Religious legalism prevents us from understanding and living
in the peace and freedom Jesus gave to us.
Let’s compare religion to what God actually says.
1 Religion says “You have to earn God’s
acceptance”.
God says “I accept you because of your
faith in my Son, Jesus Christ, who made you righteous”.
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were
made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.
NKJ God gave you His righteousness the
day you placed your faith in Jesus Christ so that now you are righteous.
2 Religion says, “If you obey God He
will love you more”.
God says, “I love you the same when you
obey Me and when you sin”.
Rom 8:38-39 I am convinced that nothing can ever separate
us from God’s love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the
demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the
powers of hell can't keep God's love away.
Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in
all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is
revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. NLT
3 Religion says, “If you try harder,
you will be a better Christian”.
God says, “Stop trying harder and ask
My Son, Jesus, to live HIS LIFE in and through you every day in all you do.”
Galatians 2:20 I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in
me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me. NLT
4 Religion says, “God punishes you with
bad circumstances when you sin”.
God says, “I punished Jesus on the
cross for ALL of your sins-past, present and future. So I am not going to punish those in Christ.”
1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not
for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. ESV Propitiation means that God punished Jesus
for all of our sins so we would not have to be punished. So God will never be angry with you again.
5 Religion says, “What you do defines
who you are”.
God says, “I am your Father who defines
you based on your birth”.
1 John 3:1 See how very much our Father
loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! NLT
Conclusion,
do you want to live in religion and legalism, or
do you want to have a real relationship with the true God who loves you? Are you ready to stop believing in religion and embrace the
true God the Bible tells us about!
Live Free In Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2012 Mark Maulding
