Key Bible Verse: And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture (Malachi 4:2). Bonus Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-21

We all want to be discipled into a pure form of Christianity, not someone's brand of it. We want to be accountable to true godliness, not a human kind. But because most of us want to belong, it's easy to just give in and try to meet the expectations of others. The problem is, we ultimately lose when we do that.

Christianity isn't supposed to be a retread Eastern mysticism that forces people to be absorbed into some great cosmic sameness or oneness.

But sameness makes it easier for us to tell who the insiders are. Just as tight jeans, western boots, and a huge silver belt buckle are marks of a cowboy, certain other external attributes are fancied by some as the marks of Christlikeness.

Actually, it's easier to make Christianity about man-made rules. But unless you already "fit" the predetermined set of personality traits set by the Christian culture to which you belong, you'll be pressured to be something you aren't. Christianity will feel restrictive and hold little joy for you. Satan loves that. He wants us confused about what real Christianity is so that we live in a synthetic, kissing-up belief system that is powerless.

—Ed Gungor in Religiously Transmitted Diseases

My Response: Can I value believers who apply Scripture differently than I do?

Adapted from Religiously Transmitted Diseases (Nelson Ignite, 2006) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Lord, make me aware of the cultural blinders I bring to your Word, and please keep me from becoming a modern Pharisee.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help