If I really knew God, I would have understood I could not work my way into His grace. I didn't have to, His grace was freely given to me by Christ's work on the cross. There is nothing I can really do, except to accept the gift of salvation, which Jesus has already paid through His death.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
I observed the laws and traditions of religion, so I stayed under a curse. There was little joy and peace. I looked like a "good" Christian, because I did all the "right" things, and became a slave to self-righteousness. Scriptures became my weapon to cut down people, rather than against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) I hurt those who I was supposed to help in the name of Jesus. All the time thinking I was right, yet inadvertently taking Jesus' name in vain.
Grace was not something I could even fathom. I walked around like the Pharisees and Saducees of Jesus' time. My religion was whitewashed. It looked good, but really wasn't good at the core. Whatever was on the inside of me was dead.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. Matthew 23:27
Religion made me grow cold. If others did not live the way I lived then I thought they must be on their way to hell and surely God was going to punish them. The truth be told, I was punishing myself. My harsh criticisms of others hindered me from loving them and growing in a deeper relationship with them. I ran people away from Christ rather than leading them to Him. This makes sense though, I was blind and could not lead anyone to Christ as I didn't even know how to get to Him myself. I didn't know how to accept His grace and I definitely didn't know how to give it.
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Galatians 5:13-15
I sinned against God and man, by being hurtful and hateful. Wrong thinking made me believe I was serving God, yet my actions were a disservice to Him. I didn't even recognize I was free, I saw myself as a slave to the Taskmaster rather than His daughter, heir to the Kingdom.
A princess has a vested interest in the Kingdom, she wants to see it built and kept in good order to please her Father, the King. Also, the Kingdom will be hers so the work she does isn't a burden it is a joy and it comes as second nature. On the other hand, a slave feels burdened and angry working hard in a Kingdom he can never have. Thankfully, I am not a slave.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
It has been my tests and trials that God has orchestrated in my life that has brought me to a place where I can accept His grace and also give it. I have submitted to grace, even though some days I fight against her. Even though I wrestle with her she is always very gracious and still has faith in me, loving me no matter what. How could I not grab a hold of her as wonderful as she is? She has given me the freedom to be me.
Grace is not a license to sin, but an opportunity to freely live and to live freely. The greatest Giver gave me life and I have been given the choice to receive the gift or not. No longer do I have to be a slave to a whitewashed religion, instead, I have decided to submit to grace.
No comments:
Post a Comment