Why are there just so many rules?

[zerox]

Not sure how to delete this, so you don't have to respond..

 

[timf]

Why are there just so many rules?

I am not sure if you are still interested in this question, but I thought I would post an answer anyway.

I once worked for a company that had many locations. As I was leaving one location, I passed two fellow employees talking at the door to the building. They were discussing someone who worked at another location. He was a sort of "in your face" Christian that irritated everyone with his sanctimonious self-righteousness. As I was leaving, one of them asked, "Hey Tim you're a Christian. What's the story with this guy".

I was wondering how to explain this when the idea came to me so I used the door as an illustration. I placed my hand horizontally at the door and said, "Many churches have lists of rules to follow. After a while people can get pretty pleased with how many rules they have kept". I started to raise my hand up higher and higher on the door. "Soon some people get so proud of what they have accomplished, they feel they need to rebuke everyone who has not accomplished as much as they have."

Then I said, "Christianity is supposed to be measuring ourselves against Christ and not a set of rules". I started to slowly lower my hand on the door. "As we understand more about Christ and know more about ourselves, we begin to see that our opinion of ourselves will get lower and lower. This is supposed to produce humility".

There are a lot of rules because people like rules. We do not like looking in the mirror of truth and seeing who we really are. We would rather look into the measure of accomplishment and feel comfortable with what we have done.

People also emphasize rules when they don't have answers to "why?". For example, someone might say, "You should not have sex before marriage" and declare it as a rule. This might be because they do not understand or cannot articulate the reasons why this is a good idea.

Christianity is supposed to be about coming to Jesus and becoming like Him. Since Jesus is truth, this process is accomplished in truth. If you are drawn to truth (Jesus) but find difficulty with those who presume to explain Him, you may want to search out others who are more articulate, have a better understanding, or clearly show the light and love of Jesus in their lives.

Christianity is not supposed to be about rules, it is supposed to be about "Christ in you, the hope of glory".

 

[heron]

Someone I know took a Tai Chi class, and I expected it to be vague, mellow, and self-directed. There were more religious rules and standards in one little book than in Christianity.

Most religions work with rules that produce a more harmonious community. The restrictions can appear to be about the individual, but when played out they are really about everyone's protection. No stealing means nothing stolen, no lies means no innocent people charged unjustly, no excess with substances means no walking out of establishments forgetting to pay.

Acting with restraint is about living in love. If we truly care about others, and want God's love to work through us, then generosity is supplemented with humility, honesty, and consideration.

The heart of the law is love, even if it doesn't appear that way at first.

 

[thisnamztaken]

No rules = anarchy.

 

[heron]

So true.