Emotion: A by-product

Jul 19th, 2010 | By tglover | Category: Taylor Daily Press

A common fault of human beings is to justify their actions based on their feelings.   In other words, we have to feel a certain way to act accordingly.   For example, someone may say that they just don’t love their spouse anymore?  What is implied is that they must feel affectionate and loving in order to commit to the relationship.   Also, a traditional salvation experience is a response of an emotional call.  Once emotions are stirred, the sinner interprets the feeling as the call of the Spirit and responds.  In both cases, one cannot imagine responding until they feel like it.  The feeling must precede the action.   

While you may see this as perfectly natural and nothing with which to fault humanity, I suggest a different pattern taught in the Bible regarding emotions.   Feelings flow from actions.  When the Ethiopian of Acts 8 came up out of the water, he “went on his way rejoicing.”   He didn’t rejoice, or wait for the feeling and act on the emotion.  He made a conscious choice.  He asked when coming to a body of water, “See here is water.  What hinders me from being baptized?”  Consider Cain whose feelings of anger and depression followed his choice of sacrifice offered to God.  God asked, “If you do right, will your face not be lifted?”  It’s critical that we realize that behavior determines feelings.  Cain did not feel right, because he did not do right.   Peter teaches in 1 Peter 3:10 that to have good days requires doing good deeds.  This is not to say that we can merit salvation and feel good about it.  But, he continues,  in verse 16, to teach that a good conscience depends upon good behavior.  Our conscience is that inner barometer that judges our actions based on our standard of right and wrong.  When it is violated, it activates unpleasant feelings.   This is why feelings follow behavior. 

 What do you do when the “check engine” light is on the dash?  Do you take a hammer and smash it or cut the wires?  No – the problem is not the light, as it only warns you of the real problem. Like the light, the conscience must not be ignored while the real problem worsens.  Instead, we must voluntarily choose to lift the hood of our faulty behavior that activates the warning light, fix the behavior (repent) and rest with the warning light removed (“good conscience”).   The axiom is this: voluntary alterations lead to involuntary emotions.  The solution is to alter the behavior – choose to act right.  Some propose a different solution to feel better by preaching a perverted gospel of false securities, empty promises, or taking a pill.  This is addressing the symptom or cutting the wires of the warning light.  This is no real solution. Paul calls this “searing” the conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:2) so as to feel no pain.   Eventually, we reach a point when our actions no longer bother us because we have ignored it or anesthetized it.   We can learn the same reaction to the warning on the dash of our car.  We may get to a point when we no longer “see” it. 

So, what do you do when you do not feel affectionate toward your wife?  Do you wait for your feelings to change toward her?  No!  Change your behavior and love her.  This is a command.  It’s not an option.  Love is a choice that puts her interests before your own, and even sacrifices for her.  This is the love commanded of husbands in Ephesians 5.   The blessing behind this command is that once you start doing for her and putting her first, you will find that the affection is restored.   Notice the order – change of action precedes the change of feelings. 

The same can be said of personal salvation.  Being a disciple of Christ is a choice.  If you are waiting to feel different before you come to Jesus, you may be found still waiting on the day of your death.    But, if you’ll respond in obedient faith to the sacrifice of Jesus, you will rejoice with joy unspeakable.   So, if joy, rejoicing and peace of mind are all by-products of a changed or “changing” (Romans 12:2) life, isn’t it time that we become more proactive and purpose in our heart to become more and more like Jesus?

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