From the Archives: How to Have Personal Standards Without Being a Legalist

Aaron Berry

“Your skirt length is a heart problem.”
“Music with a 2-4 beat is demonic.”
“Christians should never step foot in a movie theater.”

Maybe you remember hearing things like this in your church.

Some young Christians, when they look back on their upbringing, only remember a Christianity of “dos and donts.” They only remember their pastors preaching against rock music, clothing standards and movie theaters and the guilt they felt when they violated these commands. And the first chance they get, they flee.

Discussion

The Tightrope of Separation: Separated Unto God

John Miles

From Voice, Mar/Apr 2014. Used by permission.

Recently I read an article which began with these words:

Some time ago a man said to me, “I drink beer in the pub in my spare time. Some guys I know go out chasing women. So what’s the difference? Your hobby is Christianity.” To think that a man could look at me and say that Christianity was just a pleasant spare time occupation like collecting stamps or yachting. Is that my definition of Christianity? Do I put it second, or do I put it first?

This quotation points out the fact that if our faith does not change our lives, even the world questions the genuineness of our profession.

Discussion

Biblical Motivations for Pursuing Holiness

SI Filings

“Is there just one proper gospel-centered rationale for holiness? Should we, in speaking about sanctification, avoid threats and warnings and coming judgment and focus simply on our acceptance in Christ? How many motivations does the Bible have for godliness?” - Kevin DeYoung

Discussion

The Holy Sexuality Project

SI Filings

“With so many issues to consider, with so many of them being new, and with so much at stake, parents would benefit from some guidance. And it has come in The Holy Sexuality Project, a new video curriculum by Christopher Yuan.” - Challies

Discussion

Differentiating Holiness from Legalism

SI Filings

“ask nearly anyone to define what legalism actually is, and the explanation quickly gets vague. The old joke is that legalism is anything to the right of me! Worldliness is anything to my left. Unfortunately, in real life that’s often the actual, nebulous scale by which Christians gauge one another’s holiness.” - Minnick

Discussion

Recovering the Priority of Personal Holiness

SI Filings

“…what gave John Owen success in ministry was not so much his oratory skill, nor his evangelistic zeal, nor even his love for the people he shepherded. John Owen was used mightily by God in all these ways because he was a man characterized by personal holiness.” - Alistair Begg

Discussion