I'm Just not that Religious!

I was speaking at a conference this summer, addressing a workshop for women about the Holy Spirit's leading in our lives. But the question the women wanted answered most was, "How can I become a Godly woman?".  Much coughing and stumbling followed as I wracked my brain. What a terrible question for a spiritual leader not have a ready answer for!

My friend, upon joining our church years ago, asked me once, "What is the church's policy on smoking?"  Uh...er....cough-cough.."Um, that it's unhealthy?" (We have no such policy). How should we as Christians respond to Halloween? ("Try not to terrify young children?" "Give Christian candy?" "Bar the doors and shut off the lights?")  Should we hold hands before marriage? Who should do the dishes?

I love people's sincerity as they genuinely desire to live in a way that's pleasing to God. Depending on their church tradition, they may be accustomed to leaders having a policy book explaining how to live and how to handle every contingency. No ambiguity there. You don't even have to think for yourself.

Fortunately, the only policy book I have is the Bible and it promises that, by the Holy Spirit, the laws of God are now written on our hearts. That means that in the 'grey areas' we can search our hearts and see if "it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us" Acts 15:28a

In the gospels, the Pharisees and teachers of the law were constantly asking Jesus what the rules were. Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? This woman was caught in the act of adultery! What do you say?  Jesus always answered with an even higher law: the law of love. The law of motives. God is after our hearts and it is from our hearts that we serve Him.

Who should do the dishes? What, in love, does a couple deem right for them? What is a godly woman (man)? One who loves the Lord and loves their neighbor as themselves. (Matthew 22: 35-40) What should we do for Halloween? What is your motive? What will bless, not offend your brother or sister? What will build them up? What does the Spirit within you want you to do? What is not burdensome but born of the love that is in you from the Father?

By no means do I suggest that there are no standards or that "easy, greasy grace" allows us to do whatever we want. By no means. But the beauty of walking with God is that we must always seek His face, His Presence, being wholly dependent on Him and His Word and the Spirit who yearns within us.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these essentials; that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.   Acts 15: 28-29