Legalist!

"Why don't you smoke?"
"Because the Bible says not to."
"No it doesn't."
"Yes it does."
"Where?"
"I don't know, but it's in there!"
"No it's not."

How many times has a conversation gone like this? Every time there is a debate about the sinfulness of something, it typically comes around to "because the Bible says not to."

"Why don't you rob banks for a living?"
"Because the law says not to."
"So? Does that stop the people who do it?"
"Not really. So? Why don't you rob banks for a living?"
"Because I have no desire to. If robbing banks was no longer against the law, would you do it?"
"I don't think so."

You can see how ridiculous this is. I don't avoid doing things because the Bible says not to. I avoid doing certain things because I have a personal relationship with Jesus, and He doesn't want me to do those things!

The Bible says that God gives us the desires of our hearts, but why would He do that? The Bible says that out of the heart of man comes "evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness." Why would God give us the desires of our hearts when the desires of a man's heart are clearly displayed as evil?

Ask any married couple about their personal preferences for food. One of them might say Mexican food, while the other might say Chinese. They like different things, but because they're in close relationship, their desires change to match each other. Sometimes they disagree, but they can reconcile the differences and come to an agreement. They don't suddenly get a divorce because of One Difference in their preferences for food! (Sound familiar?) So therefore, when I'm in a personal relationship with God, my desires change so that my desires match His! Then, God is more than happy to give me the desires of my heart.

There's a name for not doing things because the Bible says not to. It's legalism.