In our culture today, we have many varying and mixed messages as to the definition or content of the gospel. These messages come at us from scores of sources such as television, newspapers, magazines, social media, the Internet and even highway billboards. For some, the essence of the gospel is “don’t smoke,” “don’t drink alcohol,” “don’t use foul language,” “don’t take illegal drugs” (illicit prescription drugs, as well), women should have “short” hair, men should not have “long” hair, women should not wear make-up or pants, men should wear a coat and tie to church, “don’t go to the movies” (especially R-rated or worse), and be in the church building every time the doors open for anything. Regardless of where you come down on these issues, none of these reveal the content of the gospel. Most of this gets into legalism, reducing Christianity to a bunch of do’s and don’ts.

Two of my favorite ones are short hair/long hair. I love to ask people holding this view, “How long is long, and how short is short?” I tell churches that, whatever else the short or long hair means, you should be able to look at a man and know he is a man, or look at a woman and know she is a woman.