Rules Vs. Principles

[2bLikeJesus]

I was out soul winning, door knocking in the area when someone who answered the door stated "I have heard of your church, you guys are the one's with all those rules."  I looked at him genuinely confused and said "we don't have ANY rules."   He said, "then why do you guys dress so different, and you don't drink, go dancing, go to movie theaters, or party like normal folks, and you go to church like several times a week?"  I told him it's because of a love for God and what he has done for us.  We find principles in His word that indicates what would be most pleasing to Him and out of love we do all we can to please Him.  You don't have to do ANY of those things to attend our church, that would make them rules that must be followed.  You don't need to follow any of those things to be saved either and on your way to heaven.  I then got the chance to explain a non-works salvation to him.

 

A person who needs rules, doesn't understand principles.

 

Galatians 5:18 (KJV)
¹⁸  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  If you are truly led of the Spirit, the Spirit will NEVER lead you to do anything that is contrary to God's will and Word, there is no need for the law. 

 

Rules are neccesary for a heart away from God.

 

Galatians 3:19a (KJV)
¹⁹  Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions

 

1 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV)
¹²  All things are lawful unto me [the Law], but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any [the Principle].

 

 1 Corinthians 10:23 (KJV) 

²³  All things are lawful for me [the Law], but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not [the Principle]. 

 

The law makes nothing perfect.  Hebrews 7:19 (KJV) 

¹⁹  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 

 

The law was not made for righteous men.  1 Timothy 1:8-10 (KJV) 

⁸  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
⁹  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disOBedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
¹⁰  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 

 

Galatians 3:24 (KJV)
²⁴  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

 

So many people, especially IFB's who have been raised since children in an IFB church, have no idea WHY we have the standards we do.  Until they understand that a standard is simply a self-imposed boundary set to help us keep a conviction that was formed by understanding a principle from God's word.  You first find a principle in God's word, and from that principle you form a conviction, and then a standard is set by yourself to help you keep that conviction. Because of this, some standards are entirely yours alone.  For instance, I will not allow myself to own a boat.  There is absolutely nothing wrong or sinful about boat ownership, but for me, outdoor recreation is a huge draw and I am weak enough to it ( "I will not be brought under the power of any"), that my ministry for God is hurt by it. Until people have standards put IN them by understanding the principles behind them, instead of ON them because "that's just the way we do things" they will never have them for their own and it is easy for them to backslide as soon as they are out of the house.  

 

Bro. Garry

In His will.  By His power.  For His glory.

 

[No Nicolaitans]

Excellent! 

[Pastor Scott Markle]

Brother Gary,

 

I "liked" your posting above primarily in order to indicate my agreement with your closing paragraph.  However, I do wish to indicate that we believers of the New Testament certainly do have Biblically ordained rules and regulations for our Christian lives.  Indeed, the New Testament provides hundreds of commands from the authority of the Lord our God Himself that we New Testament believers are required to OBey.  The primary definition of the word "rule" is "an authoritative regulation for action, conduct, procedure, arrangement, etc."  This we New Testament believers certainly do have, as recorded in God's Holy Word, especially throughout the New Testament Scriptures.

[EKSmith]

Amen brother Gary

Amen pastor Scott

[Miss Daisy]

before I got online tonight I was trying to remember 2belikejesus's post, I remembered it was really good. I figured I wouldn't be able to remember the title of the forum to re-read it, but I found it, thankfully!

And it was a great post.  A good way to help explain to people why we do the things we do!

thank you!

[Covenanter]

Are the principles we live by a result of our understanding, or the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit?

 

Hebrews 8:10-12

 

OBviously both, this is a double result of our salvation.

[1Timothy115]

I like that...principle-conviction-standard (God's word-applied to me-my boundary). Some day I'll have no prOBlem living that way but until then I have this flesh and too many times cross the boundary. Such is the case with loving the sinner and hating the sin, I'm all over that line in the stone.