Christians and our Rules

I am fascinated by our propensity as Christians to look for rules—even in the more mundane aspects of life—and the implication that Christian living is so black and white that it could neatly fit a set of do’s and dont’s that universally apply to all persons. Here’s a small sampling of topics I’ve found on the internet regarding the do’s and don’ts Of Christianity:

“Should Christians wear Lingerie?” “Is it ok for Christians to watch Rated R movies?” “Can Christians drink beer?” “Should Christians wear makeup?” “Should Christians play video games?” “Is it ok to get cosmetic surgery as a Christian?” “Should I let my teenaged girls wear pants?” “Should Christians date?”

Don’t get me wrong, I do think there are universal “rules” in Christianity, but I also think that oftentimes their application is a bit more ‘messy’. Take playing video games as an example. Is it alright to play video games? The answer is: It depends. Am I flouting my family or work obligations? How does the game’s content affect me (both negatively and positively)? In what ways is it edifying for me and/or others? (And here we need to be careful. Even “wasting time” can be edifying in many instances.) In other words, the question is less about what is universally right for Christians to do, and more about what is the right thing for me to do in light of the person I’m trying to become. The answer will not always be the same for everyone. It may very well be alright for me to play the newest Call of Duty, but not so for another brother or sister given their circumstances.

Such is the Christian life. It’s messy; it’s complicated. Answers are not always as easy and straightforward as we may hope. Even our 1st Century Christian brothers and sisters wrestled with this issue. In Romans 14 Paul tells us what to do about disputable matters such as eating unclean meat. Paul’s answer is enlightening: It depends! Are you convinced of your way? Are you causing someone to stumble? Are you acting in a way that is mutually edifying to your Christian brothers and sisters? In other words, it’s not as simple as doing a Google search. You’ve got to do the hard work of figuring out what is right for you given your circumstances, and be convinced of that before God.