True Christians undergo a significant change in their perspective and goals in life. They shift from a mindset focused on prideful, self-serving ambitions to one centered on sacrifice, service, and humility. Humanity’s natural instincts often conflict with the behaviors and attitudes that please God, as can be seen through the paradoxes outlined below. This is where faith is center stage, as these principles are evident only in those who are convinced and confident that the word of God is true.

We Die to Live.

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. ^{John 12:25}

Those who put their interests over God, clutching dearly to temporary pleasures and fleeting satisfaction, ultimately will perish in their sin. To follow Christ, you must put your old secular and sinful life to death. You must “hate’ your old life in this world to fully pursue the will of God, looking instead to the incomparable, eternal inheritance that awaits in Heaven. While the cost of such a transformation may seem awfully steep, it is not. When you give your life to Jesus, you exchange a futile and vain existence, bowing to a malevolent taskmaster for the love of a forgiving God. As his adopted children, we carry a light burden, and our souls find rest in the loving arms of Jesus Christ.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ^{Matthew 11:28-30}

When you experience your life transformed, you will strive and pray for the old self to pass away and for God’s sanctification to have its full effect.

We are Strong when We are Weak. 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. _{2 Corinthians 12:9}

When our circumstances are favorable, and we excel in the affairs of life (with talent and skill given to us by whom?), we have little use for God. However, when we are weak and beaten down by life’s challenges or misfortune, we become more receptive to the will of God. We look to him for strength, wisdom, and endurance. Through his strength, we develop righteous character in the face of adversity. We should be thankful for the experiences in our lives that humble us, his grace that enables us to endure trials, and his strength when we are weak.

We Give to Prosper.

Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously. ^{2 Corinthians 9:6}

Generous giving is a true Christian’s hallmark; it starkly contrasts the human instinct to hoard wealth. Joyfully giving from the heart is a beautiful testimony of faith and tangible proof of your love for and trust in God. I can personally attest that generosity profoundly influences both tangible and intangible prosperity. You’ll discover you cannot outgive God when you give something meaningful with the right intentions.

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. ^{Luke 6:38}

Greatness is Found in Humility. 

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. ^{Matthew 23:11-12}

The world often suggests greatness comes from pride, power, and dominance. However, Jesus teaches that true greatness is found in humility and serving others. He, the highest authority on earth, exemplified this humility by humbling himself to the point of death, offering salvation from sin to the world through his sacrifice. Achievements gained through ungrateful arrogance are repulsive, while accomplishments rooted in humble service reflect the nature of Christ. 

He who as, More will be Given, He who has Little, it will be Taken Away. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. ^{Matthew 13:11-12}

This scripture offers a profound perspective on how God interacts with humanity. Those who believe, have faith, and accept God’s truth will receive greater enlightenment, illumination, and revelation. Conversely, those who do not believe and have rejected Jesus will find that any light they possess will be taken away. The longer you refuse Jesus Christ, the more you will be given over to a reprobate, profane, and perverted mind, and the deeper your pit of darkness becomes.

A Quote from Tozer.

Christians are or should be, distinctly different from people without Christ as they live these paradoxes. I love this from A.W. Tozer’s book The Root of the Righteous:

“A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to Heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge. And all the while he may be confounding his critics by his unbelievable practicality: his farm may be the most productive, his business the best managed, and his mechanical skill the sharpest of anyone in the neighborhood.

The man who has met God is not looking for something – he has found it; he is not searching for light – upon him, the Light has already shined. His certainty may seem bigoted, but his is the assurance of one who knows by experience. His religion is not one of hearsay, he is not a copy, not a facsimile print; he is an original from the hand of the Holy Ghost.

We have not described a superior saint – merely a true Christian, far from perfect and with much yet to learn, but his firsthand acquaintance with God saves him from the nervous scramble in which the world is engaged and which is popularly touted as progress.

No doubt we shall hear many a tin whistle and see many a parade bravely marching off toward the Four Freedoms or the United Brotherhood of Mankind or the Age of Atomic Progress, and we will be expected to fall in step. Let’s be cautious. We are waiting for the trumpet note that will call us away from the hurly-burly and set in motion a series of events that will result, at last, in a new Heaven and a new earth.

We can afford to wait.”