Three Simple Rules

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ September 13, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Biblegateway.com by Zondervan, NIV

When I begin my morning, I read the daily scripture from Bible Gateway, I write a journal of what I have discovered during my reading and prayer time and publish it in this blog, and I pledge to follow John Wesley’s Three Simple Rules as best I can. What are the Three Simple Rules? Do no harm, do good, and attend to the ordinances of the church (Bible reading, prayer, communal meetings, worship, baptism and Holy Communion.)

When I read these passages, I see the Three Simple Rules. We do no harm when we do not repay evil with evil. We do good when we seek peace and pursue it. But why is it important to attend to the ordinances of the church? Can’t you serve God without being in an “organized religion?” The way we accomplish the first two rules is through grace. Paul said when he wanted to do good he could not, and what he did not want to do he found himself doing. The way we build up our faith is by attending to the ordinances.

When we attend church we are meeting with like-minded people with one singular goal—to worship God. When we read our Bible we are being informed by the message and formed by the Spirit into who we should be. When we pray, whether privately or communally, we are opening ourselves up, becoming vulnerable before God and man. Prayer does not change God, but it will change us.

When we participate in baptism we are following Jesus and when we eat at the Lord’s Table we are taken back 2000 years so that we do not just recall Christ’s sacrifice, it becomes real to us. When someone tells me they do not believe in organized religion, my first thought is, “So you want to be in a disorganized religion?” I think for many who say this they have simply made the choice to do other things on Sunday. But do they think to pray? What do they miss by not taking Communion? Do they set aside time to worship and praise God for who He is, or is that too organized for them? Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Prayer: Father, I pray that when we begin to think that we know more than you, that you would gently prod us into the right direction. Keep us on the pathway to holiness, for it is there we will find you. Amen