emotions – La Vista Church of Christ

Emotion vs. Truth

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:20:30 +0000

by Chadwick Brewer

One of the greatest challenges that we have in walking according to the Spirit is that we are so accustomed to walking according to our emotions.

We have been trained to and constantly instructed to act according to our feelings. “What do you feel in your heart?” “Be true to yourself.” “Speak your truth.” “If it feels right, it must be right.” These are just a few examples of this worldview that is constantly hoisted upon us. We buy into these false ideas in our daily life, and since there is no real division between daily life and religious life, it also shapes how we view religion.

More and more, people are guided by what they feel within rather than by what God has revealed in His word. When in discussions about doctrine, statements like “I don’t have a problem with it” or “I believe that God would be OK with that” often carry more weight than Scripture. In terms of acts of worship, we are more motivated by what moves us than what glorifies God. We often pursue experiences that make us feel close to God and then hope He approves, rather than learning to delight in the things He has already revealed to be pleasing to Him.

Yet we are called to “delight in truth” (Psalms 51:6), to be “sanctified in truth” (John 17:17), and to “walk in [God’s] truth” (Psalms 86:11). Nothing like this is ever said about our emotions. Emotions make wonderful servants, but terrible masters. God never intended our feelings to determine truth; He intended truth to shape our feelings.

Overcoming Emotional Problems

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 23:30:26 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Overcoming-Emotional-Problems.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Download Audio

Text: Philippians 4:4-9

I. It is a simple idea; so simple, you probably think it is obvious. Yet, the ramifications are far reaching.

A. How we think influences our emotions

1. It is profound because the world sees it the other way around.

2. In the world emotions dictates behavior and thought.

B. Anxiety causes depression. Encouragement causes happiness - Proverbs 12:25

C. Joy inside shines without. Heartache causes discouragement - Proverbs 15:13

D. The disciples fears arose from the doubts within them - Luke 24:36-38

E. When Peter remembered Jesus’ words, it caused him grief - Mark 14:72

F. The Bible teaches that what we think about, what we focus our minds upon, influences the emotions with which we react.

1. This is not to discount that some have medical problems which causes their minds to overreact to situations.

2. However, for the majority it is the way we think that influences our emotions.

II. It is an important point because God teaches us that we have control over our thoughts.

A. Ephesians 4:17-24 - The Gentiles walk about with useless thoughts and so pursue an ungodly course of living. We must put that way aside. We have a choice as to where our minds dwells.

B. We do not need to keep wicked thoughts - Jeremiah 4:14

C. We need to leave unrighteous thoughts behind and seek God - Isaiah 55:7

D. I Peter 1:13 - Prepare your minds

E. Love the Lord with all your mind - Matthew 22:37-38

III. This means that many of the emotional problems for which people seek help can be dealt with by changing their thought patterns

A. Take depression. Solomon told us it comes from anxiety (Proverbs 12:25)

B. Jesus encourages us not to be anxious - Matthew 6:25-34

1. Anxiety is a useless way of thinking.

a. God will take care of us.

b. Worry will not change outcomes

2. The solution is within the church – proper priorities.

IV. Paul tells us how to overcome anxiety - Philippians 4:4-8

A. Recall that Paul wrote these words while in prison. If one had a cause for concern, it would be Paul, but he encourages Christians to let go of anxiety.

B. By choosing to rejoice - Philippians 4:4

1. One study by Loma Linda University found that even anticipating laughing reduces stress hormones.

2. Notice how the apostles dealt with their beating - Acts 5:40-41

a. They were handed a lemon, but they choose to make lemonade.

b. They choose to think about the benefits.

