---

You may remember an advertising slogan adopted by Outback Steakhouse over a decade ago. Playing up the casual, Australian-influenced vibe of the restaurant chain, the company coined the catchphrase- “No rules, just right.”

The aim of the ad was to convince you to have a nice meal in a causal atmosphere and that, despite being based in Tampa, FL, it was exotic and edgy to head to the Outback for dinner.

Occasionally, I hear someone say, “Don’t you wish you could just say what you really think? We need to let people know we aren’t going to stand for what they are doing!”

This statement is usually implying that the unwritten rules of society or politeness prevent us from saying and doing what we really want. We seem to wish that a place could exist where there would be no rules and it would be just right for us. In reality, we might be forced to admit that in a world full of imperfect people, we do in fact need rules, whether laws or manners, that help to provide guidance and structure to our society.

The best rules are not intended primarily to limit personal freedom, but to provide protection and fairness to the larger whole. The Christian life calls us to freedom in Christ, but in the same verse we are warned not to use our grace-bought salvation as a covering to continue in our personal vices (Gal 5:13). Paul reminds us that in Christ “no one lives to himself, and no one dies to himself” (Rom 14:7).

Our lives in this world, and especially within the body of Christ, are mutually dependent. While the law of the Spirit has set us free, we are not to use our liberty to judge or abuse others who have not yet accepted or understood this gift of God. Rather than embracing an aggressive, haughty spirit in regard to our rights, we are cautioned again and again not to focus on our own interests, but to be concerned about interests of others (Phil 2:4). Spiritually, freedom is not a license to sin and live as we want, but is a calling to serve and to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Rom 6:1-4; Eph 5:21).

We all need guidance in this life, we need structure, we need guardrails.

We must come to appreciate that the rule of Christ in our lives is actually the source of true liberty and lasting freedom as we experience forgiveness and hope in Him.

Under the Old Covenant, the people of God lived with a set of commandments that touched each aspect of their lives. As we often still do today, these ancient believers added customs and traditions to this already detailed code of life. While its words were the truth of God, the spirit of legalism that sprang up around the Law became a burden rather than a blessing. This system of legal codes plus customs became more complex and convoluted over the centuries.

When challenged to rank these commandments, Jesus declared that love for God and love for neighbor are the two great commands that lie behind all others (Mark 12:28-34). For disciples of Jesus, such love ultimately serves as the overarching rule of life. If we are led by love, we will not insist on our own way, but will submit our lives in worship and service. In reality, the rule of love does not restrain our freedom but leads us toward genuine relationship with God and with others.

Love is the one rule, but it’s just right.