There can be a serious problem with trying to live according to your principles…
That problem can be seen when we tend to defend our principles rather than follow them. Biblical principles should be adopted and adapted to allow us to interpret laws. Laws do not change, but even in modern courts they require interpretation. The Pharisees sought to prosecute Jesus for lawless behaviors, based on their incorrect interpretation of God’s Law concerning working (healing) on the Sabbath, when even the scriptures describe God violating that principle in Creating the worlds. When interpreting the day of rest from a legal perspective, those Pharisee lawyers had made activity illegal, although God completed ‘His’ work and rested on the seventh day of creation.
A principle-only religion will eventually divide the Christ followers into a hate-filled minority of ineffective snobs. To follow Jesus into a world of hungry souls, we need to honor laws of nature, seek to understand, and love without prejudice. Revival in our generation will come dressed differently than before (new wineskins) and won’t repeat itself. People rarely take issue with Jesus, so we need to model His actions, seek His heart, and reveal His character to the world without taking an approach filled with dispute and empty rhetoric. Effective outreach cannot include arrogance.
Please take note: Great conversation involves many ingredients - including disagreement or healthy-conflict. I may delete comments that are illegal, offensive or off-topic, obscene, fraudulent or misleading, deceptive or property of others. Respectfully articulated differing perspectives are always welcome.