Are you a law-abiding citizen? Are you someone who believes everyone should adhere to the letter of the law? Do you strive to obey the law by dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s? Does that apply to your Christian life as well?
Obeying the law is important. It is especially important that we obey the criminal laws. They make our society safer. And rightfully so, we expect others to obey those laws. We can agree that obeying criminal laws is better for our society.
But what about unwritten laws? We often call them customs and courtesies. They include opening a door for someone else, taking turns at a four-way stop sign, and taking your hat off when you eat. Does it drive us crazy when people don’t do these things? It can if we let it.
The same can be true within the walls of our churches. We can become wrapped around the axel on little traditions. They may include, people not being on time for worship, not liking online meetings, and even members parking in a visitor parking spot. These are good things to follow, but are they worth our stressing out over?
The Apostle Paul makes a bold statement to the church in Rome. He says it is not the law that makes us righteous but our faith. Jesus stated the two most important commands are to love God and love neighbor. If we truly love God as he loves us and we love our neighbor as God does, our faith will grow, and we will seek to do the best we can for one another.
Through our love and faith, we are made righteous. Because Jesus gave His life for us, we become righteous by putting our faith in Him and our faith is demonstrated in our love for Him and one another. Neither the law nor our man-made traditions can make us righteous. It is only our heartfelt faith in Jesus Christ that can make us righteous.
I pray we all put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray we worry less about man-made traditions than loving God and neighbor. I pray each one of us will demonstrate our faith by loving one another. Differentiate between law and faith. Give God your whole heart. Love one another as God loves you.
Romans 4:13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Marty Pressey 