There are a lot of things we need to be aware of in this Christian life. There are all kinds of dangers out there. There are all kinds of false teachings and their false teachers to push it.
One of the most damaging false teachings out there is any teaching that tries to get us to conform to the traditions of men instead of the truth that is according to Christ. Man’s own philosophy and man’s vain deceit wants us to believe that we must conform to their ways and their traditions. I spent a lot of years trying to conform to what men expected of me and far to often the things I did were not of Christ, but were after the traditions of men.
I fear that my actions have done great harm. I have passed on those traditions to others. As years, too many, went by, I realised how often I had focused on man’s rules and human standards that I was missing the joy of living in God’s grace.
There are two ways we can respond to that realisation. One way is just to reject everything with a mindset that ‘I have the liberty to do whatever I want’ and use that liberty to do all the things I did not do out of fear of how man might respond and develop and ‘in your face’ attitude toward legalist.
But I can’t help but remember ‘For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.’
I am not bound by men’s rules. I am free. But I need to use my liberty to build up and not tear down.
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