Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Love and the Commandments
Have you ever read a book, talked to a friend or heard a sermon and had the topic work its way into your heart and mind? At different times over the past few years a certain subject has been brought to mind and slowly I began to look at people different, look at past experiences in a new light, gauge my interaction with my family and friends from a new angle.
When I hear a sermon or read a book that is particularly challenging, I am all gung-ho about making a change, implementing my new discovery immediately if not sooner. When I take a step back, and thoughtfully and prayerfully consider this idea in light of the rest of Scripture, the rest of my convictions, the context of my season of life I realize that not everything is one-size-fits all. It is a tricky business picking apart and applying the truths that are for me, right now. It takes the powerful working of the Spirit of God, discernment, prayer and faith.
It is with this thinking that I have approached this certain subject over the past few years. Each time I come in contact with someone that has something to say about it, I listen to their wisdom, advice and experiences and tuck them away for further reference in my mental filing cabinet. I have tried to look at my past experiences with this new idea in mind. It is similar to going back and doing it all over again with the wisdom that I know now. Did other people I met back then know this? Is this why they reacted in the manner they did? Thank you Lord for patient friends who loved me through my ignorance and immaturity.
God says we are to worship in spirit and in truth. As I look back at past churches we have been a part of, I ask myself which side of the aisle they fall on. Were some of the difficulties and blessings in the church because they were on one side or the other? What about people that live their life that way on one side or the other?
Truth is relevant. Spirit is relevant. God requires both. We must find a way to have balance without tipping to one side or the other.
I will admit that my husband and I have been on the "truth" side of things for a long time. We are both very left brained, logical people. We liked having the ten commandments, the catechism, the Proverbs and other ways to keep our doctrine tidy. We learned a lot during the first few years of our marriage. A lot of the truths were new to us, even though we had been Christians for years, and with great zeal we wanted to share our new knowledge.
Years later, we attended a church full of people that lived their life on the "spirit" side of things. Thankfully for us, they were mature, seasoned Christians that had seen our type before. We learned about being gracious, about what it was like to walk through the valley with those who were hurting, about how God works to convict people of sin in His timing. Each one of us must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. That means that the walk of faith He requires of me is different than what He requires of other believers.
On my heart lately is the reconciling of these two things. How do they fit together? Are they opposed to one another?
About truth and the law. God gave us the ten commandments, not to follow in order to be saved, but so that we would know what sin is. Without awareness of sin, we don't know that we need a savior. God says in John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." We must study His word to know what His commandments are, to know what God expects of us. We cannot please Him simply by doing what we feel is best. Leviticus 10:1-3 talks about Nadab and Abihu who offered profane fire before the Lord. God struck them dead. There must be more to it than just a feeling.
About spirit. This is the practical living out of our doctrine. We cannot just know the truth, we must live it. That is quite a heavy task. Simply put we are to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Once again, how are we to do that? The Bible is the source of how to love. I Corinthians 13 tells us what love is. We must read it, study it, memorize it and live it.
We have been saved by grace, not by following the law. Let me make that perfectly clear. Following a said list of rules is not the way to get to heaven. But lets not throw the baby out with the bath water. Remember, God says, "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
Practically speaking, we need to know that there isn't a one-size fits all description of what a Christian looks like. There ought to be more unity in the adherence to God's commandments, however. May we all strive to this end, loving and encouraging one another along the way.
When I hear a sermon or read a book that is particularly challenging, I am all gung-ho about making a change, implementing my new discovery immediately if not sooner. When I take a step back, and thoughtfully and prayerfully consider this idea in light of the rest of Scripture, the rest of my convictions, the context of my season of life I realize that not everything is one-size-fits all. It is a tricky business picking apart and applying the truths that are for me, right now. It takes the powerful working of the Spirit of God, discernment, prayer and faith.
It is with this thinking that I have approached this certain subject over the past few years. Each time I come in contact with someone that has something to say about it, I listen to their wisdom, advice and experiences and tuck them away for further reference in my mental filing cabinet. I have tried to look at my past experiences with this new idea in mind. It is similar to going back and doing it all over again with the wisdom that I know now. Did other people I met back then know this? Is this why they reacted in the manner they did? Thank you Lord for patient friends who loved me through my ignorance and immaturity.
God says we are to worship in spirit and in truth. As I look back at past churches we have been a part of, I ask myself which side of the aisle they fall on. Were some of the difficulties and blessings in the church because they were on one side or the other? What about people that live their life that way on one side or the other?
Truth is relevant. Spirit is relevant. God requires both. We must find a way to have balance without tipping to one side or the other.
I will admit that my husband and I have been on the "truth" side of things for a long time. We are both very left brained, logical people. We liked having the ten commandments, the catechism, the Proverbs and other ways to keep our doctrine tidy. We learned a lot during the first few years of our marriage. A lot of the truths were new to us, even though we had been Christians for years, and with great zeal we wanted to share our new knowledge.
Years later, we attended a church full of people that lived their life on the "spirit" side of things. Thankfully for us, they were mature, seasoned Christians that had seen our type before. We learned about being gracious, about what it was like to walk through the valley with those who were hurting, about how God works to convict people of sin in His timing. Each one of us must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. That means that the walk of faith He requires of me is different than what He requires of other believers.
On my heart lately is the reconciling of these two things. How do they fit together? Are they opposed to one another?
About truth and the law. God gave us the ten commandments, not to follow in order to be saved, but so that we would know what sin is. Without awareness of sin, we don't know that we need a savior. God says in John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments." We must study His word to know what His commandments are, to know what God expects of us. We cannot please Him simply by doing what we feel is best. Leviticus 10:1-3 talks about Nadab and Abihu who offered profane fire before the Lord. God struck them dead. There must be more to it than just a feeling.
About spirit. This is the practical living out of our doctrine. We cannot just know the truth, we must live it. That is quite a heavy task. Simply put we are to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Once again, how are we to do that? The Bible is the source of how to love. I Corinthians 13 tells us what love is. We must read it, study it, memorize it and live it.
We have been saved by grace, not by following the law. Let me make that perfectly clear. Following a said list of rules is not the way to get to heaven. But lets not throw the baby out with the bath water. Remember, God says, "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
Practically speaking, we need to know that there isn't a one-size fits all description of what a Christian looks like. There ought to be more unity in the adherence to God's commandments, however. May we all strive to this end, loving and encouraging one another along the way.
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