone off, and this guy jumps right in front of me, cutting me off and almost hitting me and the guy I was following. Obviously I honk the horn at him. This dude follows me to the dealership, gets my licence number (which is pointless because it's fleet tags) and goes into the dealership to report me to a sales rep for doing what he was doing. All because I honked at him which was wrong of me to do apparently. This man had no regard for what he was doing, but he had an idea of what was right and wrong (though skewed). This is not something that comes from evolution, it can't. Evolution says survival of the fittest, the strongest makes it the weakest doesn't. And yet we all agree that it's wrong for us to kill others for no reason. I think people would have a problem if I killed someone because they took the last gallon of milk at CVS. They would consider that wrong. Yet for me to survive, I needed that milk. Doesn't work like that does it? So if these laws of right and wrong don't come from  evolution, where do they come from? They have to come from someone giving them to us. So the idea of proper action comes from a higher being. Personally I believe it's my God.

So now I ask what are proper actions?
Obviously scripture is full of them, looking at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, Galatians 5 where Paul tells us what's of the flesh and what's of the Spirit, James 1.27 where he tells us what God considers pure and undefiled religion. I'm not one to sit and give all the answers, so I want you to compile a list for yourself what's right and what's wrong for you to do. Use scripture, and see what that has to say. Then look at your own life and tell me what your own values tell you, what your identity tells you. Think critically about this stuff. I know a guy who's a deacon at his church who has sex with his girlfriend. Is that right for him to do? I think the majority of scripture and true followers of Christ will say "no." For him, he probably justifies it in some way such as "Well we're married in our heart" or "We're planning on getting married" or my personal favorite of distorting scripture, "Whenever Paul talks about sexually immorality it's about homosexuality, not sex before marriage." So you need to think hard about why something is right or wrong. If you want to distort scripture, that's on you, and you will be held accountable for it. Just don't deem yourself a Christian because I don't want the name of Jesus rendered meaningless.

Now why should we act properly?
Look at Ephesians 4.1, Philippians 3.16, 1 John 2.10, and 2 Corinthians 5.10 and you tell me.
We're called to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, a calling to be called a Child of God.
We're to hold true to what we have attained, which is salvation. Act like you're saved, you have died to sin.
We're to love our brothers and sisters in Christ and cause no stumbling, meaning we are to hold ourselves to a higher standard out of love for those around us.
And finally, we will all be judged. Our actions will be laid bare before Christ and we will be receive what we deserve. If you trust in Christ and allow him to work through you, showing your faith by your works, you will receive life. If you just give lip service, say that you have faith but refuse to act like it and like you have been saved then you haven't been saved, or you rejected your salvation and you will be judged accordingly.

If you claim to be a follower of Christ then you should commit to want to be like Christ, and be an ambassador for him here on earth (see 2 Corinthians 5). This leads to a desire for proper action in your life.

Think about any type of situations that you find yourself in and ask what is the right thing to do in that situation?
Start thinking about what you're going to do before you get somewhere. It's always good to have a plan.

That's what I got for today, I hope it helps and I hope you all start to think more about what you'll do and that you actually begin acting in a manner worthy of the calling you have received.