3. It is how all Christians are encouraged to deal with suffering - I Peter 4:12-14

4. Matthew 5:10-12 - Realize you are in good company

C. Demonstrate gentleness - Philippians 4:5

1. The Greek word epiekes means restraint on passions, moderation, without excess

2. Extremes in moods leads to a loss of self-control. There is a tendency to over-correct

3. Godly wisdom is shown in gentleness - James 3:17

D. Pray - Philippians 4:6

1. Tell God about your needs.

2. God will support you - Psalm 55:22

3. I Peter 5:6-7 - Man cannot change matters by worrying, so take your concerns to the one who can alter the future.

4. This is not to say that our problems will go away.

a. As we have learned in other lessons, difficulties and trials are there to strengthen us.

b. But it does not mean we need to be overwhelmed by our trials.

E. Thanksgiving - Philippians 4:6

1. Be appreciative what you have - Philippians 4:11-12

2. God will take care of us - Hebrews 13:5

F. Change our thoughts

1. Truth - make your thoughts conform to reality

a. There are more things that might happen than what really happens.

b. I dealt with one man who had a number of problems in his life.

(1) As each came to a resolution, he was surprised that it was never as bad as he feared it might be.

(2) All that time wasted worrying about something that never came to past.

c. This is not to say that preparation should not be made, but rather keep yourself rooted in reality and not imagination

2. Honest - don’t pretend

a. Some people ignore problems. They can’t deal with them so they pretend they are not there.

b. But they don’t go away. Since they are never faced, they continually eat away. When they can no longer be ignored, they lose themselves in depression never realizing that a little honesty with themselves in advance would have allowed them to deal with matters and minimize problems.

c. It is actually the idea of being dignified. A person who does not fall apart at the seams when trouble appears, but takes reality in stride - Titus 2:2, 7

3. Just - weighing matters without prejudice

a. Some people decide the outcome in advance. “Oh, it will never work. I can’t do it. I’ll fail anyway.”

b. You fail at your first attempt at golf, so you decide you will never be a golfer

c. A person who applies for a job, but doesn’t land it and decides no one wants him and he’ll never work again is not being just.

d. Some people are unjust with others when they take an all-or-nothing view of people.

(1) That person drinks, they wouldn’t be interested in the gospel.

(2) That person didn’t say “Hi” when I went by, so he must be mad at me.

e. We are to operate impartially - I Timothy 5:21

4. Pure - don’t allow your thoughts to be corrupted by sin

a. I John 3:3 - we purify ourselves

b. Wisdom is first pure - James 3:17

c. Titus 1:15 - The purity of our thoughts affect our outlook.

5. Lovely - thoughts that are acceptable, agreeable, and pleasing

a. These are thoughts which promote brotherly love - II Peter 1:2-8

6. Good report - thoughts that are well spoken of, that have a good reputation

7. Excellence - virtuous, morally superior

8. Praiseworthy - commendable thoughts

a. Our praise should come from God - Romans 2:29

b. God will judge our thoughts - I Corinthians 4:5

G. Practice these things - Philippians 4:9

1. Must do to become a part of you - James 1:21-25

2. A study by the University of British Columbia, published in Motivation and Emotion, showed that people who did random acts of kindness, such as washing a roommate’s dishes, mowing a neighbor’s lawn, etc. reduced people’s anxiety because it caused people to look outwardly toward others needs. People with anxiety focus inwardly.

3. Careful to continue good works - Titus 3:8

V. Too often we get stuck in a self-defeating cycle of thoughts which we label “depression.”

A. The way out of depression is to change our views and thoughts

B. Psalms 94:19 - When anxieties multiply, God brings comfort

C. Isaiah 26:3-4 - A mind set steadfast on God gains peace

Emotional Needs

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 23:27:51 +0000

by Zeke Flores

Too often, we can let our emotionally perceived needs dictate what we do rather than what we should do.

In a local church, a member may feel his needs are not being met, and so he moves on to another congregation or falls away altogether. In this way, "what I want for myself" takes priority over "what my brothers and sisters need from me." Thus, personal attention to receive takes precedence over the duty to give to others.

Can both be served simultaneously? I believe that they can. The various "one another" statements by Paul strongly encourage attention to others while implying a personal blessing received for serving them. Jesus said, "It's more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). I believe He's right.

"Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you" (II Corinthians 13:11).

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4).

