“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: ” – Col 2:6

One symptom of a spiritual growth that is hindered is uncertainty, doubt, and confusion about how we should live.  The cause does not come from a lack of options or information, but from a misunderstanding of how we receive Christ in the first place.

If we receive Christ by obedience to the ‘laws written in our hearts’ then our success will be deteremined by whether or not we continue in that obedience.  If we do not ‘continue’ or our effort wanes then we may become uncertain as to our standing in God’s will.   Some may even begin to doubt their own salvation. After all, would not true conversion show itself in a perfect way of living?

Confusion abounds because of this teaching that places so many back under the bondage of the law.

“Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” – Gal 3:2-3

Paul teaches that we do not receive the Spirit by the works of law.  Neither are we made perfect by our good works.  Instead we receive the Spirit by faith and we receive Jesus Christ by his grace (Rom 5:17).

It is not because of our obedience to the law that we are placed into Christ. It is because of the the work of Christ that we are saved.

We should be confident to avoid placing ourselves under a law system for righteousness since Christ’s righteousness has been freely given us (2 Cor 5:21).

The gospel of grace demands that we lay aside our own provisions, traditions, and good works (which are filthy rags) and put our sole trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Likewise our daily walk should not include man made traditions, law systems that lead to bondage, and vain philosophies of growth and self-esteem which are of the world.

Instead we should rely upon the one who died for us.  He accomplished all that was needed for our salvation and all that was needed for our sanctification.  We ought to live for him without the spirit of fear or ill consequence because of his grace.

We were saved by grace and we walk by grace.  Grace teaches us to live godly.  Let’s put aside forever our list of ‘dos and don’t s’ and get busy redeeming the time bringing glory to our Father.

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ” – Rom 8:15