It's My Spirituality, Not Your Spirituality

I first am going to start off by saying this: I am a very liberal Christian.

A lot of my view points aren't shared by some of my conservative friends. That's healthy, it's good for us to see other view points even if we don't agree with them.

And this is one place where I differ a bit:
I believe that everyone's walk with God is different. You might say "ah that doesn't sound that radical" except the fact that, in the way I view it, it kind of is.

I believe that you can't put the blanket term "sin" on anything. Because "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of god" (Romans 3:23). And if you if you have put your faith in Jesus and accepted grace then you are free of sin "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace," (Romans 6:14).


So, if you are free of sin and under grace, what--as a Christian--is sin?


I look at is as this: if our job as Christians is to pursue our relationship with God then sin is anything that separates us from that relationship. That may sound like a simple statement but it has a lot of different implications.


1. It means that sin is different for everyone.
2. It means you may have a sin that isn't in the bible.
3. It means that something listed in the bible as sin, may not be a sin for you.


This makes some of my friends uncomfortable. But really when you think about it, if you were supposed to follow every rule and admonishment in the bible then we would be living under THE LAW not under GRACE.


I'm not saying that I just run around like a crazy person saying that everything is fine and dandy do what ever you want. I'm saying that because we are all at a different place in our journeys we all have different vices and different issues to deal with with God.


Take alcohol for instance: Some people have a glass of wine with dinner and are fine and can still have a wonderful, fulfilling relationship with their maker. Other people are alcoholics, often times these people are either too wrapped up in the alcohol or guilt to pursue a relationship with God. Is drinking a sin? For the alcoholic, yes because it interferes with their relationship with God.


I believe that our relationships with God are very personal. God knows us in and out. I don't believe others can see anything near to what God sees when He looks at us, and because of that I don't believe that others should feel that they have a right to interfere when they think someone is making a choice they don't agree with when they are having a good communication with God. 


Yes, we need fellowship. Yes, sometimes we do need guidance. But I truly believe that we need to be careful that we are not condemning people for actions that we know nothing about. Close friends and companions may know enough to see when someone needs to be reminded of God, but don't assume someone you are acquaintances with is out of touch with God because they make different choices than you. It isn't our place.


There is also another part of this: taking personal responsibility. When something is so broad we have to take it upon ourselves to take our issues and worries to God and ask him "is this something that I need to avoid or work on?" or "is this something I really need to worry about?" because if you are tripping yourself up on guilt and avoiding God over something minor is it really the act or the guilt that is keeping you from God?




My main point is this: its personal. Everything about Christianity is personal. Its about the inside not the outside and once you realize that you'll be in a better place. You can't judge someone from the outside because you don't know what's going on inside. Everyone's journeys are different. We have to take it to God because if we don't we could be going down a wrong path with good intentions.


Carly