I don't know why I feel that Christians are too preoccupied with the do's and dont's of the faith. They should be rather concentrating on the inner change of the heart. If my heart is not changed whatever I do on the outside may seem to be successful, but only for a short time. After a period of time I come back to the place where I started from and ask the question, "why do I do what I do?" No permanent or lasting change or development, for that matter, can occur if the persons heart is not changed. We know this! But still emphasise the need to change the outward behavior.

We judge a person from his outward behavior and that too through colored glasses of our prejudices and traditions. Judge! but the Bible teaches us that judging is God's prerogative. Does it not? Our task is to build and restore without any labels. Our task is to love and forgive.

Most of us love to play demi-gods. We feel, voiced or unvoiced, that God needs a helping hand to restore sinners. We even go to the extent of claiming that our prowess as preachers, teachers, disciplers and counselors has led to our successes in winning souls, but of course with a little help from God. The Bible teaches that it is God the Holy Spirit that convicts a person of his sins and God the Son who saves sinners. We are only instruments of disseminating the living Word and discipling those whom God gives to us.

Searcher

MUSINGS

For a long time I have struggled with the concept of Christianity as propogated by the Church in India. I mean the overempasis on the do's and dont's and the preservation of church tradition and culture. The church hardly addresses the issues of today we are going through in the home, workplace, with friends, and the social life we are living. They tell us not to drink, smoke, dance, listen to "secular music," all the things that are external but do not tell us why these are important for our faith. For example: The Bible is full of godly people drinking, dancing and dining. It also encourages us to drink but moderately. Moderation is the key theme to all the drinking, dining, smoking, dancing, movies, music and other social bonding, but the church tells us this is wrong. Even the common believer upholds this line of teaching.

"If you do these things you are a sinner," says the church and its faithful condemn such a person. If not by words; by their body language (eyes, expressions, proximity,whispers) and their behavior. Jesus, in the bible says that evil comes from out of the mouth and not what goes into the stomach.

This has really confused me.

Searcher