Make the rules

I read a post by Seth Godin in 2005 about how smart companies make new rules. It was all about redefining markets and challenging the status quo.

I never forgot it.

It got me thinking about different approaches to the Christian life:

you can either keep the rules, break the rules, or make the rules.

Most people associate Christianity with keeping the rules. Don’t murder or commit adultery; do serve & give to the poor-etc.

Of course, God’s laws are perfect, and His principles should be honored.

But Christianity is so much more than a set of rules to keep.

Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law. We live by grace, through faith.

When you try to be a rule keeping kind of Christian, you always come up short, and will probably eventually burn out. You’ll also miss the essence of the Gospel.

Some people opt to reject God’s Word altogether and break the rules.

We’ve all seen people who profess to be Christians drift off into rebellious, sinful, destructive behavior. Sometimes they even justify their loose living by claiming that they’re expressing their freedom in Christ. Of course, this is nonsense. How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Carnality is the worst form of bondage-and the furthest thing from freedom.

I believe Jesus came to make the rules. New rules. To upgrade our paradigms and renovate our hearts in His image. Jesus redefined religion. And those who follow Him should be a part of creating and exemplifying this new standard to the world.

Some people keep the rules.

Others end up breaking themselves against the rules.

True followers of Jesus make the rules-set the standard, and change the world.

This entry was originally published on March 9th, 2010.