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Topic 23: Any place for let go & let God? First draft (September 23)

                                                Let Go and Let God

        Letting go and letting God is a big principle used by many religious people as an act of faith. Although it is a Biblical principle, “non-Christians use it as a tenet of an ancient health and relaxation act of Yoga”. In other words, people use this principle as a mean to give up in circumstances or situations. Looking at this principle through out the Bible, we see that there is no place to completely give up in our Christian life? Although letting go and letting God shows that we are living out our faith, we still need to be aware of our responsibilities as Christians. It’s not that we can do work to save ourselves, but we need to know that the things we go through in our Christian life is part of the cross Christ asked us to pick up and carry.

        There are two big words in Christianity that the Bible talks about which relate to let go and let God: Faith and Trust. Faith is an unquestioning belief in God and trust is the belief in the honesty and reliability of God; these two kind of work together. Every time one realizes that he can not take care of his needs he will let go of the things he is struggling with and let God help him out, it shows that he trusts God, and he has faith in God. When people have faith in God it makes God happy. Hebrews 11:6a says that it is impossible to please God if one is faithless. Now we have seen that letting go and letting God is basically the same thing with having faith in God, we can say that it is Biblical to turn to God and say: Lord, I leave it all to you. I am letting go of my needs because I trust you and have faith in you

         Faith is very important in Christianity. Do all Christians understand, let go and let God (faith) the way the Bible shows it? Calvinist Christians have a theory, TULIP: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints, they use to explain their Christian faith. According to Calvinists, salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the triune God. “The Father chose a people, the Son died for them; the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the Gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.” This theory is showing that we are not capable of doing anything to save ourselves, but God did all the work alone. This is correct, but at the mean time, there is something very important being left out. The Calvinists are being completely passive letting go and letting God regarding their salvation. They are forgetting their responsibilities as Christians; that shows a lack of faith.

         According to the Bible, as Christians we have responsibilities. We must SUBMIT to God. - James 4:7 We must submit to His Words and to His providential workings in our lives - 1 Peter 5:6-11 2. We must also draw near to God - James 4:8 a. “Just as an earthly father delights when his children want to draw near to him, so does God “- cf. Mt 23:37 b. We draw nearer to God by "cleansing our hands" and "purifying our hearts" - James 4:8 1) That is, by obtaining forgiveness and then strengthening our resolve to serve Him 2) For the Christian, this involves REPENTANCE, CONFESSION OF SINS, AND PRAYER - Ac 8:22; 1 John 1:9 As Christians, we have responsibilities to have the church as our family. Staying clean and staying close to God shows that we are in relationship with Him. We need to keep our relationship with Him. We need to be working on our relationship with God. We can not be passive saying that there is nothing we can do regarding our relationship with God. Jesus has restored our image of God, and now it is our responsibility to keep it.

        If I have true faith and do everything that I am responsible to do as a Christian, can I let go of everything and let God so that everything can go the way I expect them to go? Some Christians think of faith as a magical force: if you muster up enough of it, you’ll get rich, stay healthy, and live a contented life, they say. Yet, when we look up faith in the book of Hebrews the author surprises people who think that way. The big picture of faith is described differently as the way we think of it. The author uses words like “perseverance”, “endure”, and “do not lose heart”. “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons” Hebrews 12:7. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witness, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews12:1. Faith is like a difficult race according to this passage. The runner has his eyes on the winner’s prize, and despite the nagging temptations, refuses to let up until he finishes the line.

        Letting go and letting God is to have faith in God. Being completely passive, letting go and letting God, in Christianity is to give up. When we give up it shows lack of faith and perseverance. Lack of faith and perseverance displease God. As Christians, we are called to be strong and to hold on tight until the end. There is no place to give up. God does not guarantee a life of luxury and ease in Christianity. It is tough faith: a constant commitment to hang on and believe God against all odds, no matter what. Never let go as a mean to run away from hard times. Do not take the short way out.

Resources:

http://www.reformed.org/calvinism/index.html

New International Bible: Hebrews chapters 11 & 12

Additional Readings:

Pathwork guide lecture No. 213(1996 edition) pages 9-11

 How People Grow chapter 18

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