“Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace.” (Galatians 2:21 MSG)
Religion can provide societies with a set of moral principles which lead to orderly citizens. Rules and regulations are solid tools for community building. Peer-pleasing, appearing righteous, and wanting to fit in can all be powerful motives to identify with a particular religion. Traditions can be good, but they don’t bring us any closer to God.
A personal relationship with God is built on trust, love, and surrender. It is neither ego-centered nor other-centered; Christ becomes central. Real intimacy is often private. To know and be known--that is the only goal. We recognize that we are loved and accepted despite our unworthiness. A grace-based faith is saturated with gratitude, adoration, and devotion. To go back to an old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in our relationship with God. Let us not repudiate God’s grace!
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