Dread

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 06 May 2025 18:10:24 +0000

by Zeke Flores

Dread.

You've felt it. That uneasy, gnawing feeling that something bad is looming.

I've been feeling a little apprehensive for a couple of days and don't know why. I mean, life is good, God is gracious, and Cheryl isn't mad at me. Life is good!

But still, there it is, a sense of dread.

So, why this uneasiness?

Maybe it's just my spirit reminding me to be careful. I can't afford to become lackadaisical or complacent. Dangers lurk, especially spiritual ones, and strike when you least expect them, so we can't let our guard down. Even when life is good, there is risk.

So, while I can enjoy life and its blessings, I must also beware that it can change instantly, and it's up to me and the tools God provides to deal with it. I don't know what's lurking, but He does and will help when needed.

I may be strangely uneasy, but I'm still confident.

"For Yahweh will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught" (Proverbs 3:26).

Controlling Our Emotions

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 21:40:33 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Controlling-Our-Emotions.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Mark 7:18-23

I. From the heart comes the emotions which affect all aspects of our life - Proverbs 4:23

A. We can poison the well with evil thoughts - Mark 7:20-23

B. We can sweeten it with righteous ideals - Philippians 4:4-9

C. It affects our outlook on life - Proverbs 15:13

D. Our emotions have to be controlled, else they will control our lives

1. Control gives us added strength - Proverbs 16:32

E. Trust that God can teach us how - Proverbs 3:5-8

II. When emotions are out of control

A. You are left vulnerable to attack by others - Proverbs 25:28

B. It can misguide us - Proverbs 28:26

1. That is why everything isn’t as it may appear - Proverbs 14:12

2. It twists us up, even to the point of leading us away from God - Proverbs 19:3

3. A classic example are the Jews - Acts 13:45-46

a. Their emotional response lead them away from the truth

C. It is foolish to vent your feelings - Proverbs 29:11

III. Dangerous emotions

A. Anger - “a fiery resentment over mistreatment, whether real, exaggerated, or imagined”

1. The problem

a. It doesn’t lead to righteousness - James 1:19-20

b. A fool exercises no control over his anger - Proverbs 12:16

c. You end up making dumb mistakes - Proverbs 14:29

d. It leads to fights - Proverbs 30:33

(1) There is no control over what is said

(2) Soon there is no control over what is done

e. It gets us into trouble, repeatedly - Proverbs 19:19

2. The solution

a. Stay away from angry people. It is a learned trait - Proverbs 22:24-25

b. Distinguish between important matters and small annoyances - Proverbs 19:11

c. Slow down your response and look for solutions to the problem - Proverbs 15:18

B. Envy - “displeasure at another’s good fortune, thinking it should belong to you and not them”

1. The problem

a. It destroys the person from the inside - Proverbs 14:30

b. It causes harm to others - Galatians 5:15

c. It promotes evil - James 3:14-16

d. The classic example: Cain - I John 3:12

2. The solution

a. Focus on serving God - Proverbs 23:17-18

b. If someone, because of their evil, doesn’t deserve something know that God will handle the problem - Psalms 37:1-3

