Do you know how people can sometimes say something controversial for the express purpose of seeing how you react? "Don't mention gays to so-and-so. She'll fly right off the handle because she's very conservative - very religious." This spawned an interesting conversation on what we feel it means to be a right wing Christian. An interesting topic for me as I can think of people in my own family who are sitting on either side of the proverbial social/religious value fence. And others probably including myself sitting on the fence. I thought the statement was geared to gauge me as an ally or enemy on the matter, neither of which I'd like to be labeled at work so I felt inclined to stress the following. There is a difference between these three: saying that which is unlawful is right, telling people what is wrong is wrong, and coercing people to do what is lawful.
I will not say, 'whatever is right for you is alright.' But no sooner am I going to run out and protest every gay parade or movie that comes along. If I did, it would behoove me to protest just about every movie that comes out of Hollywood because most of them glamorize sin of some sort (usually fornication since it sells so well). And doing all that protesting would be an exhausting hobby.
Forgive my condescending usage of the term 'hobby' applied to protesters. But in this case, it might just fit. What is gained by forcing people to obey the Law? Will banning homosexual activity save a single soul?
Instead all we are doing is convincing the world that you have to be good enough to come to Christ. "Come on, follow the Law so you can join our Law-abiding club because you'll go to hell otherwise." I think that's what the world thinks we say. Religious? Those fanatics are fixated on being perfect all the time.
It brings to my mind a recording of Bruxy I heard this weekend. I remember hearing the talk when he originally spoke it this past year but it applied so well to this conversation that I have to assume God wanted me to be reminded. It was called The End of Religion.
Do we read the Bible to find that reading the Bible isn't the way into heaven? Do we go to church on Sunday to hear that going to church isn't the path to eternal life? Are we focused upon making the externals correct hoping that salvation will follow?
Every election there is inevitably someone who sends around a mass email that reads something like this:
Hi all,
Hope your summers are going great so far and you're finding time to rest from studies and get to know your families and friends better. I hope you all can come to the retreat next month.
Yours,
X
PS. If you're a Christian, vote for party so-and-so.
It makes me want to grind my teeth. First of all, party "so-and-so" is always in my opinion the lesser of the evils if it is even that. Second of all Christianity always grew the best from the bottom up, not from the top down. Since when was it our duty to force the country to abide by God's Law? On that day, we would see a country full of religious people who have no relationship with Christ. A country in love with the method rather than the Maker.
Have we fallen in love with the Law or with Christ? If we could preach the Gospel instead of politics; if we would focus on the heart rather than the behaviour; if we will cease to condemn and allow the Spirit to convict those who believe. Then we would see,
the end of religion.
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2 comments:
I agree that we need to focus on the heart instead of the law, since the law cannot save us.
However, I think that there is benefit in there being moral standards in the world. As one example, if drunkenness was prohibited (not drinking altogether - just excessive drinking), then there would be fewer traffic accidents, fewer missed days of work, lower health care costs, etc.
Many of the laws in the Old Testament were present because "Father knows best". Things like germs were unheard of back in the day, yet God was trying to protect His people from unknown dangers. I think God is still trying to protect us today.
I'm not saying that we need to shove the law down people's throats in every case. What I am saying, however, is that we are abolishing a lot of the laws that have helped our society be stable. Without such laws to help us, is it any wonder why the world is falling apart?
Of course. There can be no question that Father knows best and following His Law has a direct benefit. The Law was and is a gift.
However, the Law has been used before in a way that ended up separating the people from God if you'll recall.
When when people keep saying "you mustn't do this or you mustn't do that because the Bible says, Thou shall not..." and yet never mention grace or love or sacrifice and redemption, what is anyone to think except that we must work our way into God's good book?
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