Christian Living

Christianity Has No Rules?

by Ramona Cook 
08/11/19
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 I wonder why that when we read the New Testament we fail to comprehend the stated Dos and Don’ts, and also those that are implied?

I feel this is a serious point to think about when it comes to our Christian faith.

In one of my previous articles I made the statement that “Jesus established a Do and Don’t religion of the Christian faith.”

Some noted, in comments, that they find that offensive, or difficult for them. But WHY, in view of the facts?

True it is, our Salvation is not earned, there is however one thing we MUST DO to receive it. We must confess our sin and ask Jesus to save us.

Without that DO done, we do not have the Holy Spirit’s Seal, and we do not have salvation. We must believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, AND confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus as our Savior. Romans 10: 9, 10 (Some must DOs there)

That is the basic DO that is established by Jesus/God.

Perhaps it is the hyper-grace atmosphere we have lived in for several years that makes us to think that all we do is say it, and we got it all.

I don’t really know from where the idea originates, except that it is deception, and we all know where Deception Headquarters is, and who oversees it.

Once the basic Do is done, there are other Do directives given to us by Jesus and the Apostles, His spokesmen, who were directed by the Holy Spirit to write for us so that we KNOW what TO do and what NOT to do, so that we may grow in faith and in knowledge in the Lord and live obediently in God’s sight.

So, the fact is, we as Believers in Jesus have had given to us things we ARE TO DO and things we are NOT TO DO.

Perhaps the reader has never thought of it in this manner because we are cautioned to not try to EARN our Salvation AND we can’t, that is a truth.

Salvation is totally free FOR THE ASKING. But/AND, it is a truth that after we have confessed our need for Jesus to save us, He also expects us to follow Him in OBEDIENCE. IF we have no basic rules by which to live THEN we become a law unto ourselves ordering our lives by what standard, “HOW we feel?”

Unfortunately, THAT IS how many Christians order their lives and it is ineffective, on some levels, to destructive on others.

The facts are substantial, there ARE DO’S AND DO NOT’S in the Christian Faith, and for whatever reasons, we are almost willing to eradicate those instructions, perhaps because we do not want a “legalistic” type of faith?

However, IF we did teach and embrace the DO’S and the DO NOT’S, as the Scripture presents them to us, in the spirit of OBEDIENCE TO JESUS, from our inner being to His, because of our love for Him, can that be legalistic?

I don’t think so. Obedience is done by willful, intentional decision and is not legalistic. “Consistent” would be the correct word.

Are we really cautious because of legalism, OR, is it because we don’t like RULES and therefore mask our rebellion as fear of legalism?

We have had added to our naturally rebellious natures, inherited from Papa Adam, the philosophies of Dr. Wayne Dyer and his philosophical adherents, the “Feeling” part of living as paramount to effective existence.

“If it feels good, do it!” “YOUR Erroneous Zones.” “Looking Out for #1,”* seems so wise. The problem is, as it is with all deceitfulness, there are within those thoughts fragments of truth taught to us by our philosophical community, but on such a different level than Jesus taught us. It becomes a crafty deceit of the enemy.

“I am freed from the Law of sin and death.” Yes, sin that produces death no longer rules me, but I rule, by my will yielded to the Holy Spirit, because God will not MAKE me DO right, I MUST choose to do right and am now freed to choose to do right.

I am NOT however, freed from the LAW, because Jesus Himself said, “I did not come to DESTROY the Law, but to FULFILL IT.” Matthew 5: 17-20

The Law, The Ten Commandments, remain exactly what they always were from the time God gave them to man, they are the RULES that show us when we have sinned, and we all do violate them.

That is the reason God came to earth as Jesus, in a body of flesh, and fulfilled ALL the Law, so He can in turn forgive our flesh, mind and complete self, for the violation of the Laws. As we look to Him for our salvation, He gives us HIS righteousness. He CAN do that, because He kept all the Law and then being perfect in God’s sight He could be the final blood sacrifice for sin. “Without the shedding of blood, there is NO remission of sin.” Hebrews 9:22

Hereare some texts from the Holy Scriptures to support my statements, and I find the magnitude of that task overwhelming with available Scriptures.

Read the Gospels, take note of the times Jesus gives a direct command, such as in Matthew, chapter 6. Read the texts observing the expressed DO'S AND DON’TS OR the implied DO'S AND DON’TS.

Matthew 6:19 “Do NOT lay up for yourselves treasures upon the earth... v. 20 DO lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven...

Matthew 7:1 DO NOT judge... v. 6 DO NOT give that which is holy to the dogs.

v. 7 DO ask, and it shall be given you...

Chapter 10, DO heal the sick. DO cleanse the lepers. DO raise the dead. DO cast out devils. DO freely give. V. 26, DO NOT fear them (your enemies). DO fear Him Who can destroy both your body and soul in Hell.

Chapter 11: 28, DO come unto Me... DO take my yoke upon you, DO learn of Me...

And these are but a sample from a few chapters in Matthew.

The same is true of the Epistles. Read them in the same fashion. The entire New Testament, the instructions to us for Christian living, is filled with DO and DON’T instructions.

It causes me to wonder WHY anyone could be offended when I state that “Jesus established the Christian faith as a DO and DON’T faith,” because the instructions of Jesus to us are not to be viewed as arbitrary. We are expected to know them and to live by them.

Of course we often fail and that produces the need for confession to God so that we receive forgiveness.

DO confess your sins to God, so that you may be forgiven. Acts 3: 19

DO confess your sins to one another, so that you may be healed. James 5: 15,16

Ramona: 08/11/2019

*Books by Dr. Wayne Dyer