My stat page tells me that I have written 644 posts. Since I celebrated a year of blogging in February, I reckon someone could say 1) I had a lot to say or 2) I had a lot to say! I say that because what I want to write about today is something that is close to my heart and because of that I know I have blogged about it before. However, I will defer to this one and this one as taking up that banner in a more concrete way. I could go back and link you to posts I have written about this subject but trust me when I say that I don’t have the time to do that. (If you want to please be my guest!) 🙂 I have written several posts recently here and here that touch on the issue that I want to blog about today.
In Matthew 15: 3, 8-9 Jesus said, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?…This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” I believe very strongly, and have for years, that Jesus is much more concerned about our heart condition than He is in our doctrinal condition. Please don’t jump all over me just yet…hear me out. I believe doctrine is important and believing in what I call non-negotiables is essential. But even believing in those non-negotiables should never and must never take the place of having your heart right with Jesus. You have heard the old adage I am sure: some people spend so much time studying about God that they don’t know God. It is true you know? I know people who can quote the Bible frontwards and backwards but don’t know the Author of the Bible. I used to hear when growing up that “some people miss heaven by 18 inches-the distance between the heart and the brain.” Translated: many people have a head knowledge of Jesus but no heart knowledge. I am afraid that many in the church today fit that bill. Some are so bent on keeping all the rules (as they perceive them to be) that they leave behind a sincere, heart-felt faith in Christ. Principles quickly become more important than faith. I read that Frederick Buechner once said, “Principles are what people have instead of God.” WOW ain’t that the truth!! (Excuse the English). And that is exactly what I am trying to say. It is so easy to get comfortable with complacency, i.e. “I am doing the principles and therefore I must be committed.” But what happens so often is that being hell-bent on keeping the principles often leads a person away from that vital intimate relationship with Jesus. As William Wallace says in Braveheart: “All men die; few men ever really live.” My blogging friend Tony has a good question at this post about men. Part of the problem with so many men (and women) is that we have exchanged the exciting life of being a follower of Jesus for being a follower of principles (translated: rules & regulations). We obey rules instead of obeying the voice of God. To borrow a phrase from the previous mentioned bloggers (Kary & Kevin): we have become Pharisees. Recovery from being a Pharisee can only come when we let loose of the chains of principles and embrace the life of freedom that Jesus offers.
Now before you crucify me for what sounds like heretical thought and unfettered license, please don’t put me in that camp. I believe in license hitched with love. What I am making reference to is that we make a lot of assumptions when we turn those guidelines into a formula for “real Christianity” but the trouble is that many of those assumptions become sacred. “Ope, you don’t do Christianity like me so you must not really be (said a pious voice) a Christian.” Sound familiar? Perhaps like me you have either used those words or heard them or both. I think it is high time we lead people to Jesus instead of a bunch of rules and regulations that they must follow. Lead them to Jesus and then let Him show them how to live. (Note: this post and some of its thoughts was inspired by a book I just started reading called Fixing Abraham by Chris Tiegreen)
Your thoughts? I would like to hear from you…agree or disagree.
Amen!
It takes both. Christ told the woman at the well that one day His people would worship in Spirit and Truth.
Its got to match up in heart and head otherwise its dead.
Great words Tony! I keep forgetting that passage. Thanks for stopping by.
I am about 3 chapters in Fixing Abraham and find it to be a very interesting read.
Jim: You are a chapter ahead of me. 🙂
Amen.
I am on the other side, on fire for the Lord and digging into doctrine, which fuels that fire.
My sin is that I lose the Father’s heart for the older brother (Luke 15: 28-31 {http://tinyurl.com/olderbrother}).
I find myself judging the legalism instead of walking beside the one with head knowledge in a way that he can take some of the heart for the lost that God has given me and I can take some of the head knowledge that he/she has.
Good observation Ken. I think we can all learn from each other instead of judging and shutting people out. I am not against doctrine btw. I don’t get consumed by it to the point of being judgmental because someone doesn’t agree with me on every jot & tittle.
It is a fine line. Something happened on my blog recently that shook my insides. It made me think. I get between 600-1000 readers per day on there. How many comment? Five? Seriously. Who is watching? I try to always remember that… who is watching? I know someone who was and he came out of the shadows to confront me (among other things). It ended well and it made me think. Leadership can come in all sorts of ways. The important thing is to not taint Christ’s image to “them”. We have to be so very surgically careful that we don’t drag Christ through the mud. Remembering who we represent is pivotal.
Great thought Heidi. As always we need to be aware of what is happening around us and because of us. Thanks for the good words.
Bill, I have always admired the way you try to look at things in every possible manner and angle. You certainly have a way of giving people some ‘substance’ to chew on and ponder. Believe it or not, I’ve learned alot through your teachings and/or messages. I still remain very picky and choosy about what I allow myself to believe, but I’m with you on your views here. I agree that each one of us may have an intimate relationship with Jesus, but to me, it is a very, very personal one. He does know our hearts, better than we do, or can.
Johnny: Thanks for your comments. I always appreciate you stopping by and hearing from you. You are right about the intimate relationship. He does know our hearts and that is why it is so important to “be careful” about our relationship. It was good to hear from you my friend.