{"id":1852,"date":"2006-11-01T02:10:37","date_gmt":"2006-11-01T07:10:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/jesuscreed\/2006\/11\/01\/negative-and-positive\/"},"modified":"2006-11-01T02:10:37","modified_gmt":"2006-11-01T07:10:37","slug":"negative-and-positive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jesuscreed\/2006\/11\/01\/negative-and-positive\/","title":{"rendered":"Negative and Positive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Psalm 119:3 says \u201cThey have done no wrong, but have followed God\u2019s ways.\u201d The one whose identity is shaped by Torah, by the revealing words from God, are characterized by (at least) two attributes:
\nThey don\u2019t do some things and <\/em>they do do some things. They don\u2019t do what is wrong; they do do what is right. They avoid sin; they do what is good.
\nWe can react against negative piety at times \u2014 wrankling under the prohibitions: \u201cdon\u2019t do this, don\u2019t do that, don\u2019t say this, etc etc.\u201d Our reaction is at times justifiable; loving God is more than \u201cnot doing specific things.\u201d
\nBut, we are foolish to think that there aren\u2019t some things that are bad and contrary to God\u2019s plan \u2014 and we are wise not to do those things.
\nIn fact \u2014 though we have to be very careful here \u2014 there is a sense in which not doing sin is a way of doing what is right. (Again, not doing something is not the same as doing what is good.) If the \u201cnot doing\u201d is shaped by this thought \u2014 I shouldn\u2019t do this because it is not of God \u2014 then the heart is in the right place. If the \u201cnot doing\u201d is shaped by this thought \u2014 others will hear about me \u2014 then our heart is misplaced.
\nR. Akiva said Israel responded to the prohibitions with \u201cYes\u201d while others said Israel said \u201cNo.\u201d Saying \u201cYes\u201d to God\u2019s \u201cNo\u201ds is a good thing.
\nStill, I maintain that the one whose identity is shaped by God\u2019s revealing words will be characterized (at least) by both what they don\u2019t do and by what they do do.
\nIt is good to be free. It is unwise to use our freedom to do what we shouldn\u2019t do.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Psalm 119:3 says \u201cThey have done no wrong, but have followed God\u2019s ways.\u201d The one whose identity is shaped by Torah, by the revealing words from God, are characterized by (at least) two attributes:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1753],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-psalm-119"],"yoast_head":"\nNegative and Positive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Psalm 119:3 says "They have done no wrong, but have followed God's ways." 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