Condemned!

This is your warning that this post is a sort of Op. Ed. Sermon, but I guess that shouldn't be different than any other sermon you hear, as most are merely the opinion of the speaker. I am not a pastor so I reserve the right to say whatever I want and not be wrong. Many of my friends are speaking pastors and I do not envy their ever looming risk of receiving 1,000 emails because they use the wrong Biblical translation, or they said some petty offensive comment from the pulpit. I think that is why so many pastors love or hate Donald Miller...he seems to be able to write whatever he wants, yet he doesn't carry the weight of a congregation to fill his inbox on a weekly basis. Anyway...let's get into it.

Emily and I have recently been reading the book of Romans, and by recently I mean we just finished chapter 4 last night. Despite the brief romp through Paul's letter, I feel like I have found a new perspective on the arguments that us Christians make about how we should act. Roman 3:21-31 addresses so much that Christians have a tendency to overlook. So often we hear that "the old law" is this insignificant book of principles that was atoned for when Jesus died on the cross, so we're good because all of that is irrelevant! Well I think this is only partially true, because it was never the law in the first place that made us righteous but rather the faith that up keeping God's commands is the true root of righteousness.  Another grand misconception is that God was different in the Old Testament, and the New Testament is the redemption, and God becomes "nice" all of the sudden. In order to refute this, please see Romans 4. Abraham was NEVER made great by the works of the law but rather by the faith he held in doing those acts. We ares still held to that standard today, to follow God's will and his commands. But is it possible that God's commands to Abraham are not the commands he has for us? (This is where I get to say whatever I want...) 

There is one prophet/author that I wish wold have missed his writing session appointment with God that day, and that would be whoever wrote the book of Leviticus. Every time I hear what I call the "Leviticus Argument" I just shake my head. You've heard it for condemning tattoos, homosexuality, dishonoring your parents (See Lev. 15, 19 &20)..And then there are the really serious violations like not trimming your beard, sleeping with slave girls, and God forbid you hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight!

My point here is not to discredit the laws and commands of God, but rather point out that we tend to choose things that we don't like and that we have been socialized, in church, to condemn while letting the rest of it go. We lack historical context in our arguments, and we need to realize that it is possible that God was talking to a specific person for a specific reason at a specific time. Also, let's keep in mind that our faith in the actions God has called us to is what gains righteousness, not the act itself.

I recently read a blog by Mark Driscoll that I feel applies to this situation. I was hearing a lot from what I call his "disciples" on topics and opinions of his that I would consider, for lack of a better term...bunk. So I went and read this blog on his personal site that only confirmed his "bunkness" in my mind. The blog was called "Christian Yoga: It's a Stretch"; terrible pun of a title aside, it took about two paragraphs to realize that this was coming from a place that I didn't agree with. His main argument is that there is no way to take part in Yoga without being part of an act of spiritual worship to a false God. I see this as a form of the "Leviticus Argument", in that he believes that you cannot separate something from it's main origin and that's just the way it is, no matter what, because that is what he believes. As simple as it is, I would counter the "Leviticus Argument" with my own "Christmas Tree Argument"...

The origin of a Christmas tree was started in Germany as a pagan tradition based on the traditions of Nordic mythology. I wonder if Mark Driscoll has a Christmas Tree? and if so, I wonder if he is able to separate it's spiritual roots in pagan religions for 1 month to put in his house. Even if he doesn't, I would say that 99% of Christians I know celebrate the Holidays with a tree! Do I need to go further?

We are so blessed to believe in a God that wants to be in a relationship with us, and wants nothing more than for us to be apart of his works. Our actions are so important to our faith, but those actions are nothing without faith to back them up. We can keep condemning and finding new scriptures about how people are wrong, or how they are living in sin...but you are totally missing the point! God knows that it is not possible for us humans to follow the "law" perfectly the way it is laid out, it is why we needed saved in the first place. You are missing so much living in the acts that God gave others, you are totally missing out on what God is telling the church today and where he wants us to go!  I am not going to give a disclaimer about following the old law, because that's not the point.

Stop putting yourself on a pedestal by telling others what they are doing wrong based on out of context quotes and relics; instead find love and hope in wonderful things that God has for you now. I have missed so many opportunities to be the hands and feet by justifying my laziness with condemning thoughts/actions toward others, in order to boost myself up. Instead of pitting Leviticus against the Christmas Tree, let's find our purpose and actions as today's church, living in faith that God is leading us to where we need to be.