PRINCIPLES

It is funny to me how this is so fluid with some. People I meet with principles seem to mainly be stubborn.

I think often principles seem to imply values. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are God's values.

They can sound impressive and even have a basis in morality. However, God is left out of the process.

It just becomes a case of what looks pure and clean, but is really whitewashed and not truth. It never allows for sin or its impact.

As a guideline to follow, principles are a good thing. Abiding by standard can be commendable.

However, if God has no basis in the structure nothing really is tied to faith. Which never guides towards salvation.

I am reminding of the image once I was given where virtue was given a personality and character. Oh the character was discipline.

But it never ended in joy. Contentment over obedience, but a lack of real purpose being self control.

This is also part of the problem with legalism. For you might feel some satisfaction over the process, but what real joy?

I think the Lord gives us joy to be part of any path we follow. There may be plenty of sorrow too, but at least some degree of joy.

Yet, it seems that some want to have it only be painful. Oh they avoid the appearance of wrong, but you can see the boredom in their eyes.

And naturally the impact on life of all that monotony is other than excitement. It can also end any sense of happiness.

Even deplete one's love. Until the events of going to church become nothing more than pew sitting marathons.

Oh it might be justified as tolerance for the sake of obedience. To merit it as sacrifice. Which is fine if God commanded it.

But suffering inflicted by choice is hardly an honor to God. It isn't a good witness and without making sense it means very little.

So are we devoted to God's truth or impressive? Only each of us can answer that question.