WHEN MY FAITH BECOMES MERELY RULES
CIA MATHEW
The most compelling part of Christianity, for me, is its
unwarranted grace. Meaning - there is nothing we can
do and nothing we cannot do to change how much God
loves us. Whether I had a one-night stand the night before
church or whether I have practiced abstinence my whole
life - the God of the Bible loves me the same. If you see
Christianity as a list of do’s and don’ts, you’ve got it wrong.
This is because, at the heart of Christianity, it doesn’t
matter what I do. Christianity isn’t about following a
rulebook. It isn’t about not having sex, not drinking,
not lying, not gossiping, not stealing, not anything.
It’s not about me being a good girl; it doesn’t matter
how good I am or how bad I am. If my religion were
only about me following rules, my faith would be
imprisoning and stifling. I’d be guilt-ridden, constantly
feeling like I’m not good enough for God.
The Bible states these truths – “If it is by grace, it is no
longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no
longer be grace” (Romans 11:6). Grace means that God’s
love for us is not dependent on our actions. The Christian
message is that Jesus’s death covered every mistake,
disobedient action, and sin we committed, allowing us to
be perfect and blameless in the presence of a holy God.
So knowing what Jesus’s death did, why d