Blog 28: No Such Custom

I love Jesus- period. I have never questioned the existence of God, nor whether His Word is true. I have researched, I have seen the facts laid out, and history and science alike seem to ratify it. So when I am critical of Christianity (as it has evolved) or even the Church itself, do not think me a faithless fool. What I'd like to call into question today is the utter lack of inquiry amongst modern Christians. We do as we're told blindly, without even finding out why things are done they way we are or why we believe as we do. As a whole, it seems that we don't own our faith, but rather perform some simplistic mimicry of our fathers, mothers, pastors, or what-have-you. In such behavior, we are not going directly to the Source of our life to 'only do as the Father does,' but are lazily depending on other fallible people to show us what is right and wrong. OR we latch onto a teaching about Scripture as if it is Scripture itself. Such a pattern not only makes us look like idiots to the world, but also fosters legalism and a certain sort of pious pride. When Jesus came, not only did he question the traditions and practices of the "holy" ones, he focused on the HEART of the matter. They could do all the right things, but if they were doing it for the wrong reasons (e.g. pride, money, status, appearances), He was grieved.

On Father's Day, as I sat around the table with my family, we discussed the Bible, as we often do, and house churches (over one of which my parents preside). We talked about how churches throw money at buildings and trendy programs. People seem to think that the building itself is the House of God. Our family's view is a little bit different--which is why I don't go to church every single Sunday (gasp!). Few things are more frustrating to me than the phrase "We really missed you at church last Sunday" (usually spoken in a chiding tone that translates its meaning to "We noticed you didn't come, backslider"). Usually the same people uttering the phrase don't even care why you weren't there. I think that if we always have to be in a church building or at the House of Prayer or at a conference of some sort to experience, learn about, and worship God--then we're in big trouble.  My younger sister Emily actually posted an awesome Facebook status that sums up this point:

Psalm 122:1 - I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." Now looking at 1 Corinthians 3:16 - "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Hallelujah, we don't have to GO anywhere to be in the house of the Lord; we ARE the house of the Lord!

Another thing we fail to examine? The "truths" that overzealous conservatoids have spoon-fed us (with our lethargic consent) for years. My mom actually brought up a passage of Scripture which she had always read to mean guidelines or ideal forms of Christian living--only to find just recently that the last verse basically cancels it all out. The passage is 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, and it discusses how men should uncover their heads when they pray and how the glory of women is their hair--etcetera, etcetera, appearance is really important. Oh wait! Then the last verse says: "But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God." Take that, caricaturized church ladies. Did you see so and so? Did you see their utter lack of dignity? Yes...God sees that...and He likes it. Just check out the "indecency" of David (the man after His own heart).

It seems that I've been combating legalism a lot lately (often the last vestiges of my own) just everywhere--or at least it's a topic that seems to be breached often. Too many people think that it's their way or the highway--and their way is definitely "God's way." Don't get me wrong, there are some things that are very cut and dry. There's right, there's wrong; there's black and white. But I think too often, instead of trusting conviction, we decide to take the easy way out and just say "the strictest way is the best way." People say the narrow road is that self-restricting, self-atoning path that is "less traveled" except...EVERY OTHER FUNDAMENTALIST TAKES THAT PATH. And they're all telling you what to do at any given time. It is absolutely more difficult to ask yourself the why. It is absolutely more difficult to examine the convictions within you, guided by both the Holy Spirit and the Word. Read it and interpret it. Study and become informed. Think you can't? As Christians, we are encouraged thus: "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts himself is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:22-23)

All of Romans 14 is pure gold, including a verse that sort of humorously condemns vegetarianism (It doesn't really, I just think it's funny). The thing is, rather than governing ourselves by social or Church law, we should let the Judge judge and live as best we can according to what we learn in the constant commune with the Father that we are called to have. We are all a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), all cut from the same fabric, and we do not have to look to theologians or pastors all the time--yes, we can learn some great things from them. Part of my ideas for this blog came from a great sermon from my pastor, Neil Silverburg (who discussed how legalism basically makes the claim that either Jesus' sacrifice wasn't necessary or wasn't good enough, making us atone on our own). Some of it came from my parents, who are both evangelists (my dad having been trained in seminary and an ordained minister). I have learned a lot from others, but I have also gotten to the point where I can decide for myself which are good points and which still require deliberation. I think it is a necessary part of Christianity to be able to draw lines and blaze a trail. It is vital that we realize that in all likelihood, all of us are wrong on several points. The angry, parochial box that we put ourselves in regarding the things we believe is ridiculous. Of course I think my ideas are right--that's why I live by them. But I fully expect that one day I will discover the many, many ways that I've misinterpreted or been incorrect. And despite all your delusions of wisdom, I think you will too--but that doesn't mean you should let someone else do your thinking for you.

If you are truly one of the faith, if you really listen to Abba, then you shouldn't have any problem making informed decisions--that the point this verse is making. Some of us are vegetarians, some of us are meat-eaters. Some of us are soldiers, some of us are pacifists. Here's the thing: there is a place for all of us in the Kingdom. And if we don't learn to be ourselves and decide for ourselves what we believe when all the voices around us are shouting, then how the hell do we DARE call ourselves saints?