Do's & Don'ts

"How is a believer supposed to be set a part while remaining relevant to culture?" This was the question posed at last night's Bible study held at Nathan & Taren's. It was amazing-- the discussion that occurred among this diverse group of individuals, all of whom hold to differing theological perspectives (which bothers me a times, i won't lie). The conversation was rich with thought and insight from personal stories of struggling to, how one person put it, "walk the line." One girl said that she didn't see what needed to be different about a believer when (i hate this word, but cannot think of another way to describe it) compared to an unbeliever. My immediate thought was to scream, "WE HAVE SALVATION! We've been ransomed and redeemed by Christ. We've been adopted! Chosen! Accepted! Forgiven!" I didn't do that, don't worry. I guess my point in having wanted to scream out loud is rooted in the fact that when Christ has redeemed a person, he or she should have the hope of Jesus--leading one to think, act, live, be, (etc.)... differently. I find myself wondering what unbelievers really think about me...but not in the sense that I am looking for their approval or that I am wondering if they think I am strange. In all honesty, I am strange--believer or not. But because Christ has chosen me by His sovereign grace, I am different. I value different things. I make decisions based on a relationship with the Most High God because of Christ and through His Spirit. That makes me different from folks who don't do the same thing. It just does... However, when we as believers try to set ourselves a part (and some do it simply to be different or weird), it is fruitless and downright (can I be honest?) annoying. My husband said something that made me glad to be his wife; he said that a person comes to Christ and Christ, through His power and might, transforms him/her. That person need not worry about setting himself/herself a part because Christ will take care of that if he or she is really seeking Him through a growing relationship with Him through prayer and through the Word. There is robust debate about issues like this one :

• Drinking. Is a person who drinks alcohol really a treasurer of Christ? (May I please add that there is a HUGE difference between drinking and drunkenness. Saying that a person who drinks is a drunkard is a ridiculous accusation and should be tempered by pondering the fact that just because someone eats doesn't make one a glutton; however, if someone eats too much all of the time, he or she could be dealing with gluttony. There is balance!)

Our good friend Clint told us of a time when he was traveling around Europe on tour with several bands from Europe. He had developed some really neat relationships with the band members and one night, they were talking about their faith. One guy from Europe said, "You in America think that you are a Christian because of what you don't do; we are believers because of what we do." Interesting thought. I don't think the gentleman was placing emphasis on himself doing anything remarkable, but rather Christ in Him working on things and causing him to live by faith. There are, however, things that believers should not do and those things are clearly listed throughout Scripture. There are also many things that are not specific "no no's" for all people and are left up to a person's own relationship with God. God is big. He can handle your junk. He is constantly working out in me what He requires of me-- what He has asked me to do and what would not be good for me to do. The point is that He is working those things out inside of me.

Humans don't make sense

I am continually in awe of the way that God orchestrates life in order to draw me closer to Himself. This doesn't mean that I am continually in awe of how good I feel or how much I am loved (in the human sense that I know love). On the contrary, I make note of God's activity because it is not His making me comfortable or warm and fuzzy, but rather His sovereignty in the events of life that are uncomfortable, awkward, and (at times) downright hurtful. ((more later))