What is wrong with the “4 spiritual laws”?
On Sunday in church someone made a joke about the 4 spiritual laws as if there was something wrong with them. But what is wrong with them? Truthfully there is nothing wrong with the concepts of the laws at all, but it is how they are used and presented by people and that they do not present the whole story of God, there lies the problem.
Law 1: God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life - the basis for this law is John 3:16 which is kind of ironic because John 3:16 says the God loves the whole “world”. It is not an individualized verse, but the law is.
Law 2: Man is sinful and seperated from God. Therefore, man cannot experience Gods love and plan. - Can you say GUILT, SHAME? Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23 are verses used to get this law, but these are huge concepts to grasp even as a long time follower of Christ, let alone a seeker, atheist, agnostic, etc. I think this law pushes the seeker, atheist, agnostic, etc further away from God. Do you?
Law 3: Jesus provides the gap between us and God - This law uses verses that tell us Jesus dies for our sins, which is true but not the whole story. He also was there when the universe, world, earth, you and I were created and He wants to see us restored back to Gods original intent of beauty, harmony, of the Garden.
Law 4: We must individually receive Jesus as Savior and Lord - yes here is the hook line and sinker. The push to get someones butt into heaven without building anytype of relationship at all so that you can mark up another one. And then these laws usually end by saying you can receive Jesus right now by saying a prayer and then you are now a Christian.
Isn’t being a Christ follower/Christian more than that? These spiritual laws leave out the whole story of God, mostly the creation story and Gods desire to bring restoration to lives in the here and now. Living a life as a Christ follower is not a one and done like these laws present, but it is a process. Most people do not necessarilly know an exact date and time when they decided to follow Christ because it is not about that.
Let’s tell the whole story not an abbrevated one of the “4 spiritual laws” which does nothing more than help a follower of Christ be pridefull. These laws do not work today not because they are incorrect but that they do not present the whole story.
- Written by Todd Baughman
August 27th, 2008 at 4:40 am
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?