By Andrea Merrell
He alone makes
us adequate ministers who are focused on
an entirely
new covenant. Our ministry is not based on the letter of the law but through
the power of the Spirit.
The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit
pours out life.
2 Corinthians 3:6 TPT
The words Christian and Christianity are loosely thrown around these days. Many people who
claim to be believers seem to be missing the point.
I grew up in a fairly legalistic environment where
I learned all the don’ts—don’t drink,
don’t smoke, don’t cuss, and go to church on Sunday. I spent too
much of my life trying to better myself so God would accept and love me. I thought I had to earn what He had so lovingly given me already. No one ever told me who I
could become, only a laundry list of things God “disapproved of.”
I called myself a Christian, but was my
relationship with God created and directed by the Spirit or by man? Chris
Tiegreen explains it like this:
Man-made Christianity
and Spirit-made Christianity can look a lot alike on the surface. Both point
toward Jesus, both promise righteousness and peace, and both lead you to the
cross where the old self dies. But only one actually follows through on its
promises. The religious life—the man-made variety—takes you to the cross and
leaves you there. It focuses on what not to do without much emphasis on who you
can become.
Finding that true Spirit-made Christian life
happens when we break out of the religious box, kick over a few sacred cows, and
walk into the freedom Jesus died to give us. That freedom fills us with life
instead of draining it out of us. It tells us we are loved and valued. We no
longer have to perform or clean up our act to be accepted. We don’t have to redesign
the old nature; He gives us a brand new one.
Don’t get tangled up in the traditions and
doctrines of men. Find out what God’s Word has to say, and let His Holy Spirit
fill you with new life.
Make sure your Christianity is Spirit-made.
Make sure your Christianity is Spirit-made.
Great devotion, Andrea. I also grew up in a legalistic church with do's and don'ts. Once I learned about God's grace, my life changed completely. Thanks for sharing. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sheryl. It's hard to overcome all that legalism, but it's not God's way.
ReplyDelete