Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #16

Today, we would like to sum up the benefits of simple living, after having addressed so many different issues over the recent weeks. What is the fruit of a simple life that relies on God's Word alone as the standard ?

First of all, simple living under God's authority frees you from the cares and concerns of the world, thereby allowing you to focus on the more important aspects of life. Less clutter in your life, starting with the TV, fashion, gossip, and other mindless spare time entertainment, facilitates a richness of the inner life and brings you back to the roots of our existence, to man as a created being, created to serve and glorify and worship the Creator, and not the creature.

Simple, natural living promotes conversion of the mint and heart, and allows God's Spirit to permeate every aspect of life. Not that it is us that allow God to do anything, mind you. No life style can bring you closer to God if He has reserved you for damnation, and there is no way that we can save ourselves. But if God has opened your mind and heart towards him, if you are allowed to hear what He says, a simple life is going to be the only way to live everything God asks of you, and that is, to live and work as unto the Lord, and to be fruitful, and multiply, and subdue the earth, that is, to be good stewards of creation and build His Kingdom within the family. This includes living with the natural cycles as God created them, and avoid exploitation of any form.

Furthermore, living simply according to God's plan creates relationships of a different quality. Living within the multi-generational family, where everyone is of value to the whole and where everyone has his and her place and role, where everyone supports the other one on his and her way with God, is a very different form of family life than the typical nucleus family life most people are accustomed to nowadays, where the family members are more of a group of individuals who each do as they please most of the time than a family in the biblical sense. Simple Living according to God's design creates communion with each other, and it furthers communion with God, since one of its main features is studying the word of God and putting it into every day life practice.

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Simple Living in Practice, Lesson #15

Yesterday it was only mentioned as an example, as a side note, so to speak, but I want to come back to it today: I mentioned teaching your children what the bible says, and nothing else.

One aspect of God-sufficiency, of simple living according to His will, is to refrain from adding to His word or taking anything away from it. Children are to be taught the word of God, so that, when they grow up, they may not depart from it (Pro 22:6), and since you are home schooling your child so that you, and not his or her peers at school are your children's role model and orientation, you are also fully responsible for what you child learns. Be careful to handle this responsibility well, and don't let a church of some type or another take it out of your hands either.

And there is one more thing to remember: Children are children, and even if they are most teachable when they are very young, they are only to be held responsible for their actions according to God's law when they have reached the age of 12. It is important to teach them well until then, so that they know God's Law and what it means for their everyday life, and it is important to teach them after they have reached the age of 12, so that they can learn how to live a responsible life. But it is utterly wrong to instill in children of the age of 5, 7 or 9 the idea that they have sinned, and that they need to repent and return to God. If you do that, all you are doing is putting your child in an emotional frenzy. There is no need for all that. Sin comes with the knowledge of the Law, and as long as your child is not to be held accountable, don't pretend that he or she is.

In the same way, don't make your young child go out an be a missionary to non-brethren. You should know how difficult it is to be in the world and yet withstand all the snares and traps put up there, and you expect your child to be in the middle of it and happily withstand it all? We are called to come out of her (Rev 18:4), and to have nothing to so her sins, so it is certainly much closer to God's will to protect your child from worldly influences, and when they are old enough to understand the snare, to teach them what the world is like, instead of putting them out there expecting them to do what most adults have troubles with, and what is against God's command.

Why do I feel the need to stress all this?

We watched "Jesus Camp" the other night. The documentary is propaganda against people who try to teach their children God's way, yes indeed. But you don't really need to look too closely to spot the glaring inconsistencies among the people portrayed, and begin with the adults please. When it comes to the children, look at their age, and look at what they believe, those that are asked, and look at how far away from God's word it all is... They have many things right, but they have more things wrong, it seems.

Women shouldn't teach? Modest dress? Head coverings? Children under the age of 12 are not subject to the law?

And instead: Churches that are not charismatic are dead churches? This generation of children is a key generation to the end times?? We should train the young children because the enemy does so too??

Besides, Ted Haggard is a good role model for a young boy who obviously is trained to be a preacher, even if unofficially??? Oh well.

Beware, people, beware, and cling to God's Word.


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