LawGraceAndFreedom

OK - here's another thought. People should be able to see that we're free and living under grace and not under the law, right? So what does that look like?

Law

In particular, browsing "The Grace Awakening" by Chuck Swindoll set me thinking about legalism. It always makes me feel a bit amused and superior to hear about other people's legalistic rules (like not touching alcohol, not painting your toenails, not watching films - at least when anyone you know is likely to see you, not shaving on the Sabbath, not reading Harry Potter). But then I tried to think what similar attitudes I have.

The trouble is, it's very hard to spot these things in yourself rather than other people. What would they look like? I'm not thinking of differences of opinion that we can agree are mainly due to genuine different understandings of the Bible, but the rules we hold without a solid reason - that if we reflected on them, we'd realise are not based on the Bible, or are tenuous applications of Biblical ideas.

But it's not clear-cut. People who have these rules about the Sabbath or cosmetics can argue that there is a Biblical motivation for them, so we all have to think carefully about what the Bible says, and to be tolerant towards people whose convictions are different. (This comes back down to THE big question about how we decide how we should live as Christians. We have to be constantly thinking about it - it's not something we can just do once - because Christianity isn't just a set of practical do's and don'ts.)

But I can't imagine anyone thinks a blanket ban on watching films or dancing is in the Bible. What similar rules do I have that trouble me if other Christians break them, or if I break them? (Or is it only other Christians who have too many rules?)

One sort of attitude I sometimes have is thinking other Christians are too materialistic - that they spend too much money on possessions, clothes, cars etc. At its root I'm just jealous that they can spend that money on themselves; and I never feel that my own level of spending/living is too materialistic or selfish!

Another 'regulation' is that good Christians have to have good Quiet Times every day - a regular and standardised time of prayer and Bible-reading. This is a rule that I always apply to myself to make me feel bad.

Grace and freedom

I expect most of us have to think more about our relationship to freedom rather than to rules. Does living under grace mean that you can go to a party and indulge as much as everyone else, so that people can admire your freedom and clear conscience? Is it much use if someone tells you "You're alright, I'm glad to see you can take your drink - I don't trust people who can't take their drink", but they don't know you're a Christian? Am I really free to choose not to drink too, or am I just a slave to other people's opinion?

I was starting to worry about freedom, when I heard a sermon a few weeks ago on Matthew 5 with the title "How far can you go?" The preacher was saying we normally think 'how far can we go in our freedom, before we cross the line and sin?' (as if all our desires are sinful), but that the right attitude is 'how far can we go in our freedom, in becoming more like God?' - and there's an infinite road to progress along in becoming more holy. He said it was good that there's been a lot of focus on reclaiming the idea of grace recently, but we also need to have a focus on holiness and 'radical discipleship'.

I like the idea of having something positive to focus on (being holy) - I used to think a lot about trying to 'be a good witness' and live in a holy way, but I seem to have got a lot more laid back about it in the last few years, to the extent that I was feeling a bit vague about what my life was doing.

Now it's back to the question of what being more holy, more like Jesus really looks like. Some things at least are quite clear - like Bernie was saying, in how we relate to the people around us (moaning about the boss etc.)