Galatians 3:10-14"10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[a] 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”[b] 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[c] 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[d] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
It's been a long while since I posted due to other obligations. However, now that I'm back, the next topic of my post to analyze the difference between living biblical by following biblical rules compared to living godly by following Christ. I ask this because having read plenty of Christian blogs and articles, the common theme I read, is about what is biblical and what isn't and how we are to be biblical. This goes from biblical womanhood or femininity, biblical manhood or masculinity, biblical dating, biblical marriage, relationships, etc.
The premise is that as Christians we are to almost everything in a biblical way, behave in a biblical way and live in a biblical way. I can't count on the many times I read lists from other Christians on what is not biblical based on their personal convictions from getting tattoos, getting a divorce, women working outside the home, men staying at home, women wearing makeup, jewelry, high heels and stylish clothes and the list goes on. Many Christians have their own ideas on what is biblical therefore acceptable within the Christian community.
The problem with this mindset is that many Christians will turn the bible into a personal rule book of what and what not do based on their own interpretation of the scriptures which will always vary from individuals, a church, or community on what is acceptable. This leads to legalism in which each individual group or persons will cast self-righteous judgement, sometimes close-minded or harsh criticisms, often too demanding expectations on other Christians behavior they view to be unbiblical.
Then the focus is more on how to be biblical in the way Christians act, behave, live in almost every aspect of their lives to the point of keeping score and becomes less about what is godly or what is living like Christ although many equate all being the same thing. It can also become more about living under law rather than living under grace where Christians start constantly over analyzing and worrying about what they're doing is biblical and therefore pleasing to God based on their interpretation on what the bible verses is clear. It also becomes competition in a way as I have read many Christians on the internet debate among each other what the scriptures mean each thinking their interpretation is the true meaning while condescendingly judge others for not understanding the context of the verses.
From my own experience on reading these comments, it seems those who arrogantly berate others for misinterpreting bible verses that suits their reasoning on the ones guilty of doing just that. The fact remains is the bible can be a hard book to understand especially not knowing the entire history of the context of the scriptures sometimes how we interpret them will vary due to own upbringing and church influence. Also cultural influence will also play a role in how we sometimes interpret what is biblical. In such a case, many on the more ultra conservative camp in the western countries will use phrases such as biblical manhood or biblical womanhood to interpret a very cultural traditional ideal of manhood or womanhood. These same groups under the more patriarchal western influence will also equate biblical family with the more traditional nuclear family unit or biblical dating with the more traditional courtship from the by gone era and the list goes on.
The thing that many Christians seem to forget is that the bible is set in Ancient times in the far east in places like Israel where the culture and customs differed from this era in America. Sometimes these cultural norms and customs play a role in the bible. One example is during Ancient times, slavery was acceptable and mentioned quite often in the bible, as is a man taking more than one wife during ancient Jewish customs. Also arranged marriages happen, the penalty of adultery was stoning to death, men didn't have a 9-5 job every day wearing a suit to the office and women jobs was the domestic sphere of the household even if she earned extra income with a craft or trade, she did so from the home as often did the man.
However, over the centuries and throughout the continent cultural norms evolve and vary. Which is why it isn't good to take the bible verses too literally ignoring the historical culture, custom and societal norms of that era. My point interpreting the meanings of the bible and how to live more "biblically" influenced by traditonal patriarchal ideals and standards isn't going to make Christians more godly neither trying to live by some of cultural norms of that era. When Christians take the verses too literally thus establishing a "biblical living" based on those words it causes Christians to overlook the bigger picture behind those words such as the true historical meanings sometimes creating false doctrines which in leads to legalism. It then turns the living as Christ following believer about rule-keeping or where not living biblical.
With rule-keeping becomes self-righteousness, arrogance, and close-mindedness especially to anyone who doesn't follow the "rules". One of the ways we Christians can change this is stop looking at the bible as a rule book with all these biblical to do and do no list. Instead see the bible for what it is which is a list of stories on About God our creator, the creation of mankind, about history of the Israelites during the Old Testament and many figures from Abraham to Noah, to Moses to King David etc. Also about the story of Jesus the son of God, our Lord and Savior in the New Testament along with the many apostles and disciples afterwards etc.
Of course, there are some guidelines and standards that should be obeyed that is int he bible like the Ten Commandments but we shouldn't make a habit of turning almost every scripture into a to do list. Instead we should learn from the historical events in the bible understanding the true context and use some of the scriptures as examples on how we can live our lives in today's society during our walk with Christ always talking cultural norms and customs of that "biblical times" into consideration.
For example regarding verses on how masters should treat their slaves or how slaves should respond to their masters, since slavery is no longer in an existence in the western countries, this verses could be used as an example on how employers and employees relate to one another and the list goes on. Instead of worrying so much on how to be and act more "biblical" the answer should be how to strengthen our walk with Christ and placing God our Lord foremost in our lives. Of course, we are not perfect and are all sinners to a degree and will stumble from time to time.
