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PROGRAM D-7903
Were you raised with a lot of “do-nots”? It is important for us to be set free from the “knots” in our lives—for instance, the “have-nots” and the “can-nots.” But what about these “do-nots”?
Christians who live their lives by the “do-nots” are not living in the freedom that Jesus came to give us. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Living under the burden and the guilt of the “do-nots” of life is a yoke of slavery.
It’s true that the Old Testament gives us the law of Moses, but Galatians 3 teaches us that the purpose of that law was to be our schoolmaster or our tutor to bring us to Christ. The law shows us how far short we fall of God’s holiness and, therefore, how desperately we need the redemption he has provided for us in Jesus Christ. That law—the “do-nots” of life—places guilt on us, and that guilt is often very deserved. But when we accept the grace offered to us through Jesus—the forgiveness of our sins—then that guilt is removed and his righteousness takes its place.
Paul wrote the following to the Colossians:
Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:20-23)
Living by the rules may appear to be right, but eventually it is going to fail us because living by the “do-nots” of our own making or someone else’s is not enough to accomplish God’s purposes. It is based on our performance, and that leads to pride or guilt. Have you noticed that those who base their Christian life on all the things they do not do usually have a very judgmental attitude toward others? They judge others by comparing them to their set of rules.
Of course, the Christian life is one of righteous living, but that has to be based on our desire to please Jesus. Rather than trying to obey all the “do-nots” of the law, as believers we should be motivated from love and devotion to Jesus to please him in every area. The sanctification process that should be taking place in every believer is to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. When that is happening in our lives, we don’t perform out of fear or duty or pride; instead, we allow the life of Jesus to be manifest in our lives.
Do not be a slave to the “do-nots!”