Problems with Rules . . .

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This past Sunday, I began a new series, "Christ-Follower/s: The Complexities of Committing Your Life to Jesus" with a conversation about some of the problems with the old model of maintaining rigid "Rules" for being a good Christian.  This is only the outline, but I would be interested in how others deal with this shift (of course you have to buy the shift) in church/religious life from a legalistic/modern view to a more postmodern/opensource view? 

To be a “good” Christian // adpated from Ben Pun

  • Go to church regularly.  At LEAST Sunday worship, Sunday School . . .
  • Go to a weekly Bible study group where you talk about the Bible and pretty much ONLY the Bible.
  • Refrain from cussing, pre-marital sex, drinking, secular music, dating non-Christians, appearance of impropriety.   
  • Only hang out with other people who are following rules #1-3.
  • Speaking the truth in love, convince others to also obey #1-4.

Difficulties of this model . . .

  • Focused on Destination and Results
  • One kind of Jesus for all regardless of circumstance/context
  • Creates Division and Polarization
  • Driven by Fear and Consequences
  • Promises/Guarantees physical, emotional and spiritual security

Jesus offers a different way

  • Meets us where we are;
  • Engages in conversations;
  • Encourages spirit of the law (Approach), versus letter of the law (Rules);
  • No one size fits all faith. He adapts to the time, person and context;

Emerging from Christian “Rules” to a Christ-like “Posture”

  • Destination/Results to an on-going process of discernment and discovery
  • One Way to “A” way for others, “The” way for us and complexities of Jesus.
  • Division/Polarization to authentic and respectful conversation/interaction
  • Fear/Consequences to reflection upon and response to blessings
  • Security/Guarantees to comfort, life, joy in the ambiguity/chaos

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