Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Grace”
Our Bible verse for today: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? Colossians 2:20-21 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Christ freed us from the tyranny of manmade rules and regulations.”
Let’s be clear that grace does not give us a license to sin. We cannot simply do whatever we want. But grace does give us freedom from the bondage of legalism. Grace empowers us to live in the fullness of, and under the guidance of, the Holy Spirit, rather than being bound by a long list of manmade rules and regulations.
That’s the point Paul was trying to get across to his Colossian readers in Colossians 2:20-21, and it’s also what he meant in Romans 6:14 when he wrote, “For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.” If you have truly embraced the gift of grace, sin will not rule over you because the Holy Spirit does, and therefore you won’t need rules and regulations to govern your conduct, the Holy Spirit will do that for you.
Philip Yancey spoke about the tension between legalism and grace when he wrote, “Some of us seem so anxious about avoiding hell that we forget to celebrate our journey to heaven.” Legalism does that. It causes people to become so preoccupied with all the things they can’t do, that they forget to celebrate and enjoy all that they can do. Grace frees us to enjoy the journey.
If you have truly and fully surrendered your heart to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, then you can trust Him to guide you to live in ways that are pleasing to God. That then gives you the freedom to just relax and enjoy life. This is what Solomon meant in Proverbs 3:5-6 when he wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” If your heart is right, you can trust Him to guide you.
God has given us a big beautiful world filled with wonderful things for us to appreciate and enjoy. Embrace the gift and enjoy the journey!
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 