5 Ways to Recognize Grace Versus Religion

Ahhh, the freedom to believe salvation was accomplished on the cross. Jesus suffered, died, and was buried, on the third day He rose again. You know the rest, that familiar vibration or hymn; He is seated at the right hand of the Father. That’s right, He sat down. Prior to this perfected sacrifice, the job of the High Priest was to remain standing. The work, the requirements to uphold the Law and appease God’s wrath were extensive, to say the least. But wait, Jesus came and fulfilled the Law. We can breathe easy. Walking in the perfection of the ultimate sacrifice, the flawless Lamb, Grace is the garment of the righteous.

No, not a mended garment, a brand new, spotless one.

Freedom.

Free from condemnation, free from the burden of guilt and shame, baptized in the water that separates us… from them. We are born again.

Now there are just a few things for you to tend to.

Don’t drink, smoke, cuss, spit, kick your dog, date your cousin, ogle your neighbor, eat too much processed cheese food, dance, miss church, cheat, steal, yell, watch rated R movies, play poker, bet on the ponies, Trick or Treat, talk to strangers or do any of the things that are listed among the “bad” things your conscience, moral high ground or church has you convinced interferes with your salvation.

Somewhere in the back of your waterlogged ears, freshly clogged with baptismal water, you remember hearing something about freedom from the Law.

Freedom.

Freedom to do whatever one wants?

By no means. Grace isn’t license to sin, grace is license to be entirely made new. The difference between changed by Grace and changed by Law? Grace is a change that is entirely lovely, without pretense or piety. It is utterly humbly, wholly grateful. But how can you be certain without constantly checking your belly button, if you have stepped out of the courthouse and into the banquet hall? Here are some sure-fire tests to try.

Check Your Belly Button

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Well, just occasionally. Not constantly. Under the Law, the focus is on oneself and what we are doing, meaning works. Meaning, good works, but also bad works. Under the Law, performance is the name of the game, and the game is the Super Bowl. Everything is riding on what we can do to add to the power of the Cross. The works, although never enough, are somehow supposed to be in addition to the perfected work of the Cross. Read that slowly and out loud: in addition to the perfected work of the Cross. Wait, is there anything one can possibly do to ADD to what Jesus did on the Cross? And if there was, why the Cross? If the bloody sacrifice of animals would have been sufficient, is that not a simple request to be made by God? Salvation by any means other than simply receiving the gift of salvation is a works-based salvation which frankly doesn’t … work. When the work falls to the savee, the focus is off the Savior. Grace glasses are fully focused on Jesus. The change in the believer is because of He who dwells in the believer. It is not by our measly attempts at being God. Jesus, as the whole focus, is the best investment in the efforts at salvation. He did it, you live it. Hallelujah!

Nothing Can Separate You From the Love of God… Except

There are no buts in a good apology or an I love you. I love you, but… ew, ick. Can we just loathe the but in a sorry or an I love you. A sorry is just a sorry. And a good I love you has no conditions. So when scripture says NOTHING can separate you from the love of God you will note, that’s it. NOTHING. Nope, not one thing can separate you from the love of God. This is Grace. Nothing can separate you from the love of God and if there is a list of things that can? Well, that list is a list of buts and those buts are law and that law is not valid anymore, Jesus fulfilled it. You are cloaked In Grace, no if, ands or buts about it. He loves you. He died for you. Nothing can separate you from that love.

IF/Then Jesus

The IF/Then Jesus is a busybody Jesus. If you do ABC… He will do XYZ. This Jesus is steeped in man-made laws and often leaves Believers heartbroken and bitter. And while it is a hot button issue it is an excellent measure of Law vs. Grace: The pay your tithe and get your Lexus test. Most definitely, give, give, and give some more. Dare you consider - give 8%, 9%, 11%, or 99% but do not give 10% in the belief that IF you do so THEN, you will get something in return. IF this were true, THEN 99% of the Christians would be on luxury vacations in Hawaii as we speak. If you are moved to give, do it quietly and with a grateful and humble heart, and expect nothing in return. He is so good. He died while we still sinned, and He asked simply that we believe. He never said it would be a rose garden or that we would have a luxury car, He just said He would never leave or forsake us. If you believe, then you are saved. Easy peasy.

Miserably Convicted Christianity

Our son came to us sobbing. He was plagued with “nightmares that God needs me in missions.” We did not argue with his desire to pursue missions. Yes, do that. But God is not a tormentor. God knows you. In this case, he knew this was a 13-year-old boy. He doesn’t taunt and terrorize. Sure, an insightful dream, vision or a prophecy? Absolutely. But night terrors? Jesus came to give life and peace abundant. If you are experiencing terror? Time to check the source. He will lead you by still waters, not terrorize a pubescent 8th grader because they can’t feed starving children in Africa until they pass Algebra, and also they have to be home in bed by 10 pm. This God, His ways are perfect. He is not a monster. He is a good Father. The idea that “YOU MUST” is completely void when we realize, He did. He did the hard work, He will continue to do so. God gave His life, you receive. He will guide you in ways you have not known, and it will be according to His good and kind nature, in His good and perfect time.

High Horse Humility

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This is a great one, you love to love and confess your sin. You talk about it, and you are proud to talk about it. It’s your jam. You are the worst, and you cannot wait to tell everyone how awful you are, to humble yourself and confess your sin… again. Okay, if Jesus came and conquered this beast why is it still your pet rock? Why do you dim the lights and play sad music and recount it, Sunday after Sunday and Wednesday after Wednesday? Que Elsa: LET IT GO. And do you want to let it go and be healed? Do you believe it is accomplished? Or is this your thing? This thing that busies you and makes you feel you are worshipping when in fact you are back at number one, checking your belly button fully focused on work? Look up friend, He did it… you live it. You cannot lose your place when you are permanently in Christ Jesus, but man you can miss the forest for the trees. Look to Jesus. Full frontal focus on Jesus leaves very if no room for anything else but exponential growth.

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So is it Grace or is it Law? Are you running through the high green grass in a whirlwind romance with a Savior who died for you? Or are you shackled to a cold pew, with knees bleeding, broken and hopeless, mimicking the motions of relationship, only to find you are steeped in religion? There is a difference. And no, this is not a call to check your denomination or your theology, this is a heart check. Are you in love? Are you hopelessly devoted to Jesus simply because He is Jesus? Or are you running a race you weren’t meant to run, trying to catch a made up God whose rules and regulations ceased to count on a hill in Calvary. One last question, what was required of the thief on the Cross? What was that that brought him the melodious promise, “Today you will be with me in paradise?”

Simply believing bought him the impossible gift of Grace.

Grace.

Yes, Grace.