c. Esteem others above yourself - Philippians 2:3-4

C. Arrogance - “an inflated feeling of self-importance”

1. The problem

a. You don’t listen to others and you get conflicts - Proverbs 13:10

b. It is destructive - Proverbs 16:18

c. It is sinful - Proverbs 21:4

2. The solution

a. Humility - Proverbs 18:12

b. The humble learn - Proverbs 11:2

c. When we see ourselves as God does, we lose our pride - Romans 12:3

D. Impulsiveness - “rashness, recklessness, acting without advance thought”

1. The problem

a. Without thought we lose what we have - Proverbs 21:5

b. We say things we later regret - Proverbs 29:20

c. It can be destructive - Proverbs 13:3

2. The solution

a. Think about where you are going - Proverbs 4:26, Proverbs 14:15

b. Understand what you are doing - Proverbs 14:8

c. Look where it leads - Proverbs 22:3

d. Guard your thoughts and words - Proverbs 21:23

e. Think before you speak - Proverbs 15:28

E. Anxiety - “uneasiness caused by fear of misfortune”

1. The problem

a. Causes depression - Proverbs 12:25

b. It destroys health - Proverbs 17:22; 18:14

2. The solution

a. Choose to be happy - Proverbs 15:15

b. Cultivate pleasant friends who give good advice - Proverbs 16:24; 27:9

c. Trust in God - Proverbs 16:20; 29:25

d. Hope in God - Psalms 42:11

IV. The solution to uncontrolled emotions

A. Respect God - Proverbs 14:26-27; 19:23

B. Listen to correction - Proverbs 17:10

C. Cultivate godly wisdom - Proverbs 3:1-26

Based on a lesson by Frank Walton

How Can I Control My Emotions?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 18:30:37 +0000

by Jefferson David Tant
Adapted from "Questions Young People Ask"

What’s your thought? Is fire good or bad? You probably would say that it depends on the circumstances. On a cold winter night, logs burning in a fireplace can provide warmth. That’s good. Uncontrolled, however, the flames can quickly spread and destroy the entire house. That’s bad.

It’s the same with your emotions. When controlled, they’re helpful, enabling you to develop warm friendships. Unrestrained, they can be destructive, not only to you, but also to those around you.

As an adolescent, you may sometimes find yourself overcome by anger or sadness. How can you control those emotions? Let’s discuss them.

Defusing Anger

It’s not easy to deal with the hurt and pain that come when you’re the victim of mistreatment. Some in that situation lose self-control. In fact, the Bible speaks of people who are “given to anger” and “disposed to rage.”

"Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man” (Proverbs 22:24).

“An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression” (Proverbs 29:22).

This is no small matter. Uncontrolled anger can cause you to take action that you’ll later regret. So how can you control your emotions when you’ve been mistreated?

First, analyze the situation squarely, and see if you can settle the matter in your heart. “Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah” (Psalm 4:4). Remember, paying back “harm for harm” will only make matters worse. “See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people" (I Thessalonians 5:15). A person harboring resentment is like a hooked fish — both are controlled by someone else.

After thinking the matter over and praying about it, you might find that you can let go of resentment. Then you will reduce its hold on you. “Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing” (Psalm 37:8).

But what if the hurt feelings just won’t go away? The Bible says there “is a time to keep quiet and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Can you talk to the person who hurt you? If that’s not advisable, you might benefit by talking to your parents or a mature friend about how you feel. If someone is purposely trying to hurt you, make a special effort to be kind to that one.

For example, “My classmate ridicules me.” You can respond with an insult, or you can ignore the remark, and show your classmate that he will not provoke you. “My sister ‘borrowed my shoes without asking me.” You can jerk them away from her and scold her, or you can say, “I’m glad you like my shoes. Let me know when you need them again.”

By all means, pray to God, asking for help to overcome the urge to retaliate and hold resentment against those who may have wronged you. If you allow yourself to be controlled by anger, you are like the hooked fish mentioned earlier. You are allowing someone else to rule you, and wouldn’t you rather be the one in control?

Coping with Sadness

Laura, age 16, commented that she was moody and self-critical and that she often cried herself to sleep at night. The pressures of life had overwhelmed her. What about you, dear reader? Many young people feel unable to deal with what they feel life demands of them. They may feel they are a failure because they don’t seem to measure up to what they think their parents expect of them.

Yes, there are challenges that come with puberty and growing up, but this is a part of life. Some resort to self-harm, or shutting oneself off from the world and just becoming more or less a hermit. But this doesn’t solve the problem. It only makes it worse.

One way to deal with this is to have a serious talk with your parents, or maybe a compassionate teacher, or a mature member of the church you attend. Your feelings are not unique. They have happened to other young people. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). 16-year-old Liliana talked with some older friends from the church she attended, thinking that since they were older than she was, perhaps they could give some wise advice. It worked. Jennifer said that one of the greatest things she did was to know that others really cared for her and that she could talk to them when things were bleak.

