Rules and Laws

My kids have lots of different rules they must follow. They also must distringuish the implication behind the rules. For instance, some rules are non-negotiable. "No R-rated movies." My 12 yr old knows that this rule is not only in place at our home, but even if she goes to a friend's home, she still may not watch an R movie, even if her friend is allowed too.

Then there are negotiable rules. An example is our livestyle of moderation. But my kids know that if they are at the grandparents house - anything goes! They can watch more TV and eat more dessert than usual, realizing that when they come home the moderation rules come back into play.

Finally there are rules where the meaning can change. Playing outside until dark may mean coming in at 4:30 in the winter, and 8:30 in the summer. Yet, my kids do a great job of understanding what the different rules mean and which are negotiable.

I've recently been studying God's rules...his "laws." Did you know that there are civil, ceremonial, and moral laws in the Bible? Civil laws were the laws of that day to maintain order in society. An example is Gen 9:6, "Who ever kills a human being will be killed by a human being." That isn't a requirement. It is a civil law, like today we have the death penalty. "Drive 55" is an example of civil law. We have our own civil laws today, and are not bound to the civil laws of Israel's Biblical era.

Next are ceremonial laws.Ceremonial laws include the animal sacrifices and atonement. They were required before Jesus came as the last blood sacrifice to pay the price for our sins. We are no longer bound to ceremonial laws because Jesus fulfilled those laws.

Finally, there are moral laws. The moral laws are still in effect today. They show us our wickedness, because we cannot keep them perfectly. They show us our need for Jesus, and they show how we should act and treat each other. The moral law keeps it's followers from being perverse.

It can be confusing negotiating all the laws. But I'm glad to have discovered the different types of laws, as I try to learn more about what God calls me to do. I don't have it all together, but this is what I am understanding thus far. 

My kids do a great job keeping up with my rules, and they know they are in place because I love them and care for their safety. I'm thankful for my heavenly Father who has his rules and laws in place for us, for the same reason.

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com

What Would You Give Up to Win?

The Olympics have started. I love watching the events, the feel good vignettes, and even the Olympic commercials. While the Visa commercials have been my favorite Olympic commercials through the years, this year Citi has some great ones.

My favorite commercial is here. (If you are reading my blog via email, you may have to visit my blog at www.chattykelly.com to see the actual commercial.) 

Some of the lines from the commercial include "I haven't ordered dessert in two years." and "I haven't watched TV since last summer." When you think about the time spent training, and all the items that these athletes give up, it's staggering. Yet, I'm sure none of them say, "Boy, I wish I would have watched more TV and eaten more dessert" when standing on the medal stand.

As followers of Christ, there are some things that we must give up. Some of the things may seem pleasurable,  like dessert to an Olympic athlete. Yet, when we are disciplined and obedient to God's word, we will succeed.

The Apostle Paul said, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Cor. 9:24-25)

I am thankful for grace and mercy. But I can't just lay on the couch and expect to get a medal. I must run in a such a way to get the prize. I must live my life actively for Christ.

Are you living in such a way to win the race? It takes hard work and dedication. And yes, we have to give up some worldly things. But at the end of our race, we won't just get a gold medal. We'll spend eternity on the streets of gold, with our heavenly Father; a crown that will last forever. Run to win.

Question: The Olympic athletes all have trainers and coaching. Are you keeping godly people in your life to train, coach and hold you accountable to walk the Christian walk, and run to get the prize?

Kelly Combs is a Christian wife, mom, writer and speaker. You can learn about Kelly by visiting her website at www.kellycombs.com