Error rate in rules, principles, and character

Rules, principles, and character are all susceptible to the error of using a less important commandment when a more important, mutually exclusive commandment is available. You should never allow a less important commandment to displace a more important commandment. Each commandment type also has unique potential sources of error.

Rules are the easiest type of commandment to equivocate. Rules can be applied to the wrong situation, or be wrong altogether. In either case, if you are observant and honest, you will notice that the intended outcomes do not occur, do what you can to correct for the damage done, and learn from your mistake. Of course, those who have an affinity for rules are the least likely to notice or learn from this kind of error, as they are likely to think that keeping the rule is its own reward, and might even consider it a mark of faith to live a rule in spite of obvious negative outcomes.

Principles are more difficult to equivocate than rules, primarily because their generality prevents applying them to the wrong situation, but they can still be applied poorly. Principles can still be badly implemented in ways that counter the intent of the principle. For example, it is good to save up money and invest, but it might be very bad to make a particularly poor investment.

Character qualities are the hardest to equivocate. Unlike rules or principles, character qualities do not require the formulation of a definition or the application of it, just an example. Character qualities are embodied in people, and all that is required to minimize error is to follow the example of the person who has the quality. For example, you might attempt to embody the quality of love, but if you detach it from the example of Christ, even if you live it perfectly, you will likely live the world’s corrupted version of it instead of the best version demonstrated by the Lord. The world’s version of love will do things like allow an adult child to live with you for free indefinitely without any improvement, but God’s love will not.

It is easy to get a rule wrong. It is harder to get a principle wrong— there are a lot more examples that you can use to fine tune it from thinking and the experiences of others before having to make the mistake with your own experiences. It is harder still to get a character quality wrong. Even if a potential character quality passes the gauntlet of thinking about it or applying the experiences of others to it, the moment you embark on living true to a character quality, you will be barraged by evidence of whether it is worth it or not.