You, the Law, and gRacE

Paul’s message has been quite clear:  you are set free from religious law; for it is through God’s grace that you are made right with him.

Now, before I proceed, I wonder how many of us are bound up by ‘the law’…  Oh I am not talking about 613 points of Jewish Law to which Paul was referring, but rather some other construct to which you subject yourself—perhaps unwittingly even. 

The other evening I was getting a pedicure, (not because I needed one, but because the heated massage chair helped ease the pain in my fibromyalgia-wracked body); a conversation broke out between myself and the only other patron.  In short order, I found myself posing an oft-asked question, ‘are you a woman of faith?’  “Well, yeah, I grew up Retarded Baptist-” to which I burst out laughing, as she began reciting the litany of rules she had been forced to live by—you know, NO dancing, NO drinking, NO smoking, NO card-playing, NO sex—in her mind, NO fun, and –oh yeah, did I mention all the guilt?  “So much so that when I moved out, I tried the Catholic church, but then there was all the scandal with the priest thing, and now I am not sure I even believe in God anymore . . .”

What an opening she gave me!  “But don’t you see, you are reducing God, actually equating him with man-made religion!  By the way, I am a pastor…”  and she cringed, wishing she could do an Ally McBeal and pull her tongue back in her mouth … so funny.  I explained a little of what I do, and then said, “Don’t worry … besides, you are not alone; so many people are held back from God because they have issues with religion, the very things you are talking about.  They have had it with inconsistencies in church doctrine, human expectations and resultant behaviors.  Soon after she was called away to have her mustache waxed, (huh?  No, removed), and that ended our conversation.  Hmmm . . .

Today I find myself in San Bernardino at a huge soccer tournament where my 12 year old, Danny, is playing.  And would you believe it—in a conversation as we watched our sons run up and down the field, a woman told me a similar tale.  It seems while she and her husband were raised in the Christian faith, both had stopped all church involvement.  ‘The reason?  I refer you back to a book I have previously referenced, UNChristian, about how non-believers or outsiders view Christians.  From the research conducted, they see us as hypocritical—saying one thing and doing another, and they have a strong distaste for Christians’ morally-superior attitudes.  Those attitudes then lead Christians to be judgmental; and yes, like my soccer friend commented, make us quick to judge others, which pushed her right out of the church.  Finally, outsiders are turned off by the anti-homosexual position common to so many Christians.  We Christians are perceived to be wholly negative, outspoken about those things we are AGAINST, rather than a positive lot, sure of Who we are FOR! 

So, it seems we have a serious dilemma – we realize that we are made right with God through the saving grace of Jesus, and not through anything we have done or will do in the future … right?  But then once committing ourselves to follow God as our Leader, we are meant to be obedient to his Word … still good so far?  So obedience to God means following what we know to be his will for us—in our worship of him, personal character, and God-given purpose … right?  At this point someone could say ‘then aren’t we back under the heavy hand of the law—having to do things the way the Bible says?  Aren’t we back to the things the girl said from Retarded Baptist Church?’ 

Yes and No.  It is in the entering into of God’s grace that makes us right with God, and when we begin to realize just WHAT LOVE he has for us, we want to please him.   We cannot do so without his grace, though … and his Holy Spirit living within us.  And even then, we are mere mortals … so what about the leveled criticism of Christians being hypocritical?  How do we avoid being hypocritical and judgmental?  The truth is, we don’t, we can’t.  At some point, Christians will be both—but we’ve got to correct our course when we do.  We must truly embody grace in such a way that we neither abuse it nor take it for granted, and in such a way that we freely dispense it to all.  Only then do we have the Law and Grace in their proper places.

Christine

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