“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hand – that I still possess.” – Martin Luther

One of the things that has always drawn me to Christianity is the concept of a loving God and His redemptive plan for mankind.  I was raised Lutheran, attending eight years of parochial schooling, so the Scriptures that revolve around the idea that “by grace we are saved through faith” have always stuck with me – Scriptures that are a tenant and foundation of that doctrine.

But Martin Luther himself struggled with this.  He often felt unworthy, alone, and as if God had singled him out for suffering.  For a time when he first became a Catholic monk, he believed that it was through his own efforts, by doing the best he could, that he would receive the favor of God.  He believed that God was moved by our works – what we did, how we behaved, and our obedience to Him.

But his attempts to live the Christian life on his own always fell short.  He connected with the Apostle Paul who wrote, “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me…. Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7: 21-24)

Personally, I’ve struggle with this same thing.  I believe in my heart that God’s grace and mercy cover us, but wrestle with always falling short when it comes to my words, my thoughts and my actions.  If my Christian faith requires me to behave in a way that seems outside of my capability, am I worthy enough to be called a Christian?  Even those who denounce the Christian faith quickly point out the hypocrisy of it all – seeing the fallacy behind trying to follow a bunch of rules that become impossible to humanly follow.  They see Christians not practicing what they preach, so it becomes foolishness in their eyes – attempting to please a God who seems impossible to please.

But we must have a part to play…. right?

Isn’t the Bible filled with qualifiers, with prerequisites, and dictates on what it means to be a follower of Christ?  Isn’t it filled with rules and regulations that MUST be abided by?  If we fail at living the Christian life that is defined by these rules, are we really a Christian at all?

First, the rules are so numerous.  We must always place God first, remember the Sabbath, and never steal, kill, or commit adultery.  Jesus said if we even LOOK at a woman lustfully, we have already committed adultery (Matthew 5:27).  Well, I most certainly have broken that one on several occasions along with most men who would admit to being human 🙂

So, it goes beyond what we DO into what we THINK – making it even more impossible!

Secondly, of all these rules, which seem to hold more weight or precedence over the others?  Does failing to tithe become better than dishonoring a parent?  Is it far worse to speak the Lord’s name in vain or to not attend church this weekend?  Do I have to believe AND BE BAPTISED in order to be saved?  Is one more important than the other or are both equally important?

And if it is about following rules and thinking correctly, then what about the civilizations never exposed to the Scriptures – never given an opportunity to believe?  If the rule or requirement is to BELIVE AND BE BAPTISED in order to be saved, then are large masses of people unsaved?  Does the all-encompassing act of redemption fall short of saving people like this?

Where does grace and mercy kick in and where is there a line drawn on the adherence and compliance to the rules that are clearly outlined in Scripture?

Don’t you ever wonder what truly is required of you?  Are you indeed saved, or unwittingly and unconsciously lost – due to some rule you failed to live by or due to some belief you have overlooked?

One thing I know for certain – If it is up to me to follow all of these rules to a tee, then I am lost for certain!  If even thoughts can convict, who really is capable of saving themselves?  Can you see how the atheist and agnostic bolster their argument against what seems like the impossibility, fantasy, and lunacy of Christianity?

Someone who I consider a great man of God, Dr. Charles Stanley, even struggled at one point with what it meant to live the Christian life.  He describes a time in his life where he was burdened by HIS ROLE within the process – seeming to constantly fall short of what it meant to be a follower of Christ.  I love this quote from him below:

“To live the Christian life is to allow JESUS to live His life in and through us.” – Dr. Charles Stanley

OUR PART is allowing – relinquishing ego and inviting God into our lives – an invitation that will change us.  When we do, we begin to realize that on our own, we are incapable of following all the rules and regulations.  We begin to see this legalism as a distraction – a focus and emphasis that ultimately turns us away from God and toward our own abilities, accomplishments, and fitness to be considered saved.  This allowing is about time spent daily with Him – receiving His wisdom, His forgiveness, His mercy, and His grace.  It is a focus on Him and not on us and our adherence to the rules.  It is a focus on what He has done – not on what we must do.

Here my friend is when we begin to change!  Here is where those rules and regulations begin to become a part of who we are, what we do, and how we think.  This ALLOWING starts those desired behaviors.  They are not prerequisites or required of us upfront – for this we can see is truly impossible of mankind.  They are a RESULT of allowing Christ into our life.

And I believe in my heart of hearts that ALLOWING is coming to the conclusion that we cannot in our own minds or in our own power understand it all – that what seems like contradiction or unreasonable to the human mind isn’t grounds for disbelief or disillusionment. 

“The more we understand the holiness and righteousness of God, the more we begin to see by contrast how desperately fallen we are and how utterly dependent we are on His mercy and grace.” – R.C. Sproul

OUR PART is letting Him in.  It all starts there!

It’s my prayer you stop worrying about all the rules and regulations, about which hold more weight than others, and about what you need to do legalistically in order to live the Christian life.  ALLOW him in – and His mercy and grace will do the rest!

God bless! 🙂