Legalism or Grace

I have now been at IBI for just over a year if you count the evening courses that I did. I have learned so much as I think I have said (once or twice!) in this BLOG. Recently, one very important thing that God has been teaching me is concerning grace and the use of the law. It is really nothing new, and you could say that I wouldn't have needed to go to a Bible College to learn it. However, it is greatly to the credit of IBI that such things are taught in a way that impacts life and is not just a matter of academic study.

What is it that I have learned/been reminded of then? Simply this, and it's something I shared at Ballycullen on Sunday morning. God wants a relationship with us that is based on his grace and not our keeping of a list of rules and regulations. That is, as I said, something I always knew I'm sure. If anyone had asked me I would have said that salvation is entirely by God's grace, I can do nothing to earn it.

But, and I think I have mentioned this too, it is very easy as a Christian to believe that about salvation then live to try to keep a list of rules. If I may be so bold as to say, it can be a particular danger for those, like myself, brought up in a reformed evangelical church. We are taught, quite rightly, that if we are Christians then our lives should show that. The problem is that it is worked out more in terms of a list of things we do, or don't do, places we go, or don't go, things we watch or don't watch.

Please don't misunderstand me. I do NOT believe that it doesn't matter how we live, of course it DOES. What I am concerned about is what living as a Christian looks like. Coming back to my original point, God wants a relationship with us through Jesus. If we really earnestly seek that, then we will be able to make decisions based on that as an OUTCOME of the relationship we have.

We also need to be aware that two Christians seeking this relationship will come to different conclusions about certain issues. For example, one may decide to completely abstain from drinking alcohol, another may think it's OK to go for a pint with friends. Both are right if they are both seeking to love God. We must NOT as fellow believers be judgemental if someone else's conclusion is different from ours. I am not here talking about matters of sin either. If someone feels for example that it is OK to go and murder someone, then you would have to say that they are not in right relationship with God.

Augustine said "Love God and do as you please." Jesus said "if you love me you will keep my commandments." It is that way around we love God first, then we will want to do what he says.

That is grace, coming to God and saying "Thank you God that I can have a relationship with you through Jesus. I don't deserve this, I can't bring you anything to earn it. Please help me live to please you."

Then we will be able to make good decisions.