From The Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

We always hear, “Go by the rules” and there are lots of them. As a Christian, you should know that God has many “rules”. But you also need to know those “rules” mean something entirely different to God than they do to us.

In Romans 7, Paul explores that thought. As a former Pharisee, he surely was versed in the rules of the road for Judaism. But boy did he get a revelation on what the “rules” really meant and what they were for. Paul simplifies for us the true meaning of the new covenant and the freedom, not “rule bondage”, which we now can have in Christ! Remember, Jesus said it was for freedom that He set us free!

Jesus made it clear when He said He didn’t come to abolish the Law—He came to fulfill it. What a freedom in Him we now have. It means you don’t have to fill your head with information concerning the Law but rather fill your heart with transformation by His Spirit.

The Spirit of God in you (and remember, He comes in you only by your permission for Him to enter) will never lead you to sin. So you don’t have to worry if you’ve not read far enough into the Bible, or attended enough church yet to learn all the “rules”. You just have to let Jesus rule you.

The Law may indeed expose sin and tell you how bad you might be, but has anyone noticed…it doesn’t make you better. Most times, knowing the Law just makes you feel guilty. Oh, great, because of the Law you not only can see what you do is bad, now you feel bad, too! What a crummy deal that is. Well, if you just look to the Law it is!

Paul cried out that the good he wanted to do, he didn’t, and the bad he didn’t want to do—he did. “Oh who shall save me from the body of this death”, he lamented. God showed Paul, and He’ll show you, if you care to listen. God showed Paul that there was no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. You see, in Christ, you are made clean; your birth handicap of sin is forgiven and access to a life led by the Spirit is made possible.

The clear, unequivocal picture Paul gives is that the Law is good and not to be dismissed but it alone cannot “make you” good. We are all in need of some outside source of help to break the sin-cycle of Adam. That source is the indwelling Spirit of God who will lead you and guide you in the way in which you must go.

Yahoo—don’t have to worry about remembering all the rules; just have to know the rule Maker! Endure the fire…it’s producing pure gold!

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