ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) (02/19/91)
Through love be servants to one another. Galatians 5.13. Legalism is bound to produce pride of heart. To live by the law I must exert my strength of will, often against my own inclinations. Such effort inevitabily lead me to despise or pity those who are not trying as hard as I, or who are trying and failing. MY very exertions give me a superior feeling that sours me toward them, and even though I keep my feelings to myself, I shall soon find that I am to aloof even to pray with those I consider less spiritual. Living by the law leads to this. But God is too big to sterotype His saints. People are not to be conformed to me, but to His death. And that is just as well. For sourness in apples is no mark of maturity! Ripe apples are sweet. If God is really producing something in me I shall find no difficulty in going along with other saints whose history is different than mine. ----- Robert W. Johnson Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet) robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET) The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.