And importantly, when you are down in the dumps, don’t forget prayer. “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken” (Psalm 55:22). God knows about your suffering and difficulties. “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7).

God knows our hearts, and through Him, we can find help — "for God is greater than our heart and knows all things” (I John 3:20).

If your sadness continues, perhaps you have some health problem and might need to have a medical checkup. To ignore the problem would be like turning up the volume on the car radio to drown out the noise coming from the engine. If you have some medical condition, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. That’s part of living in this old world. Take advantage of medical help.

Remember that your emotions are like the fire mentioned at the beginning of this article. If controlled, they can be helpful, but if not controlled, they are dangerous. Keep your emotions under control, and your life will be better.

When are emotions wrong?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 22:12:14 +0000

Question:

When are emotions wrong? If you feel something, does that make it automatically wrong, or is there more to it than that? One thing I really struggle with is when I feel certain things, I automatically get upset with myself for having felt them at all.

Answer:

"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered" (Proverbs 28:26).

Feelings reflect your mood, but your mood should not be the basis of your decisions. Thus, my feelings are really neither good nor bad. They are only my current emotional outlook.

Let me illustrate. Suppose I have a really annoying neighbor who plays loud music at all hours of the night. Suddenly, the nights are quiet again and I find out that the annoying neighbor is in the hospital. I may feel happy about the quiet, but I should not celebrate over a person being ill. "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the LORD will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him" (Proverbs 24:17-18). Here my reason has to reign over my emotions. People need to be treated with respect -- even annoying people. It doesn't mean my feelings are bad, it is just that the situation caused my feelings to be inappropriate if I focus on the wrong thing (my convenience or my concern for a fellow human being).

If a person follows his feelings, he will naturally make decisions that benefit himself because those are the things that make him happy. In other words, there is a tendency to become selfish. But God teaches us to put other people ahead ourselves. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 4:3-4).

Thus, we are not bad because our feelings are incorrect. It simply means we are probably focused on the wrong thing at the moment. Therefore, I need to make adjustments to focus on the right things. When at a funeral, I should be daydreaming about where I'm going to spend my next vacation. When at a celebration, I shouldn't focus on my sore muscles from yesterday's gym session.

I’m worried about selling my soul

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 04 Jul 2020 20:20:52 +0000

Question:

I have a question for you. Over the past couple of weeks I have these thoughts that keep coming into my mind about selling my soul. I would never do that because I love Jesus and I want to live through him. Yesterday, I had these thoughts and said "Nobody will never sell their soul". I don't know if I sold the souls of everybody in the world or not. I prayed many times since then and said I never meant to say what I said. I have been worried sick about this, and I just want to know if I sold everybody's soul or if I am just overreacting.

I have seen some people say you can't sell your soul so I thought that since I can't sell my own soul how could I sell somebody else's. But I keep on having these thoughts that I did, and I am just really worried about it. Am I overreacting or not?

Thank you.

Answer:

Upon what passage did you come to the conclusion that a person can sell his soul? My guess is that you don't know of one. You just heard other people talking about something like this and just assumed it was true. From there you imagined that it would be possible for one person to sell another person's soul and you concluded that it could be done simply by you thinking it or saying it. Take the emotions out of it and tell me if you believe this is logical thinking.

There is a biblical idea of "selling yourself" to do evil. In speaking of King Ahab, we read, "So Ahab said to Elijah, 'Have you found me, O my enemy?' And he answered, 'I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD'" (I Kings 21:20). In order to gain Naboth's vineyard, Ahab was willing to give away his honor and dignity as king solely to possess a piece of property. The king's duty was to uphold the law, but he broke the law and thus sinned against Naboth, his fellow countrymen, and the Lord God. He paid for his sin with his honor and dignity. Ahab has been known throughout history as one of the most corrupt kings Israel ever had.

A person doesn't sell himself to do evil by stating something. He does it when he gives up his righteousness in order to sin. That is why the Bible depicts sin as a form of slavery. "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16).

