As with most endeavors, golf is governed by rules to make it fair for everyone and principles to ensure a pleasurable experience for everyone that plays the game. Although there can be many unique personalities and styles in the game of golf, the rules and principles by which the game is played remain constant and sure.
It seems in the body of Christ today, that many people have not enjoyed their ‘Christianity’ experience and have sought to analyze it to find out just what went awry. The general consensus is that there are too many rules and regulations and therefore it might be good to just throw out all absolute truth and any form of government associated with one’s personal faith in Christ. Many are preaching a gospel of grace that says that since our righteousness can only be a gift from Yahshua the Christ, we don’t really need to abide by any rules or principles that govern a redeemed life. Since you can’t lose what you didn’t earn, you are free to live your life just any way you deem pleasurable.
I realize this analogy is way too simple to explain the complexities of the issue, but I challenge anyone to just go out and play a game of golf with total disregard for the rules that govern your experience and the principles by which hitting the ball becomes practically impossible to succeed. I have played golf with those who can’t count their score correctly or become angry because their expectation of a good shot is met with the reality of their lack of practice and training. You may not be able to incorporate everyone’s well-meaning advice after a bad shot, but that negative feeling will never be trumped by just trying to hit the ball any old way you like. No, golf shows no pity toward the ill-prepared, emotionally distraught or publicly embarrassed. The only options are to give up the game or submit yourself to the lordship of a golf professional.
Many have walked away from their life in Christ due to an overemphasis of the ‘law’ (rules) and the guilt and shame associated with personal mistakes. If only those who struggle in their faith would allow the Spirit of Christ to baptize them into Christ’s fullness. No, it wouldn’t guarantee a perfect shot or a perfect score every time, just a relationship that would make sense of the game of life that most seem to not understand.