"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28 - 30 (Message)
Religion is basically a set of beliefs, rules, and/or laws. Many people believe that in order to be good enough, they must follow all of these standards. I guess it's like a checklist for life. Attend church -- check; be baptized -- check; read my Bible -- check; don't drink -- check; be nice to people -- check. Of course, none of these things are wrong. It's just that God never meant our lives to be about living up to a set of standards. And that is what religion has become -- a set of standards or rules that we are to live by. Even Jesus did not like religion. You can read about His encounters with the religious people of His day thoughout the Gospels. Jesus came to earth to fulfill the law, and we can receive what He did for us, His death on the cross. We will never be good enough to enter heaven. We will only wear ourselves out trying harder and harder and then find ourselves eternally burning in hell. However, by living in a relationship with Jesus and allowing Him to reign in our lives, we will find eternity in heaven. The checklist I mentioned before no longer becomes a checklist but things we do out of the overflow of the perfect love that Jesus pours into our lives.
Sadly, the confusion over religion versus relationship has caused many people to believe that they have to "clean up their act" before coming to God. This is simply not true! God wants us exactly as we are. It is impossible for us to change our lives on our own. It is through God's redemptive love, exemplified through Christ's death on the cross, that allows our lives to change. No one has to get their life in order before meeting Jesus. Meeting Jesus will allow people to restore their lives.
"I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." Galations 2:21 (NLT)
Much of my life was about living up to the standards of religion. There were many times that I would choose to do something because I was a "good Christian girl." Good Christian girls read their Bibles. Good Christian girls did not cuss or drink or sleep with their boyfriends. Good Christian girls made good grades. Good Christian girls went to church and participated in religions type organizations. I was completely exhausted trying to keep up with everything I was suppose to do. All of my good works was causing me to be blind to the real truth -- that Jesus simply wanted me to humbly give over my life to Him and to walk in a relationship with Him. I thought my eternity was secure and I was Christian because I could pull together a long and impressive list of everything I did as a "good Christian girl." It took 2 people to explain to me that being a Christian was more than simply believing that Jesus died for our sins (Duh! even Satan knows this) and by being good, and it took a holy slap from God himself to show me that if I were to die, I would not go to heaven. All I had to do was to lay down my sins before Jesus, accept His forgiveness, give Him my heart and invite Him to reign in my life. That happened on September 8, 2006. I took a nap after I prayed that morning, resting peacefully because I no longer had to "do." I now choose what I do because I know it comes with Jesus's directive, not because they are things I ought to do.
Religion says earn. Relationship says rest.
Religion says do. Relationship says be.
Religion says try harder. Relationship says I love you.
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