We are discussing what can be seen as signs of life that tell us we really are alive on the inside, spiritually. These signs are found in things that are deeply felt. Strong feelings like love, hatred, zeal, desire, gratitude, and others, are like a spiritual pulse we can take on ourselves. But these signs must be read with care and wisdom because it is possible to be fooled. Before we look into those signs that are reliable, lets look at some unreliable signs.
I presently live in a part of the world where the surface is frozen for up to half of the year. It should be no surprise that many people here enjoy wearing shoes that have sharp steel blades attached underneath which helps them slide on an icy surface at very fast speeds. Some of these sliders chase a hard rubber disk around with a bent stick with the idea of keeping the disk out of a netted box at their end and putting it in the netted box at the other end. Others slide really fast and then dance and jump around trying to impress an audience, especially the ones who score their efforts. Others forego the steel blades and find pleasure in pushing rocks toward a target on the ice to see who is most accurate. Many have very strong feelings about these kind of activities.
I have been told by some people who chase the rubber disk that they often encounter others, usually grown men, who assume that because they love the sport so deeply it follows that they are good at it. I am told they are the most dangerous people to play with because they believe their deep feelings release them from any obligation to actually obey the rules of their game. Sometimes people get hurt by these zealous disk chasers who respond to everybody's anger at them with a puzzled, "Why is everybody angry at me?" look on their faces. Just because a person passionately loves hockey, or figure skating, or curling, does not mean they are really hockey players, figure skaters, or curlers.
It is also true that a deep or passionate interest in spiritual things is not the best way to tell if God is truly at work within you.
Some people are quick to condemn all strong religious feelings. If people look to be too emotional they are immediately dismissed as unthinking, simple people. But that is really an unthinking, simple response. The fact is that a genuine life in Christ has very much to do with the signs of life, those strong feelings that lead us to choose what pleases God. If God is really at work then the signs of life will be stronger � we experience strong feelings.
Love is one of those signs of life. Would any Christian say that people should tone down their love for God or Christ? Would anybody say we shouldn't hate sin so much, or not have so much sorrow over it? Who would recommend this prayer?
Remember the text this series of messages is based upon?
That scripture could not be any more plain about those strong feelings that
make up the signs of life in you and me. It says we "are filled with an
inexpressible joy." Let that phrase put a picture in your mind; could there
possibly any more intense or deeply felt joy than that? And that is pretty
typical of the kind of signs of life the Scriptures require of us:
I think it is safe to conclude that people who are deeply moved by spiritual things, those who laugh and cry and shout and jump for joy and stand in awe, are not outside the boundaries of what could be considered a right response to God. In fact you would be greatly mistaken to write them off as mere emotional enthusiasts just because they have these very deep feelings as their signs of life.
But, and this is important, if you were to say, "I know I am spiritually alive because I feel so strongly about spiritual things," there is the possibility you could be very wrong. You could be just as wrong as that man on the sheet of ice who thought his strong feelings alone proved his place among the great ones of his sport.
The scriptures very clearly teach there are strong spiritual feelings that can be experienced which should be labled false signs of life. The Galatians had great joy and love for Paul, but Paul was perplexed and worried about them that maybe his efforts were were wasted on them. In Exodus 14 and 15 the people of God were in fearful awe and raised a great song of Worship before God for their deliverance from slavery. By Exodus 32 they were dancing before a golden calf. The trimphal entry of Christ in to Jerusalem was a deeply felt response to the raising of Lazarus from the dead. In less than a week the crowds were shouting, "Crucify! Crucify!" when they saw him under arrest in Pilate's court.
When it comes to spiritual things there is a very important question you need to ask yourself. That question is not, "Do I feel strong feelings about it?" Everybody has strong feelings about something. The important question is, "What do my feelings lead me to do?"
Let me return once more to the people who feel very strongly about their sport.
There is something empty about someone who's strong feelings about a sport are
not matched with a commitment to all the ideals of the sport. There is something
inspiring about someone who's strong feelings about the sport are backed up by
a commitment to the disciplines of the sport. Nobody excels without strong
feelings that lead to action. Nobody gets anywhere on strong feelings alone.