RULE-KEEPING AND TOILET PAPER

I knew a man who grew up Jewish and converted to Christianity as an adult. His parents remained devout Jews.

He once shared the following illustration of their piety relating to observing the Sabbath. 

We know that the Jewish law forbids work on the Sabbath. The New Testament Pharisees disapproved even of Jesus healing a man's crippled hand on the Sabbath.

When this man's parents came for extended visits, once a week he would find little squares of toilet paper already torn from the roll, folded, and placed on the edge of the bathroom counter ... in preparation for the Sabbath.

This couple feared that exerting the effort to tear toilet paper would cross the "Sabbath rest' line and bring God's righteous anger.

It's an extreme example but it demonstrates several issues involved in any person's dependence on good works and rule-keeping to earn and keep God's approval:

•  Fear. You don't want to make God angry.
•  Uncertainty. You never know when you are good enough or where you might be in the wrong.
•  Self-Righteousness. It gives you bragging rights on the lengths of your devotion. 

But the biggest issue here is this: What kind of God have you devoted your life to if you fear He might send you to hell for tearing toilet paper on the Sabbath?