Rules? Oh Please!
Colossians 2:20-23 You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you follow rules like these: “Don’t eat this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t touch that”? These rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. These rules may seem to be wise as part of a made-up religion in which people pretend to be humble and punish their bodies. But they don’t help people stop doing the evil that the sinful self wants to do.
I think we’d all agree that there are more than enough rules for us to follow in this world. Road rules, the rules of etiquette implicit in the society in which we live and on it goes. Rules, rules, rules. Who needs more of them?
Let me ask you: when you give someone a present, do you expect them to pay you for it … or jump through hoops for it?
Well, of course not! A present’s a present right? We give it out of friendship or love or gratitude, to bless the other person. And so they find it much easier to show that same friendship or love or gratitude back in the other direction.
So, if you and I can give presents that way, what makes us imagine that God is any different?
Colossians 2:20-23 You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you follow rules like these: “Don’t eat this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t touch that”? These rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. These rules may seem to be wise as part of a made-up religion in which people pretend to be humble and punish their bodies. But they don’t help people stop doing the evil that the sinful self wants to do.
God’s grace, His free gift of forgiveness and acceptance to us in Jesus Christ was never meant to become a list of do’s and don’ts. To be a good Christian you have to …
That’s not it! The point of God’s grace isn’t to enslave us with a bunch of rules, but to set us free to love Him back.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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