Make Life Work

“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” This is the marvelous promise Jesus Christ made in John 10:10. Are  you  living the abundant life Jesus Christ came to Earth to provide you?

The vast majority of people are not. They are suffering injustice, alienation, fracturing families, crass materialism, sexual perversion and spiritual emptiness.

There is a cause for these problems! Jesus came to reveal and instruct human beings on how to live the abundant life. But we have ignored and rejected that way, preferring to live life as we see fit.

God wants you to live a meaningful, fulfilling, purposeful, prosperous, happy life! He created us and intends us to be happy—to enjoy pleasurable, satisfying, rewarding lives. Contrary to what so many people apparently believe, God never denies us happiness, joy or pleasures that are truly good for us and for others.

As our Creator, He knows the way to the abundant life. And He went to extraordinary, miraculous effort to ensure that you and I can read His instructions on how to achieve that. The Bible is His guidebook for life—His instruction manual on how to make life work.

Through His Word, God explains the “more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31)—the way of His perfect love. This way of life builds a strong, intimate relationship with your Creator. It builds cooperation and peace with fellow man. It builds strong marriages, joyful children and happy families. It is the way of productivity and responsibility, of virtue and generosity, of moderation and contentment.

Here is another statement that has, remarkably, grown controversial in today’s world: God’s perfect way of life is spelled out in the law of God. Many people, including Christians, have been taught to think of God’s law as a burden or a curse. But it is actually “holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). King David wrote, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:7-8).

That law can be summarized in one word: love (Matthew 22:36-40; Romans 13:8, 10). Jesus Christ said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18).

Take a practical example. The Seventh Commandment states: “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). God gave this law to safeguard marriage and govern man’s use of sex. Many studies have proved that individuals who keep this law have healthier, longer-lasting marriages. A husband and wife who are entirely faithful, denying their lusts and keeping this law, will have a stronger, happier relationship. Ignoring and breaking this law has resulted in tremendous cost: mistrust and heartache, shattered families, rampant divorce, increased abortions, fatherless children, venereal disease, spiritual emptiness, and countless other problems. This is living proof of the relevance and priceless value of God’s law of love! Obey it and reap the rewards. Break it, and you will end up broken.

Here is another practical example. God’s Word commands tithing: giving a tenth of your income to God for His work (e.g. Leviticus 27:30, 32; Matthew 23:23; Hebrews 7:1-9). God actually challenges us to prove that this law is still active by keeping it: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,” He says, “and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it”(Malachi 3:10).

What a marvelous promise of God’s law being the path to the abundant life! (You can read more about this in our free booklet The Financial Law You Can’t Afford to Ignore.

God’s Word provides timeless, foundational understanding of how to make every aspect of life a success: relationships, marriage and family, work, finance, communication, health and much more. It shows how to navigate life’s challenges and trials successfully, how to maintain positive and peaceful thinking, how to manage stress, how to avoid traps of materialism, excess and addiction, how to build a good reputation, and how to lead a fulfilling life of learning, overcoming and growth. It teaches how to build a robust relationship with God through repentance, baptism, prayer and Bible study. It shows how to yield yourself to God so He can empower you with His Holy Spirit, so you begin to exhibit fruits of holy, righteous character, such as love, joy, peace and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Jesus Christ said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). That is the formula for the abundant life Christ promised: Live by every word of God. Will you take advantage and follow the formula?

If you want more biblical instruction on the abundant life, join our new e-mail service, pcg Signposts. The Trumpet’s publisher, the Philadelphia Church of God, has begun this newsletter to give readers like you simple, plain, actionable insight—to help you get to know your Bible and to live the abundant life. To sign up, visit pcg.church online and type your e-mail address in the box labeled “An invitation.” It’s easy, it’s free—and it will help you start tapping this priceless resource to make life work! ▪