Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law

When you become a Christian, simply saying a prayer will not guarantee your placement in Haven.  Just as getting a place in Heaven is not granted to you because your parents are Catholic.  Relying on these takes away the amazing relationship with God that you can have if you fall in love with the Savior who died for you. 

     So, Letter of the Law Christianity have not experienced or been witness to the radical change in one's life that needs to take place when you are a Christian.  The word "repent" means to turn around your life in a complete 180.  It means being Christ to others.  It doesn't mean that you'll never cuss again, or lose your temper.  What it does mean is that every action you do should be guided with the thought, "Am I being Christ to Others?" Or, another thought could be "Is this action making me the best version of myself?" 

     Yet sometimes you can look like a Spirit of the Law Christian while still being a Letter of the Law Christian.  For instance, do you wear a purity ring?  Do you wear it because it looks cool and you see that a lot of celebrities are wearing it?  Or do you wear it because you are committed to a pure life before marriage - and during marriage - and wearing a purity ring is part of how you live?  I was listening to a conversation of a middle-schooler last night and she said that a boy in their youth group was in eighth grade and he was on girlfriend number fourteen.  Fourteen girlfriends!  She herself was on boyfriend number four and she was in sixth grade.  How can you have fourteen girlfriends and still have all of your heart to give to your future bride?  How many pieces will be left to give after you have freely given them to the fourteen girls before her?  How amazing will it be to stand at the altar, look at your fiancee and say, "Your number one who I'm giving my whole heart to - and I have loved you before I even met you."  That's my goal.

This isn't to say that the first guy/girl that you are in relationship with will be your spouse.  It is to say that you shouldn't ever give that boyfriend/girlfriend something that you would have rather given your future spouse.  For me, that's my first kiss.  That's right:  I'm almost eighteen and headed off to college and I've never been kissed.  That's OK - I know it will be worth the wait when I give my first kiss to my husband.

You cannot profess Christ without your life being an additional witness to your love for Him.  Our lives have to be the proof of His love to the world.  This can't be so when we "talk the talk" but don't "walk the walk."  This is the ultimate decision of deciding to obey  and love the law (spirit of the law) or do the actions without the heart (letter of the law).  

Let your love for Christ radically change your life - it's a decision that you will never regret!

God bless you all,

Chloe M.