The Good News or the Bad?

As I was teaching from Acts 14 in Sunday School the other day, I was again struck by how the people threw large stones at Paul’s head until they thought he was dead and then, when he revived, he got up and went back into town. Then, the next day he went out to and preached Your GOOD NEWS. When I am going through problems, struggles, and trials I tend to dwell on the hard parts of Your word. I start preaching judgment and getting down on people who aren’t toeing the line or being as good as I think I am. Paul kept preaching Your GOOD NEWS. Lord, help me be more like that. Help me stay focused on Your GOOD NEWS of Your grace and mercy and love.

Focusing on Your GOOD NEWS doesn’t mean that You have no standards or that there isn’t judgment waiting if I reject Your mercy but I should focus on Your GOOD NEWS first. Why do most Christians start with telling people they are sinners and going to burn in hell and then tell them You love them. We all want to hear the good news before the bad. I should start by focusing on Your love and then explain Your standards. After all every command You give me comes out of Your love, not Your judgment. If I start with Your love, Your commands are a joy. If I start with commands, they area horrible burden and I am a slave (Gal 4 & 5). If I obey because I am blown away that You, the creator of the universe are good, that You actually love me, and that You have a good plan for my life, then I am walking in life and in freedom. Please, Lord, help me keep the good news in the right place.

Religion Does Not Work

Galatians 3:23  Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by (religion) We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. (24) Let me put it another way. (religion) was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. (25) And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need (religion) as our guardian.
(26) For you are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

As I continue to read through Galatians and replace the term “the law” with “religion,” I am amazed at how clearly the difference between religion and relationship pops out.

Paul says that the law was given as a guardian until You came to earth. But now I am a son through faith in YOU, not through following rules so that You are not angry at me or so You give me stuff… You gave us OT religion to show us that religion does not work. It is impossible to do it well enough. I can’t keep all the rules! There is no hope there. But now, I am a son of God. Now I walk in relationship to You, not in fear or manipulation.

I must strive to get out of this religious mindset. I must walk in the knowledge that I am Your son. You are not angry at me. You took my punishment and I deny Your cross every time I think You are still angry at me. You are not someone I need to bribe by following rules and trying to earn enough points to get stuff. Your are my loving Father. You have my best interests in mind. You desire to care for me like a good Father.

Of course, You have standards (commandments) but they are standards to make my life better not checkpoints to see if I have been good enough to get something. You know better than I do how I work, how I think, etc… Your standards are there because You want the best for me. When I ignore them, You are only angry because I have hurt myself and any loving Father does not want to see their child hurt themselves or throw away good things. I want to obey because I love You. You have already proven Your love and earned my trust. Help me to walk in this freedom every day.