Of Strings And Other Legalistic Things

Mar15
by Michael King on March 15, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Posted In: legalism
A spool of string.

God says,

“Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.”

Acts 1:12

The Sabbath’s day journey spoken of in the verse above refers to the Jewish belief that in order to keep the Law of Moses you could not take a journey of more than 2000 cubits away from your home during the Sabbath. However, this became inconvenient and people started inventing different ways to get around the spirit of this law while seeming to keep the letter of it.

For instance, if you tied a string from house to house you could claim that, since they were “technically” joined, they were one dwelling. If you did this to enough houses then this would increase the range of a Sabbaths day journey from your one big “home.” Another way would be to place some food by a tree the day before the Sabbath calling that your temporary home. So by planning ahead, even if you were outside 2000 cubits from your home on the Sabbath you could continue your journey for another 2000 cubits and still be righteous. Basically, little by little, the Jewish rabbis figured out ways around the intent of the law until they made what it actually meant irrelevant.

Sometimes, we miss God’s point

God’s intent for keeping the Sabbath was for it to be a day of rest. Resting meant that believers did not plow your field, build a chicken coup, or be open for business. The desire was that His children were supposed to cease from their own labor. This was to be a blessing to those who kept it and also be symbolic of the rest that God wanted to give His people. However, when people do not wish to keep the true meaning of a law, when they find it restricts what they want to do contrary to the rules, legalism is at the door to help them find a way around it.

You can never pin a true legalist down for they always have a way of redefining the issue to avoid admitting they are wrong. They want to feel that they are right without actually having to be right. They want to look holy without actually having to be holy. They want to have the benefits of seeming to follow God without actually having to obey Him.

What legalism is

Many people, who want to appear to obey God while not having to really do so, become expert manipulators of the truth by using absurd details to avoid it. Any stretch of the imagination, as long as it has the least hint of scriptural relevance, is not too far for them.   Do you really think that if a Pharisee met the Son of God while putting food under a tree or tying a string between two houses that he would not be ashamed?  Truly, legalism really only makes sense to other legalists and not to normal human beings.

God is not impressed with legalism. If there is no heart obedience then He has no real interest in people simply going through the motions.

God says,

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Isaiah 1:10-17

And,

“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

Matthew 5:8

Doing the things of God is sometimes not the same as obeying God

Doing the things of God is not always the same thing as truly obeying God.  If your service becomes perfunctory (just going through the motions) then God has no delight in what you do.  God is interested in your heart and if that is missing He wonders why you even bother.  If you use the jots and tittles of the law to break the spirit of the law then you have broken the law even though you claim to keep it.  You get away with nothing, for God will eventually expose everything.

In conclusion, God wants your heart and not just your head.  He desires obedience through actually fulfilling the spirit of what He asks and not just feigned obedience to its’ letter.  Here is a truth,

“It is better, in God’s sight, to be an honest sinner than a dishonest believer.”  

Legalism is lying.  It is perverting the truth by circumventing it.  It kills those who partake of it and dishonors those who are the recipient of it. It is never warranted nor helpful to violate the known intent of a rule or law simply because you don’t want to follow it.  It leads otherwise sane people to do stupid things like tying strings between houses.  It breaks trust and it perverts relationships until they are broken.  However difficult the real truth is, it is always preferable to follow the Spirit of the Law rather than do violence to it by a legalistic interpretation of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLCSVjHKQjk
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Eight Core Principles Of Church Based Cooperative Business

Mar10
by Michael King on March 10, 2014 at 5:07 am
Posted In: christian business

 

Rowing

 

In order to more perfectly conduct business within our church based cooperatives we adopt the following eight core principles of cooperative business.

 

 1.  The “Trust Principle”

 

Business carried out within  church cooperatives will operate on the “Trust Principle.”  This means that those who participate in cooperative church businesses will trust each other because they act in a way  that is trust worthy.  This means we tell the truth to each other and do not hide vital information so as to mislead one another.

 

2.  The “Integrity Principle”

 

Those who are members of a cooperative group will conduct themselves according to the “Integrity Principle.”  This means that our moral and ethical character matters in and out of business.  A man or woman who wishes to join a group must be full of integrity.  Someone who lacks character outside the group will not have character inside the group.  We must be consistent in our behavior

 

3.  The “Win Win Principle”

 

We will seek to create business ventures that operate on the “Win Win Principle”.  This means that we will look to do businesses where everyone is a winner.  We do not wish to oppress other in order that we might become rich.  Our aim is to bless others so that everyone might have enough.

 

4.  The “Loyalty Principle”

 

Members of our cooperatives must operate on the “Loyalty Principle.  This means that each member within their group must be loyal to the other members of the group.  No member shall knowingly do anything or say anything that will compromise the business of another individual of the group or the group as a whole.  Business dealings and methods are kept within the group and never discussed with those outside the group.

 

5.  The “Apprenticeship Principle”

 

While initial membership in a new group is open to whomever wishes to join future membership within the group can only be gained through apprenticeship.  This is known as the “Apprenticeship Principle.”

New group membership should be limited to no more than 20 people.  An apprentice is someone who wishes to join the group.  In order to become an apprentice you must be sponsored by someone from within the group.  A sponsor is someone who vouches for your worthiness to become a prospective member.  The sponsor is responsible for the apprentices behavior.

 

Teach young apprentices

 

Apprentices should normally be younger men and women over they age of eighteen years.  Should the apprentice fail to live up to the standards of the group and be dismissed or fail to be elected as a member it will be their sponsors responsibility to communicate this decision to their apprentice.  Due to the fact that some apprentices may lack maturity a apprentice, with the approval of the group, my reapply to be sponsored once again two years later.  If an apprentice was dismissed for violations of trust or integrity they cannot reapply.

 

Teach one apprentice at a time

 

You can only sponsor one apprentice at a time.  It is preferred that you sponsor someone from outside your family but occasionally family members may be chosen if the group approves.  If a sponsor has two apprentices who are dismissed for violations of our core principles then they will no longer be allowed to sponsor apprentices.

The apprenticeship period will last for one year in which time the apprentice will assist their sponsor in their are of business at a fair but reduced percentage of a full members profit made by that business.

 

6.  The “Tithe  Principle”

 

It is mandatory for everyone who participates in church business cooperatives to give 10% of their profits to their respective churches.  Keep books which are subject to be examined by other members of the cooperative.  Members failing to give 10% of their profit to their respective church will be subject to discipline.

 

7.  The “Discipline Principle ”

 

From time to time it will be necessary to bring correction to one of more members of the group.  The person who first notices this violation should go privately and speak to the individual about their concerns.  If they violating member does not correct their behavior,  then share thier concern with another member of the group.

 

Deal with the problem

 

At that time, the two members should approach the violating member.  Try to reason with them so they understand their violation and correct it.  If the offending member will still not correct their behavior, then the problem must be dealt with publicly.  The member who is in violation must correct their behavior.  If not corrected to the satisfaction of the group, they group may vote suspended the voilater from doing business within the group.  If their mentors were aware of their error and did not report it, they risk dismissal from the group too.

 

8.  The “Love Your Brother As Yourself Principle”

 

The overall guiding principle of church based cooperatives is to “Love Your Brother As Yourself. ” This means that we must treat each other with the love, compassion, and respect. To the degree that we care for ourselves seek to care for members of our group.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9elZm_EH_4[/embedyt]
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