There's a list the we're told we need to follow. This list is similar to this: what you can and cannot wear to church, where you can and cannot shop, how many times a week you have to attend church, and even how many children you need to have to really be obeying God's command to multiply and fill the earth. For a long time I thought that following the "list" made me a better Christian or, at least, one who was closer to God. But it wasn't true. I wasn't any closer to God because of following the list. I was a legalist-looking down on ladies who would come into church wearing slacks and evaluating every family based upon what I thought was godly. That's the problem. We base so much of what we consider to be godly upon our own opinions and we forget that we are not under the law but under God's grace.
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
-Galatians 4:5-9
As read in Galatians chapter four, we are no longer under the law if we are Children of God. If we make laws for ourselves that are not God's we are under bondage again to our law and our flesh. Why do we want to make these rules? I think it has something to do with this, we think that Christianity is just too simple-surely we have to do something other than believing? God did not call us to a set of rules but to a love that makes us long to do what is right without feeling suffocated by our own ideas of righteousness.
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 5:14-15
Let me take a moment to pause to put to rest some fears you may have as you read this post. You may be thinking, "Has Elizabeth become liberal?" or, "Doesn't she think that we should follow some rules?" Let me assure you that the answer to both questions is a definite no. Many people have called me, "Very Conservative" and some just tell me I am, "weird" but that's okay because if you are living for Christ people will always think that you're just a little bit strange. I am not against modesty, conservatism, large families (I am from one), or consistent church attendance; I am against a man made set of rules that is not found in the Holy Bible. In saying that we are not going to follow a set of nonbiblical rules, we must be extremely cautious not to use our Christian liberty as an excuse to sin or break laws that are there for our protection. Clearly I am not going to run a red light because ,"It's not in the Bible" and if you thought that running red lights isn't against the Bible you must have not read the verses about obeying those who have the rule over you.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
-Romans 6:14-15
Live your life walking in the pathway that God has laid before us and honor him as you live under his grace. God has not given us the freedom to sin but rather has given us the gift of walking in his Spirit and being blameless before our righteous God.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
-Romans 8:1
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I was in the ripe old year of second grade when I first packed my bags to go to summer camp. I thought I was oh-so-mature since I was old enough to be away from my family for the first time. I made it through that week without any crying for mommy and daddy and didn't complain even though I didn't really like the camp food that much. Every summer for the next four years following my first venture, I went to camp for one fun week. I went two more time and learned more. I didn't think it would seem like such a short time since second and twelfth grade but now, it doesn't feel like long ago when I had my first bite of camp food and watched those hilarious skits that camps are famous for.
