How Bible Principles Appy to Your Life - WHY APPLY SUCH PRINCIPLES?

 "But why should I practice these princples, when other people do not?"  "Why should I show love to people who hate me?"  "Why should I be honest with people who steal?"  "Why should I take my time to help people who never helped me?"  These are common questions.  But why not do these things?  Why restrict your own happiness just because others throw theirs awayt?  Why follow their bad example rather than letting them see your good one?  Just to spite the world, do not take a course of greed that adds to your own happiness. You can avoid that by following the right course that Jesus set out."  "To this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.  He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his moutyh. When he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return.  When he was suffering, he did not go threatening, but kept on committing himself to the one who judges righteously."  Can you find a better course to follow than that one?  Are you really happier for trying to follow a different course?  Then show the strength, determination and integrity necessar6 to follow the sound, life-giving Bible principles that have here been set out. - 1 PETER 2:21-23, NW.

Serving God may not always prove the most profitable course financially or socially, but it is better even to take a material loss than to lose God's favor and everlasting life. Not just  a more contented life today, but the spiritual benefit that the Bible provides is the most important thing for us. Right thinking  is needed.  Not religious formalism-the lighting of candles, counting of beads, fasting, singing or just attending a Sunday sermon-but a real warmhearted devotion to righteousness is what we must have.  The world's thinking is vastly different from what God outlined in the Bible.  Why is this true?  Because Satan is responsible for the world's thinking.  "The god of this system of things has blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through" But you do not have to follow the world's wrong thinking.  You can reject the ways of the present sysatem sponsored by the father of disobedience, Satan, and take the course that is outlined in the Word of the Father of life, Jehovah.  To do this you must gain a right knowledge of God's Word and "quit being fashioned  after this system of things, but be transfored by making  your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptabe and complete will of God." - 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4; ROMANS 12:2, NW.

Next time: How Bible Principles Apply to Your Life - THE COURSE TO FOLLOW

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