I Love Plaid
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Don't get me wrong...I LOVE plaid. But some things are just over the top. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about, right? The computer geek who wears the "Apple"© logo on his shirt pocket; the fan who injures someone to get a picture and an autograph from his favorite celebrity; the salesman who practically chases you around the store to ask if you need any help for the 13th time; and of course, the wealthy sports car owner who parks across 3 parking spaces to protect his "baby."
"Over the top" Christians, however, are a different breed, and can be defined as believers who infuse their personal preferences and convictions into a sort of Spiritual, Biblical code of morals. Usually, the "over-the-top" Christian finds himself becoming defensive about something he or she has always believed as a result of having someone else uncover the Biblical flaws in that belief. These individuals often get so deeply distraught by the new truth they are wrestling with, that they refuse to believe such an obvious truth, and immediately confuse discernment with condemnation.
Some examples would be the Scripturally-undefined immorality of "running in God's house" or "defiling the Lord's Table" in the church auditorium (two ethics that I heard more than my fair share of as a youth). Another example would be the insistence on church traditions that are not found in the New Testament church precedent, like Sunday School or musical instruments or even worship service bulletins!
Yes, we all can go a little over the top when faced with the truth that some of our personal convictions are a lot farther from Biblical absolutes than we care to admit. It's at times like these that we should consider Paul's words about where our minds should remain focused at all times! The question is, "Are we willing to relax our personal preferences for the glory of God the Father and the presentation of the gospel message of His son, Jesus Christ?"
Sometimes, it's better to ask ourselves, "Is this tradition going to inspire and encourage people of all ages to grow closer to the King, or is it just a fulfilling a personal, physical longing with which I am unwilling to part?" Here's a tradition worth reading and evaluating; asking some very honest questions, like "Is this truly edifying for the believer?" or "Is it god-honoring?" or "Will this impact God's kingdom in new and more effective ways?"
[/caption]Don't get me wrong...I LOVE plaid. But some things are just over the top. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about, right? The computer geek who wears the "Apple"© logo on his shirt pocket; the fan who injures someone to get a picture and an autograph from his favorite celebrity; the salesman who practically chases you around the store to ask if you need any help for the 13th time; and of course, the wealthy sports car owner who parks across 3 parking spaces to protect his "baby."
"Over the top" Christians, however, are a different breed, and can be defined as believers who infuse their personal preferences and convictions into a sort of Spiritual, Biblical code of morals. Usually, the "over-the-top" Christian finds himself becoming defensive about something he or she has always believed as a result of having someone else uncover the Biblical flaws in that belief. These individuals often get so deeply distraught by the new truth they are wrestling with, that they refuse to believe such an obvious truth, and immediately confuse discernment with condemnation.
Some examples would be the Scripturally-undefined immorality of "running in God's house" or "defiling the Lord's Table" in the church auditorium (two ethics that I heard more than my fair share of as a youth). Another example would be the insistence on church traditions that are not found in the New Testament church precedent, like Sunday School or musical instruments or even worship service bulletins!
Yes, we all can go a little over the top when faced with the truth that some of our personal convictions are a lot farther from Biblical absolutes than we care to admit. It's at times like these that we should consider Paul's words about where our minds should remain focused at all times! The question is, "Are we willing to relax our personal preferences for the glory of God the Father and the presentation of the gospel message of His son, Jesus Christ?"
Sometimes, it's better to ask ourselves, "Is this tradition going to inspire and encourage people of all ages to grow closer to the King, or is it just a fulfilling a personal, physical longing with which I am unwilling to part?" Here's a tradition worth reading and evaluating; asking some very honest questions, like "Is this truly edifying for the believer?" or "Is it god-honoring?" or "Will this impact God's kingdom in new and more effective ways?"
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