What restrictions are put on you when you become a Christian?

Question

Many people think being a Christian means following a strict set of rules to keep you obedient. But being a real follower of God means cultivating a loving relationship with him.

Matthew 22:37-38
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.

Answer 1

That's funny that I don't see the 'restricted from' part, though in my heart I know what I shouldn't do to be a Christian, but just comes to mind what the others have said, "Freedom". It's cool we see it that way and atheists see the chains. And you know, it's still our own choice - what we do and don't do - but we choose to live a Christian life and are much happier to live this way.

Answer 2

Restrictions... hmmm... Heaven and hell for starters.

Heaven: If promised a better afterlife, what you personally accomplish in this life is limited for essentially you are living to die. Look at all the marvelous things the "Pagans" of the Ancient world were able to accomplish, in fact you need only look at the success of the Jews (another ancient people) to realize how ambitious having no afterlife can make you. Throw heaven into the mix and you have the fall of the Roman Empire and the Dark Ages, which only come to an end when humanity rediscovers the wisdom of the ancients and begins to question the dogma of Christianity. Next time you turn your car on or recall the fact that we live in a huge Galaxy, remember that this knowledge came from questioning Christianity not accepting it.

Hell: keeps you second guessing every move you make, while reason allows you to make the hard decisions for the greater good. Plus if there is no hell then you are not wondering in the back of your mind whether your church going, beer drinking, adulterating grandfather made it to the good place or the bad at his funeral. You can just celebrate his life.

The appreciation of life is much liberating then the deliberation of death.

Answer 3

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

In a nutshell, that is the belief of Christianity. Christianity is unique among all other faiths, because Christianity is more about a relationship, rather than religious practice. Instead of adhering to a list of “dos and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God the Father. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ, and the ministry in the life of the Christian by the Holy Spirit.

Answer 4

I guess it depends on WHAT kind of Christian you become.

Some sects are more restrictive than others.

Some Christian denominations use the bible like a kind of mandatory lifestyle guide and judge their followers' dedication and "Christian-ness" using those bible laws. So they tend to monitor how you dress, what you eat, what you say, if you can have piercings, your choice of music,who you can marry, if you can use birth control and even how to have sex in marriage etc.

Then some Christian denominations are more about trying to emulate Christ-like love, do good in the world and help people work out their own personal acceptance of grace and build a personal relationship with God.

So I guess it depends on what kind of spiritual experience works for you. A sin-monitoring spiritual experience or an unconditonal love from God and sharing that with others kind of experience.

Answer 5

Restrictions??? I have choices not restrictions. I choose to act in accordance with God's Word or not. I never had the choice to live godly or to sin before I knew the Lord!
I choose Freedom over restrictions Thank You!

Answer 6

The sheer joy of maintaining abstinence from all things one would like to do or that come naturally to one...that must be just wonderful for some. Masochistic people often enjoy restrictions and I think there is a element of this involved.

Answer 7

No restrictions - freedom. As a new creation in Christ Jesus, I am constantly being remolded into the image He would have me become. Although I do fail, He picks me right back up, and teaches me to not do that again. He strengthens me. It is in my new nature to WANT to do His will, so I have no restrictions, just freedom through Him.

Answer 8

I am reminded of 1 John

1 John 5:1-3

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are NOT BURDENSOME,

Answer 9

The shaggy dog tale is on you. there isn't a single component with reference to the actually certainty of Christianity which could limit you. do not you be responsive to? Ya basically can't believe each and every thing you hear. consistent with threat you're one that prefers to maintain themselves guessing, however?

Answer 10

We are restricted to live according to Jesus' example. Yet these "restrictions" are actually there to protect us and give us freedom of life.

These "restrictions" give us the BEST of what God has to offer.