Daily Reading
Scripture
10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”[a] 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”[b] 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”[c] (Gal 3:10-12)
Observation
There are so many little laws that well-meaning Christians try to lay on us. We must worship on the Sabbath, we must not eat pork, we must not cut our hair, we must tithe, we must not gamble or drink, or smoke, we must go to church, etc. etc. While some of these are very good guidelines to follow, we do not depend on these for salvation. The law does not make us right with God. God says that everyone who does not observe and obey ALL of the commands is curses. So if you are going to believe, for example, that you are not going to heaven if you do not go to church on Saturday, then you must follow ALL of the rest of the Old Testament laws. If you are going to place yourself under the curse of the law, then you better follow ALL of it. You can’t just pick a few laws that seem good and make a religion out of them. It’s all or nothing. Well, you say, this is impossible. I can’t keep all of those laws. Darn Skippy! Why do you think Jesus came and “fulfilled the law”? God knew it would be impossible to keep His laws, that is why there were sacrifices for unknown sins. Why would you want to keep yourself in slavery, when we have been set free?
Application
Does that mean that I don’t need to follow any rules? Can I do whatever I want? No. Jesus said the most important commandments were to love the Lord God and to love your neighbor. Well, that pretty much sums it up. We will not do anything against God or our neighbor if we truly love them. And what if we do? Do we need to go scacrifice a lamb on an alter? No, Jesus did that for us already. We just need to acknowledge what we did and ask for forgiveness. Easy Peasy.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for making yourself the last sacrifice so I don’t have to be a slave to the law. Forgive me for pushing regulations on other people. I know that your love is enough. Help me to always seek a deeper and deeper relationship with you.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Awesome point! If people come to our church for “help” our pastor usually has them do some work around the church to earn it. Good principal!