But notice that each person sells himself to sin. You can't sell another person into sin. Everyone is responsible for his own sins. "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself" (Ezekiel 18:20).

You are letting your emotions and your imaginations run wild. You are not considering what God actually said. Instead, you are putting your own thoughts above God. It is past time to humble yourself and listen to the truth.

Question:

Could you explain to me what Mark 8:36-37 says? "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36). This is the only passage that I could find, and when I looked up about if you can sell your soul. This is what I found that the people who say that you can use.

Thank you for answering my questions.

Answer:

"And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:34-37).

The topic at hand is a person's devotion to God and the priority that must be placed on following God. If some one desires to follow Jesus, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Jesus. Even a person’s own life must take second place after Jesus and the teaching of the Gospel. If a person values his mortal life above Jesus, he might be able to preserve it for a while, but he will lose his eternal life.

And of what value is it to have great wealth, even to the point of owning the whole world, if eternal life is forfeited (lost) as a result? The statement is in figurative terms. After all, what person has ever owned the entire world? Thus, we realize that Jesus is using hyperbole -- making a point by stating things in the extreme. Thus, Jesus' point is that your soul is not a barterable item. The entire world is not equal to the value of your soul.

So many people chase after material things and the pleasures of this world and give no thought to what they are doing to their ability to gain eternal life. Thus, like Ahab, they sold themselves to do sin (I Kings 21:20). This passage does not say you "sell yourself" by stating something. It does not teach what you are claiming.

Is it wrong to grieve silently? I don’t want anyone to see me cry

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 01:48:00 +0000

Question:

I have a question about grieving. I got a text this morning that my newborn nephew died last night. I'm a person who typically grieves in silence and doesn't tell anyone. I know at church tomorrow that I may look mopey thinking about this tragedy. My question is how do you feel about silent grieving and is it a bad thing not to tell the church about this? I don't mind sharing, but I'm afraid I may really break down, and I don't want anyone to see me crying.

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Answer:

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation" (Romans 12:15-16).

"So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (I Corinthians 12:25-26).

"Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

"To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit" (I Peter 3:8).

A part of the bond that draws Christians together is the sharing bits of our lives with each other. We then understand each other better. But such bonding can't take place if no one knows what we are experiencing. If our Lord can openly weep, there is no shame if we wept as well (John 11:35).

I struggle because I have never experienced or felt my religion

Jeffrey Hamilton — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 14:05:00 +0000

Question:

My question is about Christianity itself. I go to one of those big non-denominational churches you see in the metropolitan areas. I have kind of been struggling with actually experiencing God or feeling any presence. I'm not even sure if I'm a Christian. To clear any pre-misconceptions I never say profanity. I'm not against God for whatever reason. I certainly am not choosing to be agnostic or atheist at all. I just have a hard time feeling much spiritual movement when we're on this earth. I can't smell, hear, see, or use any of my human senses to know Jesus better or at all. I'm not against Christianity, I just have a hard time feeling God is here all the time, even though I identify myself as a Christian. I go to church once a week, listen to ministries on TV sometimes, and I agree with what the Bible says 101%. It's just that my natural senses can't always experience him which prevents any real closeness. Maybe I'm just not a super devout Christian and more of the casual type, I don't know. However, I am positive that I am Christian to some extent, I just don't know how much.

Answer:

It is strongly ingrained in society that religion is some emotional feeling, despite the fact that God teaches that emotions are deceptive. "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered" (Proverbs 28:26). I constantly run into people who are convinced that something isn't real unless it is felt. But it is feelings that are unstable. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

Truth is established by knowledge. "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (I John 2:3-6).

If you want to know if you are a Christian, then the proper question is are you following Christ or your own impulses. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 4:46). "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Of course, that means learning your Bible which is where Christ and his teachings are discussed. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

Faith isn't a feeling. It is what you trust is true after examining the evidence. That will lead to feelings within you, but it isn't the feeling that is the cause, it is the effect of your trust that is based on the evidence.