Comments on: What is wrong with the “4 spiritual laws”? http://blog.evergreench.org/2008/07/29/what-is-wrong-with-the-4-spiritual-laws/ Worship God, Love People, Restore Creation Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:46:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Alicia http://blog.evergreench.org/2008/07/29/what-is-wrong-with-the-4-spiritual-laws/#comment-417 Alicia Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:40:22 +0000 http://blog.evergreench.org/2008/07/29/what-is-wrong-with-the-4-spiritual-laws/#comment-417 I was taught the 4 spiritual laws at the pretty conservative Southern Baptist church I belonged to before moving to Raleigh. Your characterization is completely innacurate to my experience there. They were never, ever, presented as a checklist to run through in 5 minutes or less. They were presented as a framework through which to have spiritual discussions with people who wanted to have those discussions. I know many have been hurt by the modern church. I don't doubt there are those who are primarily concerned about "getting people's butts into heaven." But why do we allow ourselves to use derisive language in reflecting the values of those sisters and brothers in Christ with whom our major disagreement is a matter of perspective? I've seen people come to Christ as a result of someone caring enough about them to go through the 4 spiritual laws with them. And, they haven't been spiritual miscarriages...they've grown to be believers who love God and are passionate about working to restore God's creation where they see Him working. You bucked against the guilt and shame...but isn't that a fact of the world we live in? Isn't the Bible clear that we are spiritually dead without Christ? Doesn't repentence mean changing your direction? And, I disagree. The 4 Spiritual Laws summarize God's whole story pretty well. God Loves you. Before Creation, He knew you and loved you. But, you're separated from Him, and that causes Him more pain than you can imagine. You know you're separated from Him, because you're searching for Him. (This isn't news to anyone.) He's desperate that you should find the way back to Him...so He made the way. And it was a huge sacrifice. God, Himself, was humiliated and died so that His enemies wouldn't have to. That means even you, no matter what. It is finished. You don't have to clean up to come to God. You don't have to "do" things to make yourself acceptable to Him. Will you partner with Him to restore what has been lost back to what He desired for it in the first place? Will you love Him? You say someone joked about the "Four Spiritual Laws" in church. That breaks my heart. Where's the humility we claim to value so highly? Where's the grace? I was taught the 4 spiritual laws at the pretty conservative Southern Baptist church I belonged to before moving to Raleigh. Your characterization is completely innacurate to my experience there. They were never, ever, presented as a checklist to run through in 5 minutes or less. They were presented as a framework through which to have spiritual discussions with people who wanted to have those discussions.

I know many have been hurt by the modern church. I don’t doubt there are those who are primarily concerned about “getting people’s butts into heaven.” But why do we allow ourselves to use derisive language in reflecting the values of those sisters and brothers in Christ with whom our major disagreement is a matter of perspective?

I’ve seen people come to Christ as a result of someone caring enough about them to go through the 4 spiritual laws with them. And, they haven’t been spiritual miscarriages…they’ve grown to be believers who love God and are passionate about working to restore God’s creation where they see Him working.

You bucked against the guilt and shame…but isn’t that a fact of the world we live in? Isn’t the Bible clear that we are spiritually dead without Christ? Doesn’t repentence mean changing your direction?

And, I disagree. The 4 Spiritual Laws summarize God’s whole story pretty well.

God Loves you. Before Creation, He knew you and loved you.

But, you’re separated from Him, and that causes Him more pain than you can imagine. You know you’re separated from Him, because you’re searching for Him. (This isn’t news to anyone.)

He’s desperate that you should find the way back to Him…so He made the way. And it was a huge sacrifice. God, Himself, was humiliated and died so that His enemies wouldn’t have to. That means even you, no matter what.

It is finished. You don’t have to clean up to come to God. You don’t have to “do” things to make yourself acceptable to Him. Will you partner with Him to restore what has been lost back to what He desired for it in the first place? Will you love Him?

You say someone joked about the “Four Spiritual Laws” in church. That breaks my heart. Where’s the humility we claim to value so highly? Where’s the grace?

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