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Making good decisions is more than an art; it is the ability of a regenerate believer to apply Bible doctrine to the requirements of his daily walk with Christ. Any decision must focus on our relationship with God more than anything else. Good decision in this article refers only to the Christian’s perspective not to impressive decisions done under the power of the flesh or old sinful nature. Good decisions from a spiritual viewpoint have eternal repercussions and spiritual values. The believer can only make a good decision if his soul is saturated with the Word of God. Good decisions are based on Bible doctrine, according to the plan and purpose of God and executed under the power of the Holy Spirit. There are four basic requirements for making good decisions:
The following are myths related to making good decisions: People learn to make good decisions from experience of bad decisions. People believe what they like to believe, they do what they like to do and they refuse to change their mental attitude of the time. Nobody wants to be taught, not even by bad experience. The usual tendency is to repeat the previous bad decisions or mistakes. The children tend also to repeat the errors of their parents. History repeats itself. Only the discerning can learn from their mistakes and bad decisions. Educated or intelligent people are better equipped and capable of making good decisions. An ordinary person makes errors that affect limited numbers of people, but the bad decisions of people of rank and authority affects a multitude. Human IQ and academic achievement does not guarantee better decision making since in most cases, they ignore the basic principles in life. They often abuse the common people (James 2:6). People who have suffered much miseries and pains are capable of making good decisions. Pains and suffering are good teachers but not to everybody. Human beings are stubborn and will continue to insist on their distorted human viewpoint. They will continue to walk in the path of darkness which only the Bible doctrine has the capacity to illuminate. But if they reject the Bible doctrine, their darkness will be continuously linger (Matthew 6:23). Religious people are in better capacity to make good decisions. People who have been deceived by demonic doctrines or cultic doctrines and are deceiving others cannot make good decisions. They are spiritually blind and if you put them in the rank of authority, they will be blind guides of the people. Good decisions are based on the truth of Bible doctrines not on any church doctrines. There are factors that prevent believers from making good decisions such as mental attitude sins. Arrogance hinders any person from making good decisions. Bible doctrine (epignosis) in the souls produces genuine humility which is the key for making good decisions. Genuine humility in the soul is the reverential fear toward God and toward his Bible doctrine. To reject Bible doctrine is to reject the basis of good decisions. Treacherous or untrustworthy person cannot make good decisions since he is always inclined to deceive the people around him. (1 Chro. 5:25, Ps. 78:57, 119:158). Such person has no respect for the rights and privacy of others; they have no consideration for the welfare of others. Their decisions are always in violation of the divine establishments principles. Greed will destroy the capacity to make good decisions. Greed has no respect for life and property. It is seeking personal benefits from anything (Prov 11:6). Greedy religious leaders are like wild dogs that will devour their people (Isa. 56:11). All their decisions, programs and activities (disguised as Christian work or ministry) are for their own gains and benefits. They motivate their members to work hard and give much to their work. They teach that material prosperity is a spiritual blessing and sacrifice is a virtue. They are making slaves out of their ignorant members. Good decisions are the results of right thinking (right mental attitude) brought about by the changes or renewal inside the souls of positive volition believers. The Holy Spirit uses the resident Bible doctrine (epignosis) in the soul to change the thinking pattern of the individual. God designed calamities as personal training process for making good decisions. God allows pressures in life of believers so that they will exercise their positive volition. Every crisis, problems and difficulties in life becomes an opportunity for making good decisions. They serve a as testing ground for making proper evaluation between the essentials and nonessentials. Making good decisions is a spiritual ability of an advancing believer. No one is invulnerable from making wrong or bad decisions, not even mature believers. However, those believers residing and functioning inside the divine sphere and maintaining momentum are capable of making good decisions. The ability to make good decisions is only achievable inside the divine sphere. Believers residing and functioning in the cosmos diabolicus are capable only of making bad decisions. The divine sphere is a secret place where Christ has provided for all members of the Church age. Majority of believers are not even aware that such a thing exists. The perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ spent every second of His 33 ½ years on earth inside the divine sphere. The divine sphere is the will, purpose and plan of God for all believers. Only the spiritual believers can remain inside this sphere. Carnality automatically expels the believer out of the divine sphere. The decision of a believer to rebound regains his residency. The divine sphere is only for the Spirit-filled and controlled believers, where all the divine resources are available for the believers to use. All the divine resources, provisions and problem-solving devices are usable only inside the divine sphere. Outside the divine sphere (the cosmos diabolicus) there is no spiritual power, no blessing, no spiritual growth and momentum, no perception and assimilation of Bible doctrine, no real peace and happiness. Satan, will use full power to drive-out the believer from the divine sphere. The believer is untouchable inside the divine sphere. The Church Age believers can only make good decisions inside the divine sphere because their minds and souls are not clouded with human viewpoint and because they are focused on the Person of Christ. The old sinful nature is not in control but rather is dismissed (for the moment) as a brutal dictator. The indwelling Holy Spirit is not only resident but the President authority. The Holy Spirit uses the resident epignosis (stored and functional Bible doctrine) as the basis for decision making. The capacity to make good decisions in Christian perspective is exclusive for spiritual believers, who are residing and functioning inside the divine sphere, and maintaining their momentum toward spiritual maturity. The good decisions executed by unbelievers or reversionist believers under the power of the old sinful nature are not acceptable to God, no matter how noble or impressive they might be. God cannot accept anything sourced from the old sinful nature or human viewpoint. Since the growing believer is learning to make good decisions through consistent intake of Bible doctrine, therefore, discontinuance from such daily intake is inviting for trouble of bad decisions. Since God respects the volition of every person, any bad or good decision is the personal accountability of the believer. God is not going to stop you from making an endless bad decisions and He is not going to push you to make one good decision. But as a believer, you are accountable for every bad decision you make, and you cannot keep making bad decisions all throughout your life. You have to start making good decisions in small things. Our small good decisions will become the stepping stone for making big good decisions. JR Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries
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©2005-2009 J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries |
