Yes, but...

Commonly folks (leaders and non-leaders) in the Christian church agree that in order to be a Christian you have to

• accept Christ
• put your faith in Christ
• trust Christ
• make a public witness that you have done one of the above. 

That's pretty much understood, and seems to be what the early Christian movement understood.

Yes, but. . . as Christian witness spread to Gentile communities some folks demanded that others trust Christ, or follow Christ, or. . . AND obey the Jewish food regulations and other rules.  Starting in Acts 15:19 we read a disavowal of these legaisms.  Well, most of them.  In practice, Gentile Christians ignored the few rules the Council tried to lay on them. 

Ever since then Church leaders have been saying "Yes, but. . . " in varying ways. 

• "Yes, but you have to take communion at least once a year."   
• "Yes, but you have to obey the bishop/priest/pope."
• "Yes, but you have to belong to the right church movement or denomination."
• "Yes, but you have to be baptized by immersion." 
• "Yes, but you cannot have a drinking problem."  
• "Yes, but you cannot be a divorced person."  
• "Yes, but you cannot be gay." 
• "Yes, but you cannot have women in leadership."
• "Yes, but you cannot. . . "

You get the picture.  God in Jesus Christ is too loving, to grace-ful for most Christians. 

What is your "Yes, but..."?  What steps are you taking in prayer, in thinking, in growing to move beyond your "Yes, but..." to a fuller faith in Jesus?  Leave a comment and let us know.