Abundant Life

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
John 10:10 NASV says
10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

I don't know many people who have life abundantly. What do you think that means? why do you think it is so lacking in the church today?
 

psalms 91

Well-known member
Moderator
Valued Contributor
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Messages
15,205
Age
75
Location
Pa
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Charismatic
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Abundant to me means full, not rich, full. Why is it lacking? Simply put because God is not first in most peoples lives, there are many other false Gods and idols that are first before God is.
 

Lamb

God's Lil Lamb
Community Team
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
31,566
Age
57
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
In Christ we have eternal life...that is life abundantly :)
 

tango

... and you shall live ...
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
14,084
Location
Realms of chaos
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
John 10:10 NASV says
10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

I don't know many people who have life abundantly. What do you think that means? why do you think it is so lacking in the church today?

Your two comments don't sit very easily together.

If you've said you don't know many people who have life abundantly you are obviously using a specific concept of what "abundant" means.

In this context I think "life in abundance" means a life filled with love and joy, not necessarily material wealth. Love and joy can exist in abundance even in the presence of stress, anxiety and trouble. Sometimes a sense of love, joy and contentment is found more among people who have less material wealth because they aren't spending every waking moment trying to figure out how to make a bit more money.
 

TurtleHare

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Messages
1,057
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Is abundant life more than we deserve and don't you think we deserve for the thief to take us in death instead apart from Christ? If your in a church that isn't giving you the abundance found in Christ then keep on moving to the next one where he belongs and is found.
 

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
Your two comments don't sit very easily together.

If you've said you don't know many people who have life abundantly you are obviously using a specific concept of what "abundant" means.

In this context I think "life in abundance" means a life filled with love and joy, not necessarily material wealth. Love and joy can exist in abundance even in the presence of stress, anxiety and trouble. Sometimes a sense of love, joy and contentment is found more among people who have less material wealth because they aren't spending every waking moment trying to figure out how to make a bit more money.

I was not thinking of material wealth. Most people I know are not experiencing the joy or love of God in their daily life. It in no way meets the definition of "abundant"
 

TurtleHare

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Messages
1,057
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
I was not thinking of material wealth. Most people I know are not experiencing the joy or love of God in their daily life. It in no way meets the definition of "abundant"

Is joy a spiritual joy or does it have to be an I'm always happy type of joy because I don't think it's the I'm always happy type of joy. Even Jesus cried and was sad wasn't he?
 

atpollard

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2017
Messages
2,573
Location
Florida
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Baptist
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Abundant life comes through suffering...

[Romans 5:1-5 NIV] 1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

... but few people are willing to accept or embrace suffering as a gift from God. However, look at the Biblical evidence:

Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, punished for refusing to yield to an evil seductress, abandoned and forgotten in prison ... was Joseph’s life “abundant”?

Moses was abandoned as a child, fled Egypt as a murderer, worked in the harsh desert as a shepherd, returned to Egypt as a reluctant Prophet, led a stiff-necked people nowhere in the wilderness for 40 years, and was denied entry into the promised land ... was Moses’ life “abundant”?

I could go on ... Job ... David ... the Prophets ... Paul ...
The road to “abundant” life passes through the valley of hardship.
We are not a culture that is generally willing to pay the price of admission.
We are a culture that wants everyone to close their eyes when we raise our hand so we do not need to risk being embarrassed.

I remember once hearing a quote that said something close to “You will never know that God is all that you need, until God is all that you have”. That is the “welcome” sign on the road to abundant life.
 

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
Abundant life comes through suffering...

[Romans 5:1-5 NIV] 1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

... but few people are willing to accept or embrace suffering as a gift from God. However, look at the Biblical evidence:
Many Catholic Christians have believed that suffering is both part of a holy life and a blessing by which a Christian participates in the work of Christ saving the world from sins. Is that what you are thinking about too?
Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, punished for refusing to yield to an evil seductress, abandoned and forgotten in prison ... was Joseph’s life “abundant”?

Moses was abandoned as a child, fled Egypt as a murderer, worked in the harsh desert as a shepherd, returned to Egypt as a reluctant Prophet, led a stiff-necked people nowhere in the wilderness for 40 years, and was denied entry into the promised land ... was Moses’ life “abundant”?

I could go on ... Job ... David ... the Prophets ... Paul ...
The road to “abundant” life passes through the valley of hardship.
We are not a culture that is generally willing to pay the price of admission.
We are a culture that wants everyone to close their eyes when we raise our hand so we do not need to risk being embarrassed.

I remember once hearing a quote that said something close to “You will never know that God is all that you need, until God is all that you have”. That is the “welcome” sign on the road to abundant life.
 

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
Is joy a spiritual joy or does it have to be an I'm always happy type of joy because I don't think it's the I'm always happy type of joy. Even Jesus cried and was sad wasn't he?

I don't think it is the absence of tears because that really isn't even possible or desireable.
 
Top Bottom