LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

I’m not hinting that you should be running stop signs, driving over the speed limit, or parking in the handicap slot. Of course we have to obey the rules. I am talking about the religious rules! In Col. 3, Paul asks the same question: why are you living by the rules, like don’t do this and don’t do that. And yet the church still harps on and preaches the rule book, so we dutifully (some at least) do our best to follow the rules until it wears us out and someone comes along and says, GIVE IT UP! You can’t do the deal!

Give it up indeed. Make that twelve inch transfer from the head to the heart.

The Bible is a book of principles! And we’d made it a “don’t do this or that” rule book. What a shame. How many churches and men of God actually define Christianity as a life of abstinence from various things. You know it’s the truth. Don’t do this behavior, don’t follow this practice, and stay away from that activity. If you can NOT do enough things, you’re a Godly person.

NOT!

Christianity is not about what you stay away from, but what you give yourself to! Thaink about it. It’s not so much what you detach yourself from, but who you attach yourself to- Jesus! In Col. 2 Paul tells us that the longer the “Don’t Do” list, the more righteous things and life seem to be; however, the end result is nothing but spiritual pride and self righteousness.

I’m all for living by the rules, but that alone isn’t enough to be a Christian!