Journey to Truth Part: 1

Today I would like to share part of my story in rediscovering Church. I want to start by describing the first of 3 different churches’ that caused me to rethink what church was all about. The first church we will discuss is the 'The Dead Bones Church'.

The 'Dead Bones Church' may be full of people and yet it is spiritual dead. In other words, Jesus has left the building and no one knows or perhaps more disturbing no one even cares. The people and leadership of this church are more concerned about following rules and regulations than actually following Jesus. As a result, their relationship with Jesus is defined by their own attempt to earn God's approval through these rules and regulations, some of which they have created. Any time we define our relationship with God by our own ability to observe and keep rules-we practice legalism. In the simplest terms, legalism is attempting to gain God’s approval by our own means. As mentioned before, it becomes how we define our relationship with God. In other words, if I’m keeping the rules and regulations that I have created for my relationship with God then God is happy with me, he approves me. The result being, God then owes me something because I have earned his favor. But if I (or others) are not keeping these rules and regulations than God must disapprove of me and cannot be happy with me. Meaning, my relationship with God becomes severed because I have not been able to keep the rules that I have created in order for the relationship to be sustained. Does that make sense???

Legalism quenches the Spirit. It is the death of our relationship with Jesus. Our relationship with Christ cannot be defined by our own abilities. If it is, we will fail miserably every time, which creates a people full of bitterness and resentment because we are constantly failing. There is nothing more devastating than feeling like you are constantly failing the One you love. This is why some many churches are full of judgmental, unhappy people. Instead of being full of people who are loving and enjoying God for who he is and what he does, the Church becomes full of people who believe God owes them something. In truth, God does not owe us anything-ever!! Legalism fuels the ‘Dead Bones Church’. It is dead because it has extinguished the Spirit (and thus our relationship with Jesus) because it is more concerned about rules and regulations than right relationship with God and Others. Here our some quick characteristics of the ‘Dead Bones Church”.

1) Legalism over Love for God and Love for Others
2) Judgmentalism (That's right, I made this word up) over Joy
3) Self-Righteousness over the Spirit
4) Separatist over Service

Let me close by addressing one other issue. I want to be clear. The ‘Dead Bones Church’ stresses obedience. Obedience is a good thing. Faith and obedience cannot be divorced. Yet the basis for our obedience comes from our love of God not from our desire to get any thing from him. We are able to obey God because he has placed the Spirit within us SO THAT we can obey. This stems out of his free grace. Obedience should not be a technique we use so that God will owe us. We obey him because he first loved us, and as a result we in turn love him. In sum, we obey God out of love not out of legalism. The 'Dead Bones Church' is fueld by legalism. It is defined by it's ability to keep rules and regulations INSTEAD of right relaitonship with God and Others. Questions, comments, concerns???