Putting Foot Down For God? Beware?

Last week, I noted that God being a God of order must not make Order God. Let’s expand on that thought and see where we may be simplifying following God and then making a god out of some principle. Do we put our foot down for God and fall outside Jesus teaching?

Our relationship with God and with the people around us needs more art than rule bound thinking. Let us not simplify God and become cold people.

Jesus called out the Pharisees saying:

 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

The Pharisees where good at following the measurable rules, but Jesus condemned them for lacking lacking justice, mercy, and faithfulness. See also How Are We Representing God?

When we put our foot down, we often do so with a too simplified view of who God is. “This person is divorced.” “This person went to an LGBT event.” ‘This child do not go to bed on time”.   “She went to a non Christian psychologist” “He speaks in tongues” “He does not speak in tongues.”

Putting Our Foot Down For God Wrongly

We need to do better than just draw a line in cases where God did not speak clearly. We need to see people more deeply and see God more deeply. Jesus accepted a prostitute and demon possessed people. He even accepted Romans.

It is so easy to just draw a line and never relent. It is much more nuanced to say we need to show more mercy and faithfulness. Yet Jesus condemned people who failed to show mercy and faithfulness. We need to be a little less self satisfied and finding a lot  more love and understanding. May no principle become our God.

A Christian told a friend of mine that personality tests were evil. We need to beware of lots of places where we feel strongly but the Bible is not so clear. Also, God sees things much better than we do.

LGBT issues are one clear problem. We can see that God does not support LGBT behavior. However, we know he loves such people. We must also.  From there, we need more prayer and wise counsel.  iN a Post Modern world, we need a lot of wisdom. Love is always, but putting our foot down needs tons of wisdom.

I in no way can stand above anyone. I must love all as God does.  God must be bigger than even clear principles. God Exposed My Idol.