There are no such things as Christian principles

Christianity is not a principled approach to living life.  French author Jacques Ellul stated it clearly,

“The opposition between religion and revelation can really be understood quite simply. We can reduce it to a maxim: religion goes up, revelation comes down.”

The emphasis on principles rather than Christ is an upside down equation which is the means of all religious practice. 

Christianity is Christ! The gospel is the “good news” of Jesus not man’s ability to live according to a code of ethics or biblical principles.  Christianity is not a belief system or “right theology,” a kind of belief-right-religion.  Christianity is not merely a relationship whereby man must choose to do what God wants.  It is important to understand that any relationship that man has with God is the product of what God has done and is doing.  Christian relationship is always derived from what God is initiating in man not what man has accomplished through proper alignment to bible principles.  To be a Christian is to have experienced a “spiritual exchange,” to have been regenerated by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  It is Jesus Christ coming in the form of His Spirit to indwell man, for the purpose of restoring man to function relationally dependent on God, expressing the character of God through his behavior to the glory of God.  
Our obedience does not make us the persons God wants us to be.  Performance based religion is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Our obedience (listening under) allows for the powerful performance of Christ to be expressed through us. The “weight” of relationship is always dependent and derived from what He is doing not what man is achieving.  There is no merit in the fact that we have relationship with God.  It is God, through Christ who has initiated and maintains our relationship with Him, not we ourselves. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

German martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote,

"Christ is not a principle in accordance with which the whole world must be shaped. Christ is not the proclaimer of a system of what would be good today, here and (now), at all times. Christ teaches no abstract ethics such as must at all costs be put into practice. Christ was not essentially a teacher and legislator, but a man, a real man like ourselves. It is not therefore His will that we should in our time be the adherents, exponents and advocates of a definite doctrine, but that we should be real men before God. ...What Christ does is precisely to give effect to reality. He is Himself the real man and consequently the foundation of all human reality."

Jacques Ellul, concurs,

"There are no such things as 'Christian principles.' There is the Person of Christ, who is the principle of everything. If we wish to be faithful to Him, we cannot dream of reducing Christianity to a certain number of principles, the consequences of which can be logically deduced. This tendency to transform the work of the Living God into a philosophical doctrine is the constant temptation of theology, and their greatest disloyalty when they transform the action of the Spirit which brings forth fruit in themselves into an ethic, a new law, into 'principles' which only have to be 'applied.'”

The Christian’s  greatest need today is not more bible knowledge but to learn to live consciously aware of Christ’s indwelling presence, yielding oneself to what He is doing, allowing Christ’s life to be experienced and expressed through ones behavior.   Christianity is the personal, spiritual presence of the living Lord Jesus Christ, manifesting His life and character in and through the believer who is called by His name, Christian, i.e. "Christ-ones." "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Gal. 2:20).

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The Sanctity of Marital Union

Throughout history there has been much confusion regarding the sanctity of marriage. “God created...male and female” (Gen. 1:27) and said, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). 

Faithful marital love is one of the greatest expressions of God’s character through the believer. When this loving union is expressed in the home there is no greater example of Christ’s Life to be witnessed by family members. 

The home can and will be, a crucible of conflict at times. However, if your point of reference is not the “difficulty” but Christ, then the conflict is God’s loving occasion to experience His union-life and to express His love to those who are most dear to you. The marriage-union is one of the most powerful personal examples of union in Christ (Eph. 5:23-33). True loving marital union is only experienced and expressed by the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus Christ as our life. It cannot be imitated only derived. 

Jesus said, speaking of this God ordained union, “...so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6).  

Marriage is a covenant union made before God where one man and one woman (the only form of marriage union the Bible allows) are joined together and is therefore, honorable and to be respected. Marriage is a precious treasure (I Pet. 1:19), the highest and most glorious relationship between a man and a woman here on earth. 

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