Religion vs Relationship....

Religion is man’s attempt to earn his way to God. It’s a works-based practice. Christians always have to be careful not to fall into this kind of practice. It’s easy to do when we allow ourselves to compare. The thing that a faith-based belief system does that separates it from all other forms of religious practices is this: it’s not dependent on our actions. We don’t have to do anything to earn it. We can’t. It’s all based on something outside of ourselves. Something that is immovable and doesn’t change. It based on what Someone Else has already done, and transferred the honor and outcome to us, on our behalf as if we did it ourselves. By doing this we can’t brag, take credit, think we are better than anyone else. We can only give credit where credit is due, to Jesus alone. This sets up an attitude of gratitude, a selfless-thinking type of attitude. It helps us not focus on ourselves, but rather the One Who granted us this privilege. It equals the playing field, eliminating prejudice, hatred, and discontent. It infused us with hope. It gives us freedom, freedom to live a life free of worry, shame, and regret. Knowing we are forgiven, frees us up to be the people we are meant to be. It’s all based on a gift we’ve been given, a free gift, not earned, or deserved. This plan is marvelously crafted. It’s designed to keep us in check by knowing we are blessed by it, but also grants us the freedom to abound in the things that have no laws: Love, righteousness, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, patience, kindness, humility, tenderness, self-control, empathy, to name a few. Being free from condemnation, knowing we live under grace (God’s free gift), grants us the mindset and power to live in freedom; freedom from everything that holds us back from living a fulfilled life. Now that’s the power of the Gospel. A level playing field for us to showcase the talents God has given us. Does that sound like the most persecuted belief system in the world? It saddens me to know, what people truly want, Christianity has, yet they spend their time trying to find it on their own, turning away from the very answer their heart desires. You won’t find it in religion, only in Jesus. True freedom is found only in obedience to proper restraint. And the freedom found in Christ, truly sets us free.

9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under His curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:9-14

22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:22

28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3:28-29

Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles–free from those laws. Galatians 4:12a

1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1

4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. Galatians 5:4

7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for He is the One who called you to freedom. Galatians 5:7-8

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5

4 Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4-5