Rules

Day 8:  In this chapter we see Jesus readdressing an issue that was presented in chapter 5.  In chapter 5 Jesus heals the lame man by the pool on the Sabbath, and everyone got their panties in a wad because Jesus was breaking the “Keep the Sabbath Holy” law.  Well the Law also says that a boy was to be circumcised on the eighth day, and what if the eighth day fell on the Sabbath?  You better believe it that they circumcised on the Sabbath, and Jesus brings it up.  He asks how can you sit here and be angry with me for “not keeping the Sabbath holy” when you yourself don’t keep it holy by the standards you are holding against me.  Today this still goes on… people want to keep certain laws to please God, but not all of them.   We think we know God, what He likes and doesn’t, and we make lots of rules to keep people in those boundaries of what we think God would want.  And some of the rules we make can be honoring to the Lord but at the same time, we can keep others away from God with our rules!  We don’t get to know God by the rules we keep, but we get to know Him by spending time with Him by reading the Scriptures and praying.  Only then when we are in tune with Him should we make our own judgments for OURSELF on what pleases the Lord!  I am not talking about rules that the Bible clearly says to do it a certain way like premarital sex, but the Spirit moves differently in everyone so why should I try to make rules for someone else to follow when the Spirit may be leading them in another direction.