But now that we are living under grace as Jesus has already died for all our sins, we don't need to beat ourselves over the head every time we slip up and make a mistake of not following all the "rules". What we do is receive the Lord and his Blessing, and our sins will be forgiven and we strive to improve ourselves as we continue the long sometimes harrowing path of Christ.
The premise is that as Christians we are to almost everything in a biblical way, behave in a biblical way and live in a biblical way. I can't count on the many times I read lists from other Christians on what is not biblical based on their personal convictions from getting tattoos, getting a divorce, women working outside the home, men staying at home, women wearing makeup, jewelry, high heels and stylish clothes and the list goes on. Many Christians have their own ideas on what is biblical therefore acceptable within the Christian community.
The problem with this mindset is that many Christians will turn the bible into a personal rule book of what and what not do based on their own interpretation of the scriptures which will always vary from individuals, a church, or community on what is acceptable. This leads to legalism in which each individual group or persons will cast self-righteous judgement, sometimes close-minded or harsh criticisms, often too demanding expectations on other Christians behavior they view to be unbiblical.
Then the focus is more on how to be biblical in the way Christians act, behave, live in almost every aspect of their lives to the point of keeping score and becomes less about what is godly or what is living like Christ although many equate all being the same thing. It can also become more about living under law rather than living under grace where Christians start constantly over analyzing and worrying about what they're doing is biblical and therefore pleasing to God based on their interpretation on what the bible verses is clear. It also becomes competition in a way as I have read many Christians on the internet debate among each other what the scriptures mean each thinking their interpretation is the true meaning while condescendingly judge others for not understanding the context of the verses.
From my own experience on reading these comments, it seems those who arrogantly berate others for misinterpreting bible verses that suits their reasoning on the ones guilty of doing just that. The fact remains is the bible can be a hard book to understand especially not knowing the entire history of the context of the scriptures sometimes how we interpret them will vary due to own upbringing and church influence. Also cultural influence will also play a role in how we sometimes interpret what is biblical. In such a case, many on the more ultra conservative camp in the western countries will use phrases such as biblical manhood or biblical womanhood to interpret a very cultural traditional ideal of manhood or womanhood. These same groups under the more patriarchal western influence will also equate biblical family with the more traditional nuclear family unit or biblical dating with the more traditional courtship from the by gone era and the list goes on.
The thing that many Christians seem to forget is that the bible is set in Ancient times in the far east in places like Israel where the culture and customs differed from this era in America. Sometimes these cultural norms and customs play a role in the bible. One example is during Ancient times, slavery was acceptable and mentioned quite often in the bible, as is a man taking more than one wife during ancient Jewish customs. Also arranged marriages happen, the penalty of adultery was stoning to death, men didn't have a 9-5 job every day wearing a suit to the office and women jobs was the domestic sphere of the household even if she earned extra income with a craft or trade, she did so from the home as often did the man.
However, over the centuries and throughout the continent cultural norms evolve and vary. Which is why it isn't good to take the bible verses too literally ignoring the historical culture, custom and societal norms of that era. My point interpreting the meanings of the bible and how to live more "biblically" influenced by traditonal patriarchal ideals and standards isn't going to make Christians more godly neither trying to live by some of cultural norms of that era. When Christians take the verses too literally thus establishing a "biblical living" based on those words it causes Christians to overlook the bigger picture behind those words such as the true historical meanings sometimes creating false doctrines which in leads to legalism. It then turns the living as Christ following believer about rule-keeping or where not living biblical.
With rule-keeping becomes self-righteousness, arrogance, and close-mindedness especially to anyone who doesn't follow the "rules". One of the ways we Christians can change this is stop looking at the bible as a rule book with all these biblical to do and do no list. Instead see the bible for what it is which is a list of stories on About God our creator, the creation of mankind, about history of the Israelites during the Old Testament and many figures from Abraham to Noah, to Moses to King David etc. Also about the story of Jesus the son of God, our Lord and Savior in the New Testament along with the many apostles and disciples afterwards etc.
Of course, there are some guidelines and standards that should be obeyed that is int he bible like the Ten Commandments but we shouldn't make a habit of turning almost every scripture into a to do list. Instead we should learn from the historical events in the bible understanding the true context and use some of the scriptures as examples on how we can live our lives in today's society during our walk with Christ always talking cultural norms and customs of that "biblical times" into consideration.
For example regarding verses on how masters should treat their slaves or how slaves should respond to their masters, since slavery is no longer in an existence in the western countries, this verses could be used as an example on how employers and employees relate to one another and the list goes on. Instead of worrying so much on how to be and act more "biblical" the answer should be how to strengthen our walk with Christ and placing God our Lord foremost in our lives. Of course, we are not perfect and are all sinners to a degree and will stumble from time to time.
But now that we are living under grace as Jesus has already died for all our sins, we don't need to beat ourselves over the head every time we slip up and make a mistake of not following all the "rules". What we do is receive the Lord and his Blessing, and our sins will be forgiven and we strive to improve ourselves as we continue the long sometimes harrowing path of Christ.
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