It’s everywhere. Turn on the radio…turn on the television…read “Christian” books…read “Christian” bloggers. ‘How to’ Christianity is everywhere! ‘The 10 Biblical Principles for cleaning your dogs teeth’. 14 Principles to become more Jesus’-like. ‘How to have a better Christian marriage’. ‘How to play basketball like a real Christian’. 
What a joke. A bad joke.
People, do you not know that the law is written upon your hearts? The fact that people are running around saying they don’t know how to live their lives as a Christian is a load of bunk. Any adult man or woman knows in his or her heart what God expects of them. They just flat out refuse to do it. They flat out refuse to live up to the high standards that God demands that they live up to so they whittle those standards down and carve them into principles that they can manage or at least enough to fool other Christian friends and neighbors who are busy trying to fool them as well.
Christian Principles for living is just the law packaged in a friendlier format. The law is still the law.
“I wish you would stop talking about Law and Gospel”. “I’m sick of you always bringing up that Law/Gospel paradigm, what does that have to do with trying to live as Jesus tells me to live?”
Just everything…that’s what.
Why is this law banging so pervasive? Why can we not get away from the constant barrage of law posing as gospel in our churches? Because the law is what we do. We are all about the self justification project and we will get better even if it kills our Lord Jesus…and it did.
“He must increase, I must decrease.’ Oh really? Then why in heaven’s name are you trying to pack goodness onto yourselves with your little righteousness projects?
Trust in Him! That’s how He increases! Get off the religion project! There’s a lot more productive stuff you can be doing…like focusing on your neighbor and being a freed human being that loves and cries and mourns and prays and sings and laughs and lives..in the freedom of Christ!
‘How to’? Faaghettaboudit!!
– Steve Martin
Filed under: Doing |
The Old Adam Lives! 
Yes indeed. Christ and Him crucified is not preached in very many churches. As if learning how to have perfect children, career, marriage etc. which are all temporary is more important than eternity. Chirst have mercy.
God’s peace. †
David,
Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church here in Orange County, CA says we need another Reformation..but this time “of works”.
Huh? Was that cross about our works? That cross was precisely because of our works and the damage they have done.
We need another Reformation all right. The first one didn’t stick.
Lord, have mercy.
Keep on keepin’ on over at Five Pint Lutheran!
– Steve M.
Trust in Him! Amen.
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
John 3:25-32
25An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew[a] over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ[b] but am sent ahead of him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less.
31″The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
Excellent Magdalene! Excellenet!
Everything that is anything (as far as God is concerned) comes from above!
He is the be all and the end all!
– Steve