By Andrea Merrell
For
it was only through this wonderful grace
that we believed in him. Nothing
we did could ever
earn this salvation, for
it was the gracious gift
from God that brought us to Christ!
So
no one will ever be able to boast,
for
salvation is never a reward for good works
or
human striving. Ephesians 2:8-9 TPT
“I just don’t understand,” the man said. I’ve done
everything required of me. Followed all the rules. What more does God want from
me? What do I have to do to get His attention?”
Raised in a legalistic church, the man believed he
had to “work” his way to heaven. He tried to live up to the standards set by
the leaders and made it a point to dot every i and cross every t. But he still
questioned his relationship with the Lord. Even his salvation.
Just like the Ten Commandments, legalism has it’s
own set of thou shalt nots. The problem is these rules are man-made, not
God-ordained. And God’s grace is missing from the equation.
We are not saved or rewarded by rule-keeping. And
there is no way we could ever earn our salvation. God’s acceptance is
not based on our performance. It’s not what we do or don’t do, it’s a matter of
the heart. It’s saying yes to God’s invitation to become part of His family,
then spending time building a relationship with a loving Father.
Rules are good but not when they go against the
Word and cause guilt and condemnation. Receive God’s grace. And don’t allow legalism
to keep you bound.
Draw close to the Lord. He's waiting for you.
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