About Rules ...

Monday, Sept 30, 2013. What is the role of behaviour when it comes to faith? Recently we had this discussion - if you have a mature faith, should it not show itself in your behaviour? And indeed, it should. But the way it shows itself, will not be determined by superficial rules. We will find strong words in the New Testament to stay away from the false way of faith. Let us have a look into these warnings.

False Humility …

In the Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 2, we find the following passage:

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Humans are human …

I have been thinking about this for quite a while. Of course, as humans we have human needs. We have human dreams. We have human desires. We will not be able to change that - and any rule or tool, which tries to change us, will fail! We will just be as we are made, humans with openness for positive experiences. We will just be open for nice feelings. We are receptive for the good and beautiful things in this world.

Religion sometimes acts as a system to lead you into a particular type of “good” behaviour. Then, we understand why all the rules are made, why there are tipps and tricks to keep you on track. Wear long robes and skirts, restrain from alcohol, do not do this or that, … people have tried so many rules to keep their community within particular boundaries.

But that is of secondary importance. It is just very human and worldly. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, reminds us that there is something far more central and important: it is Christ. He and his salvation is the true reality. Everything else is merely a shadow. In him there is new life, which is freed from all the rules and regulations. In him there is new life, which is fully filled with the love and truth of the eternal God. There is a power and force much deeper in those who believe in Christ, than the power of rules and regulations of mere worldly character. We are called to rely on HIM, on what he did and what he is, - not on our rules. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts