There are definitely 2 pits into which a Christian can fall: licentiousness and legalism, and I think both of these pits can be avoided simply by revisiting the first commandment: "Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, and your neighbor as yourself."
And since I've been accused of the legalism pit, I would encourage readers to be careful of what they call legalism.
The Word calls us to LORDSHIP...submitting every area of our lives to the transforming power of Christ if we're saved.
The book of Titus (and other books) is full of instruction to Christians about the way they should live. To say that God is not that concerned with the way we live is to deny a large portion of the Bible."For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age....that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, ZEALOUS for good works." Titus 2:12-14
Salvation then, is the beginning for a Christian--not the finality. And when one is saved, his natural inclination (the spirit of God in him) is to submit to, and live for the one who saved him.
Chapter 3 of Titus makes it CLEAR that "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" and yet the same book urges us to "DO....that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in ALL things"....BECAUSE He saved us.
It's hand in hand. It's allowing God to reign, control, and take over every area of your life, so that the world may see that the people of God are different, and so His purposes may be fulfilled.
"...it is not as much what Christians are doing, that I think is a major problem; it is that they are letting the culture dictate their life choices, instead of bringing EVERYTHING to the light of Scripture, and asking God to show them His will."It should show in the abstract--love, grace and mercy, and it should show in the concrete--reverent in behavior, modesty, life choices.
Working out salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that there are grave consequences for those who are a stumbling block by the way they live.
This is the essence of why I blog...it is not as much what Christians are doing, that I think is a major problem; it is that they are letting the culture dictate their life choices, instead of bringing EVERYTHING to the light of Scripture, and asking God to show them His will.
I've said before, when a couple prayerfully brings their fertility before the Lord, searches the Scriptures on the subject, seeks counsel, thinks and researches this important part of life, I think the Lord is pleased.
It's when a couple takes their cue from a sinful, selfish culture, surgically destroys what God has created, without giving it a second thought, that does not look like what Christians should be doing. Or, years later, they discover the birth control pills they've been using actually sometimes cause abortions; if only they had researched--thought about it first. It matters.
And apply that to every other area.
Why is modesty so important? Because of the stumbling block thing, and because "if a man looks at a woman to lust after her, he has committed adultery in his heart". I know the man has some of that responsibility; but if I'm dressing in a way that is sensual, without seeking the Lord about my dress, I have carelessly caused a brother to stumble, and that is sin. (This is not pants/vs. dresses...for those of you who have not read it before, I wear pants sometimes.)
So the pits are there, and we must be careful. But as a friend of mine told me once,
"I'd rather get to Heaven and have God tell me,
'You know, you were too careful. You didn't really have to wear a bathing suit cover at the pool.' rather than, "I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold;...so then because thou art lukewarm, I will spew thee out of my mouth (Revelation 3:15,16).' "
8 comments:
Kelly,
This is a good post. I don't think of your blog as "legalistic". I think you are careful and want to obey the Lord in every area that you can.
Legalism is a set of rules that are kept for the sake of record keeping. The Pharisees kept all the rules then looked down on the harlots, tax collectors, etc. that Jesus came to save. Keeping rules to pat yourself on the back - that's not what you do. You want to take a good look at what's going on around us and discern the truth. I appreciate it because it makes me think and pray more.
I love what you said about modesty. We should not want to cause a man (a Christian brother) to stumble. It doesn't mean all dresses, jumpers, etc. - but, it doesn't mean low cut dresses and tight skirts either. We live close to the coast and you see a lot of flesh at church services. I'm not saying that to judge or condemn, just merely a fact.
I am thankful for blogs like yours, which make me re-think our culture. I have learned a lot about home-schooling, the Bible, large families, etc. from your site and I appreciate it all. I grew up in the church, but, honestly did not know the Lord. Staying home with my family is helping me learn a whole new way of life and there is much to learn!! Thanks again for your site. Blessings - Diana
Diana,
I appreciate that!
I am with Diana. Thanks Kelly.
I'm with Diana as well, I fully appreciate both of your blogs. If you only knew how much you've been an encouragement to me! Oh and I live in the heart of Ohio (no coast around, unless you call the banks of the Ohio river a coast!!) and yet I still see lots of flesh in our church services as well.
Thanks Kelly!
Jamie,
So you are seeing lots of skin too!! Honestly, sometimes I think that the church service attire is the same as the Saturday night club scene.
Like I said, I'm not trying to judge or condemn. Sometimes a person is a new Christian and might not have modest clothes.
Sometimes - people just don't even think about modesty, which is why it's good for blogs like this to make us think. Regardless, I keep thinking - it has to be a DISTRACTION to a man when he sees so much skin. :)
***I know the man has some of that responsibility; but if I'm dressing in a way that is sensual, without seeking the Lord about my dress, I have carelessly caused a brother to stumble, and that is sin. ***
correction-the man has ALLL the responsibility when he sins, period. no ifs, ands or buts. he is 100% responsible. every time.
be able to split the issues. both people who sin are 100% responsible in any given situation. separately from the way anyone dresses, the man is responsible AND fully accountable. there are some who live in cultures where dressing a certain way is the norm, and men are still responsible....or else God lies. and we know that isnt true.
the woman doesnt 'cause' the man to sin......none of us cause it fully. we provoke. we dont force anyone to sin. yes, oftentimes people are pushed beyond their limit and grace can abound but be sure if a man walked the club strip in NYC at 9pm at night, and lusted over 20 scantily clad women, he is fully responsible.
see, this is where things dont line up. where is the consistancy?
so we think feminism is witchcraft at its finest.....enabling and coddling todays men is no less withccraft. to say they arent responsible is anti-christ. they are big boys, they can do it. God says so. i believe him. plus, it isnt so much outward appearance that causes lust. it is a matter of the heart. many men who struggle with this 'phonomena' of porn and lust today, were sexualized as kids, and were provoked by that. im not saying its always the cause, but dress doesnt have as much power as we want to shame women for it. did God really only say its due to male lusting that we shall dress modestly? not that i recall.
***I'd rather get to Heaven and have God tell me,
'You know, you were too careful. You didn't really have to wear a bathing suit cover at the pool.'***
i seriously doubt he is going to say that. he is going to address matters of the heart.
being too careful strips us of allowed freedoms, given by God. stripping peoiple of freedoms they are allowed, called to, and given to exercise, are not ANYONE's to take away, esp by means of guilt or fear. the only way one can clearly pluck any speck out of anyone's eye, regarding sin.....is to fully understand what freedom is. otherwise you cant properly point out sin. THATS legalism. but no one here seems to have hit that chapter of awakening in their life??? legalism is not how superficial and simplified some of you are making it out to be, and it concerns me for you all. legalism is not only rule keeping and working for salvation. but i guess no one is hearing that.
Authenticallyme,
Just curious, what specific freedoms do you see Kelly trying to strip away from us through guilt and fear? I truly don't see it.
And I must ask you if any men who struggle with lust have confided in you to give you such insight that you can say, "dress doesn't have as much power as we want to shame women for".
My own DH has struggled since he became a Christian 3 years ago to overcome an addiction to pornography and lust. I know firsthand that a scantily dressed woman jogging down the road or at the grocery store(it doesn't have to be in a nightclub) is enough to trigger a full-blown battle against his flesh.
Yes, the battle is his and if he falls into sin it is 100 percent his own sin, however, if we truly love our brothers in Christ we will not want to be the trigger or the "stumbling block" that trips them up. Mark 10:42 says, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."
It seems wisdom to me to err on the side of caution and miss out on a "freedom" or two than to be like the one this scripture warns against.
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