Read Online Free to Live: The Utter Relief of Holiness by John Eldredge - Free Book Online
Authors: John Eldredge
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knew a man who was fired from his job at a Christian high school because one of the church elders saw him purchasing cigarettes at the local grocery store. They canned him, even though he was the best teacher they had. Now, first off, the Bible does not prohibit smoking. But this has become a favorite of the technical morality police in certain churches. What is even more diabolical about the story is the pleasure these Pharisees had in firing the young teacher. Their judgment was swift and severe; their self-righteous smugness was far sicker than this guy smoking a cigarette. Jesus calls this straining gnats but swallowing camels.
The poison of technical rule-keeping is that it shifts the focus from serious issues to ridiculous peccadilloes, thus allowing the legalist to live what he believes is a “righteous life” when in fact he is failing at the very things God majors in. Take as an example a man who hates his wife; he resents her. But he has never committed adultery; he is “faithful” to her. He prides himself on his selective morality—keeping the letter of the law while ignoring massive problems in his heart. Is this holiness?
Ask yourself what it would take for a person to get fired from your church, your Christian school or ministry. What is your church’s understanding of holiness? What are the categories they are thinking in? It is a very revealing test. The scriptures say that the way you treat people is a little more important than whether you smoke, for heaven’s sake. Pride and arrogance are far more serious issues than swearing; idolatry and hatred are far more serious than how fast you drive.
In fact, holiness isn’t even the same thing as morality. You can be a moral person and not love God. You can keep the laws and hate your neighbor. Jesus is not trying to produce Pharisees; he is trying to restore our humanity by giving us the beauty of his holiness, make us whole and holy by his love.
Blurring Moral Differences
Next Jesus let fly on the cities where he had worked the hardest but whose people had responded the least, shrugging their shoulders and going their own way. “Doom to you, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had seen half of the powerful miracles you have seen, they would have been on their knees in a minute. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you. And Capernaum! With all your peacock strutting, you are going to end up in the abyss. If the people of Sodom had had your chances, the city would still be around. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you.” (Matthew 11:20–24 TM )
Wait a second—what did he just say? That come Judgment Day, things are going to be more severe for certain people than they will be for others? That some crimes are more serious than others? Of course. You don’t really believe that the kid who skips algebra class is the moral peer of Osama bin Laden, do you?
I bring this up because something really pernicious has sneaked into the Church’s understanding of holiness and sin. To be fair, I think the mistake began with good intent; then it morphed into something destructive. We understood sin to be a serious matter; we also understood that any sin separates us from God:
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one…There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3)
If this weren’t true, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ would have been a very costly mistake. We all stand in need of forgiveness. That is true.
However , this idea has morphed into the popular notion that, “all sins are pretty much the same.” It doesn’t matter what the details are; sin is sin. I’ve heard that very phrase from many church leaders. Really? Sexual abuse is the same as jaywalking? I’ve met Bible scholars who would actually tell you
The poison of technical rule-keeping is that it shifts the focus from serious issues to ridiculous peccadilloes, thus allowing the legalist to live what he believes is a “righteous life” when in fact he is failing at the very things God majors in. Take as an example a man who hates his wife; he resents her. But he has never committed adultery; he is “faithful” to her. He prides himself on his selective morality—keeping the letter of the law while ignoring massive problems in his heart. Is this holiness?
Ask yourself what it would take for a person to get fired from your church, your Christian school or ministry. What is your church’s understanding of holiness? What are the categories they are thinking in? It is a very revealing test. The scriptures say that the way you treat people is a little more important than whether you smoke, for heaven’s sake. Pride and arrogance are far more serious issues than swearing; idolatry and hatred are far more serious than how fast you drive.
In fact, holiness isn’t even the same thing as morality. You can be a moral person and not love God. You can keep the laws and hate your neighbor. Jesus is not trying to produce Pharisees; he is trying to restore our humanity by giving us the beauty of his holiness, make us whole and holy by his love.
Blurring Moral Differences
Next Jesus let fly on the cities where he had worked the hardest but whose people had responded the least, shrugging their shoulders and going their own way. “Doom to you, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had seen half of the powerful miracles you have seen, they would have been on their knees in a minute. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you. And Capernaum! With all your peacock strutting, you are going to end up in the abyss. If the people of Sodom had had your chances, the city would still be around. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you.” (Matthew 11:20–24 TM )
Wait a second—what did he just say? That come Judgment Day, things are going to be more severe for certain people than they will be for others? That some crimes are more serious than others? Of course. You don’t really believe that the kid who skips algebra class is the moral peer of Osama bin Laden, do you?
I bring this up because something really pernicious has sneaked into the Church’s understanding of holiness and sin. To be fair, I think the mistake began with good intent; then it morphed into something destructive. We understood sin to be a serious matter; we also understood that any sin separates us from God:
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one…There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3)
If this weren’t true, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ would have been a very costly mistake. We all stand in need of forgiveness. That is true.
However , this idea has morphed into the popular notion that, “all sins are pretty much the same.” It doesn’t matter what the details are; sin is sin. I’ve heard that very phrase from many church leaders. Really? Sexual abuse is the same as jaywalking? I’ve met Bible scholars who would actually tell you
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