A huge danger of border-line-legalism is the lists that are made (rock music, r - rated movies, etc) become the standard while so much other "stuff" is ignored.
Tim Keller has written a compelling book dealing with the prodigal son(s), and he makes this vital observation:
“Here, then, is Jesus’ radical redefinition of what is wrong with us. Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.”
- Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God (New York, NY: Dutton, 2008), 43.
1 comment:
I feel as though people who deem higher standers for life as a long list of don’ts are sadly one dimensional. It’s not about depriving ourselves of a 2 hr. movie or 4 min rock song. It’s about a choice to avoid something that could very well impact or way of thinking. For most of us, media touches our hearts and our minds. I understand what Mr. Keller is saying, but couldn’t some of these “don’ts” aid in leading us to the place he’s talking about? Honestly Jack, I’m tired of flippant “legalism” remarks. I find people more pushy and proud of their open-mindedness than of their morals.
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