Hunger and thirst after ...

MoreCoffee

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
19,115
Location
Western Australia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Catholic
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)]

If blessed means happy or something similar then why are so many Christians miserable at the prospect of living a righteous life, as if living in righteousness was just to darned hard to do and will end in failure anyway?
 

Andrew

Matt 18:15
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Messages
6,645
Age
39
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Christians IMO tend to be more happy or peppy to me. The few that are miserable that I know are miserable over health, being obese or something but they keep their spirits up and stay humble. Others I have noticed constantly judge others and appear to be very unhappy people.
Some I have seen in a church with a constant look on their face like "bite me" lol but I don't know if they are really like that because I tend to stay away from that.
I notice as many should that there are some days that are bad and some that are really good, I do take bipolar medication because on bad days I get severe anxiety and don't want to leave the house, the medicine helps me get my feet out the door at least.
 

MoreCoffee

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
19,115
Location
Western Australia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Catholic
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Christians IMO tend to be more happy or peppy to me. The few that are miserable that I know are miserable over health, being obese or something but they keep their spirits up and stay humble. Others I have noticed constantly judge others and appear to be very unhappy people.
Some I have seen in a church with a constant look on their face like "bite me" lol but I don't know if they are really like that because I tend to stay away from that.
I notice as many should that there are some days that are bad and some that are really good, I do take bipolar medication because on bad days I get severe anxiety and don't want to leave the house, the medicine helps me get my feet out the door at least.

Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? I know it is an odd question and nearly every Christian will be tempted to say "yes". It's the "right thing to do" isn't it. But when folk are alone in the dark at night just before sleep they probably sometimes wonder if they really truly believe and really truly hunger and thirst to be like Jesus or if it is just like their comfort and friendships in church and the nice holy ideals in the gospel but aren't too likely to strain themselves to be righteous.
 

Albion

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Messages
7,492
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Anglican
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)]

If blessed means happy or something similar then why are so many Christians miserable at the prospect of living a righteous life, as if living in righteousness was just to darned hard to do and will end in failure anyway?
IMHO, the message there is about people who VALUE righteousness. They are blessed by the Lord. But for anyone to live up to those standards is another matter entirely. And there is no contradiction in that.
 

Andrew

Matt 18:15
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Messages
6,645
Age
39
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? I know it is an odd question and nearly every Christian will be tempted to say "yes". It's the "right thing to do" isn't it. But when folk are alone in the dark at night just before sleep they probably sometimes wonder if they really truly believe and really truly hunger and thirst to be like Jesus or if it is just like their comfort and friendships in church and the nice holy ideals in the gospel but aren't too likely to strain themselves to be righteous.
Regardless of what I think I let the heart do the talking, if I force myself to be a carbon copy of Christ or as close as I can to it -my heart isn't truly there. Grace allows me to learn and experience and to grow in my faith and I do strive to do things better the next time around.
 

MoreCoffee

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
19,115
Location
Western Australia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Catholic
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Regardless of what I think I let the heart do the talking, if I force myself to be a carbon copy of Christ or as close as I can to it -my heart isn't truly there. Grace allows me to learn and experience and to grow in my faith and I do strive to do things better the next time around.

Holy scripture warns that following one's heart may not lead to righteousness because "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
 

Andrew

Matt 18:15
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Messages
6,645
Age
39
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Holy scripture warns that following one's heart may not lead to righteousness because "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
Yes I know that, God also searches the heart
 

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)]

If blessed means happy or something similar then why are so many Christians miserable at the prospect of living a righteous life, as if living in righteousness was just to darned hard to do and will end in failure anyway?

I think the satisfied part of this passage is not only satisfied with personal righteousness, but also with the righteousness in the world around us. That one day God is going to make the wrong right and establish righteousness and holiness as the norm. Until then we will remain unsatisfied
 

MoreCoffee

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
19,115
Location
Western Australia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Catholic
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I think the satisfied part of this passage is not only satisfied with personal righteousness, but also with the righteousness in the world around us. That one day God is going to make the wrong right and establish righteousness and holiness as the norm. Until then we will remain unsatisfied

That's an interesting perspective. I haven't given it enough thought and prayer to have an opinion beyond the very obvious meaning that if you hunger and thirst after righteousness then God will satisfy your hunger and thirst.
 

Arsenios

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
3,577
Location
Pacific North West
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Eastern Orthodox
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
IMHO, the message there is about people who VALUE righteousness. They are blessed by the Lord. But for anyone to live up to those standards is another matter entirely. And there is no contradiction in that.

The Orthodox have been fasting from food and water unto righteousness regularly for 2000 years now...

Self denial is a good thing for a Christian...

Hungry stomachs and parched throats are not to rule us like slaves in fear of death...

Arsenios
 

Arsenios

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
3,577
Location
Pacific North West
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Eastern Orthodox
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Regardless of what I think I let the heart do the talking, if I force myself to be a carbon copy of Christ or as close as I can to it -my heart isn't truly there. Grace allows me to learn and experience and to grow in my faith and I do strive to do things better the next time around.

What is needed is obedience to and union with our Lord...

And for this one must ask the Lord in denial of self...

Leave off that carbon copy stuff...

Ain't nobody no carbon-copy...

Arsenios
 

MoreCoffee

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
19,115
Location
Western Australia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Catholic
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
The Orthodox have been fasting from food and water unto righteousness regularly for 2000 years now...

Self denial is a good thing for a Christian...

Hungry stomachs and parched throats are not to rule us like slaves in fear of death...

Arsenios

Fasting may not be what the Lord intended in the beatitude. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6). Fating may help to train the soul to hunger after God but it may not, it depends on what is happening in the interior of the heart & mind of the one fasting.
 
Top Bottom