The Do Not Church

I grew up in what I call the "Do Not Church."  Our very salvation seemed to rest on the things we did not do: Don't smoke or drink or chew, and sure don't be dating girls that do.  We were not to play cards or shoot pool or watch movies.  We were not to dance or wear shorts or even play sports on Sundays.

The list seemed to be endless - if you could have fun doing it, chances were you were not supposed to. I even recall being told by my Dad one Sunday when I happened to be smiling during a rare sermon on Heaven, "Wipe that grin off your face, we're in church!" He must have thought I was thinking of something I shouldn't be thinking about. 

There was a notion, in the church I grew up in, and still exists for many, that the Gospel of Grace just wasn't quite enough. We needed to strengthen it by adding rules and self-denial. 

Many in The early church were insisting, "Do not handle.  Do not touch. Do not taste" (Col 2:21).  Paul rebuked them saying, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ" (Col 2:8).

I'm not saying there aren't things we should refrain from doing, no more than was Paul, but what I am saying and what the Good News tells us is that we are saved and sanctified by the grace of God not the denial of self. And further, Jesus' call to his disciples is "Follow me" not "don't do that."

Certainly, as we follow Jesus in the path of grace of which love is the hallmark, we will focus on doing good, which will pull us away from doing bad, but it is the good to which we are called that we need to focus upon, not on what we are not to do. "Do" not "Do Not," is that to which we are called. Jus' Sayn.