“Not all religion is good. In fact, Jesus said He came to destroy religion. Religion is basically a set of rules used by churches to force men into a posture which they feel pleases God. If you obey certain rules, act in certain ways, perform various disciplines you are religious. The Pharisees were very religious.
There’s nothing wrong with obeying rules, acting right, and living a disciplined, external life. Jesus said that was good — as long as we majored on the inner life and minored on the externals.
Religion does strange things to people. It often causes them to get puffed up, stuffy, sometimes even self-righteous. In fact, the more “religious” a person becomes, the more he thinks himself right — and others wrong.
Jesus loved to poke holes in the balloons of religious people who were puffed-up on the hot air of their own piousness”. – JB (Jamie Buckingham)
What is really going on with us-we who believe Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior? Are we confident about this work of saving grace he is up to? Or do you still find yourself attempting to be justified and freed by being more obedient to rules, behaving right and doing life well externally? Pray more and harder, read your Bible more, share your witness of Christ every day, ‘do’ penance for your sin…the list seems endless. It is not that most of these aren’t good things for a Christian to do—much more could be added to the list.
Is it do, do, do—or is it doing out of being? Of course, when pressed, we know the correct answer. Do we? Then why does ‘doing’ seem to trump ‘being’ in our spiritual gut? I’ve been a believer and follower of Jesus Christ for forty-three years and I still catch myself chasing my spiritual ‘doing’ tail. Papa wants me to rest in being in Christ and doing as he leads me by his spirit.
Paul told the believers in Galatia to stop redoubling their work efforts and put all that energy into faith. He said this to the Ephesians’ church, “it is by grace you have been saved…in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:5b-9, NIV, emphasis mine.
Jesus does the saving, Holy Spirit does the doing, and we rest in being Papa’s adopted beloved children. “So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to “marry” a resurrection life and bear “offspring” of faith for God.” Romans 7:4, (Msg) Jesus left the tail chasing ‘doing’ in the grave-- and instead, he offers us a sweet marriage to resurrection life in Him, bearing children of faith by pure grace!
But, but, but—that means “I” can’t get my significance by doing great things for God! Do you really mean, “I” can’t…correct, we can’t? ”I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” Galatians 2:20-21, NIV. So let’s be grateful for grace today by resting in Papa’s love; not working to get his love.
In the grip of Papa’s grace! Ron Ross
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