Basic Principles

Col. 2:20-23 (NIV)
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: [21] "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? [22] These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. [23] Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Like an adolescent who needs guidelines, such as "say thank you", "please" and "hold hands while crossing the street," the new Christian will take things he has heard and make them law that must be obeyed. As a young Christian we look for rules to guide or Christianity. Even older Christians make these same mistakes, how many times have I head people say "Well, as long as I have my quiet times" or "I just got to love my life and love my wife." These people have fallen into a rules based Christianity that tells them that if they do these things they will be OK. Not just Ok with their life today but OK in the next life. This is a scary thought, that Jesus came down to earth so that you could boil your spiritual life down to two or three Christian principles and think that is following His will. But nevertheless, we have probably all fallen into the trap of wanting a blueprint for our Christian lives, it is easier that way. It is much harder to follow God then to obey man made principles, even if those principles are taken from the Bible. Those of us who are parents know that we would never want our child to stay a child forever; God feels the same about us. We must go on to walking with God and having him direct us each and every day. The message of the cross is not for the faint at heart. We must see God in everything as he plans out our life, leading us to be crucified. If Jesus' message was so easy we would lose our need for him. Be careful to always work out your salvation with fear and trembling.