The "List"

I just love reading "Reminisce" magazine. I love hearing about the good old days. Things used to be so simple, it seems. Things were simpler for Christians, too. Everybody seemed to agree on what IFB Christians did or did not do. In fact, for some, this knowledge developed into a list of sorts. You know the list, Christians do not..... smoke, drink, gamble, cuss, dance, go to movies, "mix swim", etc.
Somewhere, sometime, somebody said, "There is no "List!"" They said that we were under grace, and following a list was of the Law, and if you followed the "list" you were a legalist.
Detractors of the "List" said that people who lived like that were only doing so to have an appearance of holiness to make up for their lack of a true relationship with Christ. They said that legalists were just trying to make themselves superior to others. And to prove that they lived by grace alone, they started doing all the things forbidden on the "list".

They might have been right about a few things. There are always people who have an "appearance" of holiness, but it is just show. Inside they are rotten. Believe me, I know such people. But that does not mean everybody is like that, not at all.

So, does the "list" really exist? Well, I feel that I must inform you that there is indeed a list, in fact, several. They are list of things God wants you to either put on, or put off. Here they are:
Galatians 5:19-25
Ephesians 5:2-4
1 Corinthians 6:9-11

I too, have an unwritten list. Its of things the Preacher likes and dislikes. I know he doesn't like to wear corduroy. He does not like chocolate ice cream (how did I ever marry this guy?)
He likes for me to rub his feet. You see I can show him just how much I love him and pay attention to his likes and dislikes. You should see his face when I buy only chocolate ice cream!

So, in honor of our ancestors, I'm going to go over a few items of the "list" and see if they still hold up Biblically, or if they were just plain legalism.

R