We live in an increasingly complicated, fast-paced, and frenzied world. Technology brings the world to us and makes us available 24/7 – cell phones, text messages, e-mails – which is generally a good thing. But this is not always in our soul’s best interest. By being available 24/7, we’re always “on.” As a consequence, we can feel “trapped” into becoming something we don’t really wish to be. And we can get pulled in so many directions that we lose touch with any core sense of meaning and direction in life. Is there a way, we wonder, to cut through the complexities and turbulence of our modern lives and put our feet on some bedrock?

As United Methodists, we have a life-enhancing treasure from our Wesleyan heritage: 3 simple rules that have dramatically changed the world and which, when applied to our lives, can dramatically change us. These 3 simple rules are ... 1) Do no harm, 2) Do good, and 3) Stay in love with God.

3 SIMPLE RULES: TREASURES FROM OUR METHODIST HERITAGE
“Do No Harm”

  1. Our Methodist heritage is a treasure, like “Gibson.” From it come 3 simple rules:
    1. 1) Do no harm, 2) Do good, and 3) Stay in love with God.
  2. Methodists see salvation as a PROCESS. The destination of salvation is the restoration within us of the image of God – the image in which we were created but hidden by sin. Jesus Christ is the physical manifestation of this image.
    1. When we reach the destination to which salvation takes us, where are we?
  3. From our Methodist heritage comes a word that describes our destination: “perfection.” (Greek: teleios) It appears nearly 20 times in the NT. For example, Jesus says...
    1. Be perfect (GR: teleios), therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt 5:48, NRSV)  
    2. Other examples can be found in: Matt. 19:21; 1 Cor. 2:6; Eph. 4:13; Philip. 3:12, 15; Col. 1:28, 4:12; Heb. 5:14; James 1:4, 3:2; 1 John 4:12, 17-18; 2 Cor. 13:9
    3. Teleios: When something becomes what it was meant all along to be.
    4. What human beings are meant to become, by God’s grace, is a reflection of Christ; not morally perfect or divine beings, but people who have a “heart full of love – love for God and love for neighbor.” (Dt. 6:5, 11:13; Mt. 22:37)
    5. When we reach the point where our decisions, our actions, our words, even our thoughts, are formed by the MOTIVE OF LOVE – that is teleios, that is “perfection.” We have reached our destination.
  4. This is where the 3 simple rules come into play – God works by sanctifying grace to lead us toward being teleios – full of love for God and neighbor – while we respond by practicing the 3 simple rules.
  5. Simple rule #2 – Do Good
    1. Isaiah 1:16-17 and Galatians 6:9-10 call us to “do good” and to “seek justice” for ALL people (Gal.), especially the defenseless (Isa.).
    2. We’re called to live in such a way as it becomes second nature for us in our DAILY, EVERYDAY lives to take actions based on the best of intentions toward other persons.
    3. Why do we find it so difficult to do good?
      1. Our need to be in control
      2. Fear
      3. Sometimes the “good” in a situation is hard to find!

    6. Follow my experiment of living the 3 simple rules in July. Read my blog at brobob53.wordpress.com!