Reclaiming Truth

There are certain issues in our society that must not be ignored. We must Biblically discern whether or not things in our culture are truly right and or pleasing to God. I am surrounded by people who are always talking about rules, always making gestures towards regulations or the way things should or should not be done. I do not think one day has gone by without hearing something directed in this manner for the last four years of my life. Not that four years correlates with the time it takes to get a bachelors degree or anything. lol Do not get me wrong rules are a great thing and we do need some order in our lives or less man would be out of control. But really who’s responsibility is it to give us these rules? How far should we take them? If we do not listen to them are we out of line? Questions are running through my head constantly regarding things like this. I do not want it to consume myself with it but at the same time I want to do what is right. I want to honor God in everything I do and if wearing a tie to church is what honors Him then I will do it. But until I hear that from Him I do not want to continue believing it is the mark of my spirituality much less look at others to gain my approval. Mind you I do not have a problem wearing ties, I really like them. They come in all different shapes, colors and patterns. But more importantly why have they and so many other minor issues become major issues. Why is our conversation always directed in such meaningless or empty, self-fulfilling manners. It makes me sick how man centered Christians have become. I think somewhere along the way man in His effort to please God ended up creating this list of rules that is destroying the relationship we ought to have with our Savior. I do not know how the list was made or gathered but I am sure it was somewhere in the South. If I were to guess they sent out a post on the front page of the Sword of the Lord calling all families to send in their requests. A bunch of Amish people sent in there letters and BAMMMM!!!! Now we have the holy list of rules to live by. It is an insane thought but someone has to figure this thing out. Someone has to figure this out because its breeding something wrong in the lives of many Christians. It is giving us a false view of the Gospel and bringing man to a guilt driven lifestyle. A preacher once said, “Satan brings guilt, God brings conviction.”

“Rules without relationship breeds rebellion.” This statement at shows at first glance that giving rules out to people without getting to know them just develops a group of rebellious followers. They all start to do things not because they want to but rather because they have to. Now that is so true but at the same time I want you to see a deeper Truth. God did not just come to die so we could be saved and then send His rule book so we know how to act. We have all heard the saying about how dangerous the Bible can become just another textbook, now lets apply that saying. The law was simply given just to show us how much we cannot keep the law. Now we all know that we are no longer under the law but under grace. So how do we apply grace to our lives in order that we may live a God honoring life?

I think first we must take into consideration that God has no favor in anything that we do! That is a bold and disturbing statement to most legalists but is so true. Ultimately God is only pleased in glorifying Himself. Yes, he uses us in many ways to glorify Him but if all glory is due His name then our motives must be right. If the rule is right but done in the wrong motive the rule becomes self-righteous and self-rewarding, therefore God is displeased with it. Yes we are to strive at pleasing God, but before we can, our motive in pleasing Him must be acknowledged.

Like I said before man has good intentions for giving out rules but I think it has a dark reverse effect that breeds not only rebellion but complaining, gossip, critical-spirits, hypocrisy, pride… In this world cheat sheets work, trust we all have used them. lol Unfortunately they do not in the Spiritual. But so often we want a cheat sheet or just a list of what I can and can’t do. If only we had this sheet it would be so easy to do things. Wrong! This list of good intentions is beginning to replace the Word of God and it is a danger that I would never wish upon anyone. You cannot expect to follow God and be right with Him if you are not reading His Word. You cannot expect to discern right from wrong if you are not daily abiding in Him. Daily we are called to be conformed into the image of Christ and deny ourselves. I see so much of this traditional christianity that it makes me sick. To think that everyone before us did all the work and now we can just sit back and enjoy the benefits. It does not work that way.

I beg you all to search yourself to see your motives in doing things. May nothing be done self-righteously. In everything we do may it all bring glory to God and God alone.