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Wes said:

I'm impressed how seriously you take making a promise. That's a good quality! Your continued pursuit for answers has been fruitful.

Wes,

Part of the reason I'm being more cautious about this situation is language problems. After two years in Japan, I've learned to always suspect that whatever I though I understood is probably wrong. It can be very frustrating at times.

Another reason is that I've been in fairly legalistic churches before, and I really don't want to go back to that kind of situation. Although some of the things a legalistic church may require are good in their own right, when you bind your conscience to do them they can become a snare to you. Soon, you can find yourself grudgingly following the "rule" solely because of the vow and not freely because of your love for Christ (or his love for you). I know that, most likely, if I were to make the vow to do some of those things, I would in the end wind up doing them with a bitter heart. Also, I am well aware of the huge amount of sinful desires remaining in my own heart, so I really am cautious about making any vow that in my heart I know I will break.

John