Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
9/3/2021
Non-Negotiable Principles II
Non-Negotiable Principles II
Yesterday we spoke of Non-negotiables as the things you will not negotiate on. They follow your values and character and define not only what you will and won’t accept from others, but also what you will and won’t accept from yourself and your family.
I was researching and found a Christian School had published their Biblical Principles: When was the last time you reviewed yours and or mentioned them to your family after dinner?
The Bible
The basis for our Christian belief is the Bible, which is uniquely God-inspired, without error, and the final authority on all matters of faith and practice.
God
As the Bible teaches, there is one God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each possessing all the attributes of deity.
Man
God created man to have fellowship with Him, but man chose to go his own way.
Salvation
Salvation comes through God’s grace and is received personally by faith in Jesus Christ.
Christian Character
The Bible establishes basic principles for Christian character and behavior. These include the Lordship of Christ over all our life and thoughts; the responsibility to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves; the responsibility to pursue righteousness and practice justice and mercy to everyone; and participation in the worship and activities of the church, which forms a necessary context for Christian living.
What does this practically mean to us? Vital instruction and essential information for Christian living has never been hidden from his children but repeated over and over again. The scriptures sustain each other time and again. But God does not lay them out for anyone to understand. They are pearls that need to be studied and dug out through
careful meditation and Holy Spirit revelation.
God has always layed out that knowledge should be balanced – Every verse, whether oft-quoted or obscure, must be measured against other verses. There are complementary and tempering teachings in the scriptures that bring a balanced knowledge of the truth.
Even beyond the Bible, there is a consistency in what the Lord says and what He does, which is evident in all creation. Nature can teach valuable lessons about spiritual and doctrinal matters. The Lord drew lessons from flowers and foxes, from seeds and salt, and sparrows and sunsets.
While much must be taken on faith alone, there is individual revelation through which we may know the truth. ‘There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding’ (Job 32:8). What may be obscure in the scriptures can be made plain through the gift of the Holy Ghost. We can have as full an understanding of spiritual things as we are willing to earn through study and obedience to God’s instruction.
Lastly, we must be wary and wise. There is an adversary who has his own channels of spiritual communication. He confuses the careless and prompts those who serve him to devise deceptive, counterfeit doctrine, carefully contrived to appear genuine.
What is written here are not just words but a covenant of faith and hope. God’s promises are real regardless of whether we receive them. God is real even if you deny him. His ways will stand the test of time even if you walk away from them. Pray with your family this week and talk about these Godly principles. Tell them what you believe and what is non-negotiable. Lead your family in spiritual truth. Please don’t leave it to someone else. They will not do it or will fill their heads with the compromises of men.
Glorious Day-Kristian Stanfill/Passion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s4UblPViiI
