Christianity: Rules or Relationship

Congratulations, David! You have found exactly what I am currently searching for (and have been for some time). My continued search has been prolonged through several moves to different areas over the last few years...but I seek exactly what you've found.

I currently semi-regularly attend a church 30 miles away, as a guest of my father. I also am visiting other churches in my local area. So far, none except my father's church "fit right"....and I don't mean they don't fit right because of what I get from the service--but rather from what is taught--and practiced--there. Some of the churches I've tried are so "lukewarm" that I wonder how they're still going--the members go through the motions on Sunday morning, and that's just about it. Other churches have fit the description of your experience--so legalistic that there is no room for God's grace in the equation. But at my Dad's church I hear the Good News preached and sung; I hear prayer requests and praises offered up by a congregation knit together by the love of Christ; and I SEE them come together for each other in times of crisis and need--loving each other just as Jesus instructed His church. It's been kinda hard to equal THAT locally. But I keep searching for the church family that awaits me.

I praise God for your new church home!

 

Christianity is not about either/or, its about both. To set 'relationship' over against 'rules' is to create a false dichotomy. Its simply impossible to have a relationship of any type without some rules. Rules exist, maybe unspoken or maybe clearly stated, in each and every relationship you have.

Jesus said "If you love me you will keep my commandments?" Would not the corollary of spurning his commandments (or rules) be to not love (hate) him?

It sounds as if your old church may have substituted the law (rules) of men for the law of God. If that is true and it becomes clear that the church has departed from scripture, then it would be proper to seek a new church home. However, one should be extremely careful that the problem is not that the church is faithful to the Word of God and that causes a problem for us, but that they are indeed adding to the Word of God.

A church, however, that stresses 'relationship' to the exclusion of 'rules' is just as false and deadly as one which adds to the law which God has given. Find yourself a place that preaches the whole counsel of God-- that's where you need to be to grow.

Let me add that I know firsthand the type of IFB church that stifles with legalistic rules. The first 20+ years of my life were spent there. I'll pray that God will give you direction.

 

Great topic. Doesn't really have much to do with music and would probably get more response in the General Discussions.

 

Nothing to forgive. No one said you couldn't post it here.