From legalism to grace. Anyone read this book?

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by derAlte

I appreciate your sentiments here. For some, it seems the Biblical lifestyle of separation from the world is interpreted as a series of "laws" that must be kept to remain a part of the club. I've seen folks with mean, judgmental attitudes think they were OK as long as they looked ultra-conservative in their dress code. They've missed the point.

You are really onto something when you mention love for the Truth. A truly separated lifestyle is one that is motivated by love for and a desire to please the Lord Jesus Christ who is the personification of Truth. Folks in love with Jesus love His Word and take their lifestyle cues from the Spirit-inspired Bible.

So many people are driven by their feelings. Some make snap judgments concerning the various stands some Christians have taken and don't take the time to carefully and prayerfully examine the "why" of the stands people take.

When hundreds of thousands of Apostolic people agree to take a stand on a certain subject, it seems a manifestation of hubris to not take a close and reasoned look at why they did it. Some folks take stands because of tradition, or to stay in the club, or out of fear of their pastor. Some say, "my church teaches this." To me, all these reasons are just not good enough. If one separates themselves from the world for any other reason than being madly and hopelessly in love with Jesus Christ, they are missing the point.

Jesus said, "Woe unto the world because offenses must come." He was so right...if you haven't had opportunity to be offended yet, it is guaranteed to come. I just hate it when I see folks throw away their relationship with Jesus Christ because they see Christians acting awful. Seems like throwing out the baby with the bathwater to me. For some its impossible to separate the Lord Jesus from Christians who are acting ugly. I guess it's human nature. It's still sad.

I have met several Apostolic people that have an attitude about them that they're simply holier than the rest because of their adherence to a strict outwardly conservative standard.

The churches in my area have done one of two things: 1) They've lowered their standards, stayed friendly and mostly welcoming, but are pressing toward the "you don't have to live like that" mentality; or 2) They've kept their standards, but have become consumed with a holier than thou attitude that comes across rather abrasive to sinners, backsliders, and other Christians.

I spent too much time with those loosening their standards, and in turn, got hurt when I visited the churches that had become consumed by pride. Honestly, I don't think either attitude makes Jesus happy. He doesn't want us widening the way the Word calls narrow to Heaven, but He also doesn't want us basing our faith entirely on standards, especially those man-made, and therefore shunning people in the process.

There's a balance. Holiness is an inward and outward thing. If holiness consumes you inwardly, then it can't help but to show on the outside. If the outside starts slipping, then something went wrong on the inside first. The two go hand-in-hand, coexisting with one another. I don't know if I believe if it's genuinely possible to have one without the other.