Follow the Rules

Galatians 2:17-18
Suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. (NLT)

Paul speaks here with simple logic. If we do not follow the rules man has made it does not have an effect on our relationship with Jesus. Jesus said to follow him, not follow a set of rules or abide by Jewish laws to be saved. If we want to take on some of the old laws for our self because we like what they tell us, it is not wrong unless they go against what Jesus taught us.

Man seems to want to have both worlds. Over the years we have created our own set of rules or laws. No matter which institutional church you belong to, there is a set of rules you are to abide to. Before Jesus became part of my life, I lived under the assumption that if I was a good person and did good deeds for others, I would go to heaven when I died. In other words, my good works would save me.

Jesus came to dispel that theory. He said that to be saved we had to follow Him. So we came up with another rule (law) and that is what we call the sinners prayer. Nothing wrong with it as it fulfills Jesus requirement to follow Him. However, how often do we require it to be said before we believe they are really saved?

Then we look at the various churches in our communities. Each has their own set of laws-their doctrines. Some even decide what they want to believe from the Bible. They chalk up many of the teachings as belonging to the first generation of Christ followers. Yet, Jesus was speaking to all believers. And ALL means you and me.

I guess it comes down to this for me. Following man made laws makes life easy. We memorize them and abide by them and everyone we associate with is happy with us. However, it is the Holy Spirit that I want to follow, not the laws of man. The more I lean to the rules, the less I rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me.

I choose Holy Spirit.