If you came over from Encouragement for Today, welcome. I’m so glad you are here.
Sometimes we just don’t know what is true.
- We see it on social media and we wonder. . .
- We hear it in a sermon and we wonder. . .
- A trusted person speaks it with authority and we wonder. . .
Jesus warned against falling into faith built of man-made rules.
So, how do we know what is true?
We follow Jesus. We listen for Jesus. We say yes to Jesus.
Too simplistic? No, absolutely freeing.
A few years ago I spent months in the book of Luke. I watched how he interacted with the broken. I watched how he talked with the religious. I listened as he interacted with those who were curious about him.
Man-made rules started falling off, one by one.
When Jesus called people to follow him, there was no requirement. No level of holiness demanded beforehand. No Bible degrees to be a part of the miracles.
Wait, what?
While there is beauty in a holy life and goodness to be found in studying his word, Jesus’ example showed me that it was his holiness that changed people. It was relationship with him that brought about transformation.
I threw my mental list of man-made rules away in that department.
One by one I wrote down the man-made rules I had mentally stacked in my faith. One by one, they lost their power.
When we get tangled in rules, we let go of Jesus.
Which never works.
Are you ready to transition from following a man-made rule to following Jesus?
Write down one man-made rule or impossible expectation you’ve placed on your faith. Invite God to take these from you in exchange for freedom.
Suzie
Related Resources
Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He Leads
Hey, I’m doing a giveaway of my book, Come With Me, over at Instagram! Come join me.
Coming from a legalistic Christian background can be a rather defeated way to live. Although giving your life to him, trying to live up to all the rules and -trying to be righteous amounts to trying to live a life of perfection. This can cause fear that you at any moment may make yourself loose or become disqualified to be a Christian. I believe this then drains joy from our life with Christ. Thank you so much for speaking of freedom in Christ. I’m still trying to come out of such bondage after accepted Christ some 50 years ago. It’s what He did-His righteous! I must continue to remember that His love casts out all free. Some many times I’ve heard quoted “workout your salvation with fear and trembling” . His death and ultimate resurrection made it possible for me to live in Hus love and give all my fears to Him! Thank you for sharing ✝️♥️
Jo Ann,
I couldn’t have put it better. I’m learning and struggling. And it honestly doesn’t help when I question a very close family member . There’s so much! But, thanks be to God in Christ Jesus! Trust him and he will show you the way!
Thank God for the cross. It is only Jesus and His sacrifice. Nothing more required. I am to worship for this and live my life by His example. Happy Easter!!
I’m currently attending a church of the Pentecostal faith. I do struggle with the man-made standards. And they are as follows.
1) No make up, which I don’t wear daily
2) No jewelry, which with the exception of my wedding ring I don’t wear daily.
3) No pants. I wear skirts or dresses to church only, or whenever I feel like it. But not 24/7
4) I’m not supposed to cut my hair. My hair is to the middle of my back. I just cut the top and have bangs.
My husband has a friend who is a member of our church who believes that if I don’t go up to the front of the church with everybody else that I’m not saved and I’m being prideful. I am not prideful at all.
5) he also believes that if I don’t run the isles that I can’t get the Holy Ghost and I am not saved.
So, in a nutshell, if I don’t do what he thinks I should do as far as my walk with God, that I am not saved. I love to hear the word of God, I crave hearing the word of God. But I don’t want to be put in their little box. and I’m told if I go to a different church I won’t be saved either.
God judges the inside, while men judge the outside. His way of believing has me wondering if I’m being sinful because I don’t follow the man-made standards.