Moralism and legalism was my religion. Self-justification and self sufficiency can be a great front for outward Christianity when all is going well in life. It is when a crises hits that the heart is exposed. When the storms in life come, and they will come, there is no foundation to stand.
"You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace." (Gal 5:4) That is exactly how I felt- fallen, alone, an outsider and Christ was far from me. I had desperately tried to earn His love and was a screw up. I thought my failures disqualified me from being a Christian not realizing I could not live the Christian life by myself.
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now going to be made complete by the flesh?"
Gal. 3:3
Our failures in striving and in hiding, reveal our desperate need for a Savior and can lead us to the grace of Christ and into a new life transformed by the gospel, wrapped up in a relationship with Jesus and dependent on the Spirit.
"He made Him who knew no sin,
to be sin on our behalf, so that we
might become the righteousness of
God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21
We don't have to be perfect because there is another who is perfect.
"God shows His love for us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8) In God's great mercy, He saw fit that we who were once slaves to sin by birth are no longer orphans but would now stand as the sons and daughters.
I am a daughter covered in the Father's love through the blood of Jesus.
Having talked to many "good church girls", I am convinced that I am not the only one who has lived in the false gospel of moralism and legalism. This bondage is not just personal but can affect our relationships and entire church communities. Women especially fall victim to comparison and performance as we try to fit the church image and hide sin rather than being transparent and receiving help. We try to do and say all the "right things" and compare our lives to others, judgements are made and grace is rarely extended.
The true Gospel says that, if you are "in Christ you are a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." (2 Cor. 5:17) In Christ, you are victorious, righteous, forgiven, loved and holy. In Christ you are not your sin, you are hidden and your sin is made clean by your identity in Christ's Holiness. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 8:1) When God looks at you, He sees Christ. Trusting in the blood of Christ and His finished work on the cross, you are free to receive and rely on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
How liberating it is to understand that this life is not about me, my achievements or my failures. It is all about Jesus. His work, His life, His death. His resurrection.
After years of trying to be a Christian, I became "in Christ". Finally, I fully received His grace. I stopped striving and began receiving. I stopped fearing and began following.
I can still drift into striving for perfection or hiding under the weight of guilt and shame that creates distance in my relationship with Christ.
"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Lord, take it seal it. Seal it for Thy courts of love."
Each day, I have to return to the cross of Christ so that I don't lose sight of amazing grace to "standfast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free" (Gal. 5:1).
"I am guilty, filthy, and stained, but He became a curse, drank my cup and took my pain"-Lecrae
"God shows His love for us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8) In God's great mercy, He saw fit that we who were once slaves to sin by birth are no longer orphans but would now stand as the sons and daughters.
I am a daughter covered in the Father's love through the blood of Jesus.
Having talked to many "good church girls", I am convinced that I am not the only one who has lived in the false gospel of moralism and legalism. This bondage is not just personal but can affect our relationships and entire church communities. Women especially fall victim to comparison and performance as we try to fit the church image and hide sin rather than being transparent and receiving help. We try to do and say all the "right things" and compare our lives to others, judgements are made and grace is rarely extended.
The true Gospel says that, if you are "in Christ you are a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." (2 Cor. 5:17) In Christ, you are victorious, righteous, forgiven, loved and holy. In Christ you are not your sin, you are hidden and your sin is made clean by your identity in Christ's Holiness. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 8:1) When God looks at you, He sees Christ. Trusting in the blood of Christ and His finished work on the cross, you are free to receive and rely on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
How liberating it is to understand that this life is not about me, my achievements or my failures. It is all about Jesus. His work, His life, His death. His resurrection.
After years of trying to be a Christian, I became "in Christ". Finally, I fully received His grace. I stopped striving and began receiving. I stopped fearing and began following.
I can still drift into striving for perfection or hiding under the weight of guilt and shame that creates distance in my relationship with Christ.
"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Lord, take it seal it. Seal it for Thy courts of love."
Each day, I have to return to the cross of Christ so that I don't lose sight of amazing grace to "standfast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free" (Gal. 5:1).
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