Do's and Don'ts

My older brother has three children, and one on the way. He and his wife are very strong in their faith. They are homeschooling their kids and teaching them about the love of God. They had the two older kids come up with a list of rules and consequences, if the rules were broken. After a time of trying to follow the rules, they were very discouraged. They began to complain that it was too hard, at which my brother would reply, "But you came up with the rules, aren't they fair." The children did agree they were fair rules, but who could live up to so many rules. Living by rules is hard. It is not very much fun, you are constantly expecting the worst, because no one can keep all of the rules.

He shared this new development with me, just the other day. He based it out of Galatians. Which just "happened" to be the book I was beginning to read. Isn't God cool! He gives us what we need, when we need it. We cannot earn God's love, we cannot obey every rule, and we are Loved by God, just the same.

We cannot earn our salvation. The call upon us is to love one another. Gal 5:6, "What is important is faith expressing itself in love." Loving one another is all that God is asking of us. Gal 5:13ff, "For you have been called to live in freedom-not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love....But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants."

Here is a list, following the sinful nature, many focus on the obvious ones, but look deeper at the ones that are not so obvious:
sexual immorality, impure thought, eagerness for lustful pleasure idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, division, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin.
Gal 5:21, "Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Here is a list that shows you, the Holy Spirit is in control of your life:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
Gal 5:24, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there."

The list of don'ts are long. They are not impossible to stay away from for they bring a sour harvest. The list of do's are easy and bring a wonderful bounty. Gal 6:5-10, "For we are each responsible for our own conduct...Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will reap what YOU sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit."

Does this mean that I get everything right? No, this is what is so wonderful. It is not that we earn our salvation. God did not make a set of do's and don'ts so that we earn our way to heaven. That is why Christ died. The rules are for us so that we find true joy. Living a life to only please our self, at that moment, is a life of death. What you sow is what you reap. I have discovered that to truly live in joy, I must sow love, peace and kindness. This is what all of us as parents desire for our children. Our Father desires us to have a life of freedom, a good life. I must ask myself every day, "What am I sowing, so that I feel this way, good or bad?" Do I feel good, Do I feel bad? It is my choice.

I am free! Free in Christ and his everlasting LOVE!