I had to vent

[2Timothy2]

[sign]Rant On[/sign]

Why are we so concerned with getting others to conform to our personal standards. Dress, speech, music, whatever. Especially when talking to a new Christian. Paul didn't do this. Jesus didn't do this. They got down to where the people were to share the gospel and the truths of Scripture with them. Ohhh, I wish we all would stop trying to saddle each other with these picky, nonessential, nonbiblical, legalistic restrictions. It is fine to share our opinion with someone on something we find objectionable. But when it comes to the petty things I'm talking about, don't you think there are more important issues we could help a new Christian with; things that are actually found in the Bible?
[sign]Rant Off[/sign]

If anyone is offended by this, so be it. I am including myself in the above. But if you are offended, please reread Galatians and examine yourself before you respond. Then you can clobber me.

 

[caitlincares]

Totally agree.

 

[GreenEyedLady]

OK..........Can you be more specific?
GEL

 

[Jessica Lauren]

I actually agree, 100%.

 

[2Timothy2]

Can you be more specific?

No.

 

[Sword-In-Hand]

Nothing to clobber you over. I agree with your post. We should be more concerned with leading people to Christ than trying to conform them to our opinion of all the petty things we grasp on to.

 

[ZiSunka]

I agree, too. It's funny how many times Christians want others to accept only their version of petty things to be accepted as gospel. I think I mentioned it before, but I went to one church for a short time in which the only clothing the women would wear to church on sunday was long flowered skirts and blazers. Anything else was looked down upon as unChristian and unbiblical. Seriously.

Recent, the church where Rich Mullins grew up went through a period of hostility because some of the members wanted to have contemporary music services on saturday nights. Angry people who opposed it even made up stories that made the services look like Sodom and Gommorah (no one was actually dancing on the piano and no one got pregnant during the services, but these were a few of the lies people made up to try to stop the saturday night services). One woman went so far as to threaten the pastor's job. All because some people wanted the freedom to be able to sing Awesome God in the church where it was written. Sheesh. God doesn't only accept Southern Gospel music or four-part hymns.

I think we get so wrapped up in fear that God will find us to be inadequate or wrong in some way that we make up new rules for our lives and think they are from Him. We demand that others live these rigid lives to reinforce our own pronouncements of superiority.

But guess what! We have a lot of liberty in the Christian life. God loves a joyful noise, whether it has a latin beat or a sombre cadence.

God inhabits our praise, not our criticisms of others.

 

[12volt_man]

[sign]Rant On[/sign]

Why are we so concerned with getting others to conform to our personal standards. Dress, speech, music, whatever. Especially when talking to a new Christian. Paul didn't do this. Jesus didn't do this. They got down to where the people were to share the gospel and the truths of Scripture with them. Ohhh, I wish we all would stop trying to saddle each other with these picky, nonessential, nonbiblical, legalistic restrictions. It is fine to share our opinion with someone on something we find objectionable. But when it comes to the petty things I'm talking about, don't you think there are more important issues we could help a new Christian with; things that are actually found in the Bible?
[sign]Rant Off[/sign]

If anyone is offended by this, so be it. I am including myself in the above. But if you are offended, please reread Galatians and examine yourself before you respond. Then you can clobber me.

In the words of one of my favorite Bible teachers, Steve Brown, "people tend to show grace to others only to the extent that they, themselves, understand the grace that God has shown them".

In other words, when someone is insecure about their walk with Christ, they tend to try to make themselves feel bigger by making others feel smaller.

 

[jenptcfan]

I agree with the OP. It's something we all need to be reminded of from time to time.