'So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. ' Colossians 2:16-17 

I recently had the privilege of bringing someone to take their driving test. They had already taken the written test and gotten in their practice hours. Now they just needed to convince the evaluator that they were not a threat on the road! They had to demonstrate a knowledge of the rules and the skill to keep them. Thankfully, they passed! Now they have the freedom and privilege of driving solo. It’s both a relief and a responsibility.

Imagine someone saying, “I don’t want to drive. There are too many rules! They won’t let me drive as fast as I want, and they won’t let me drive on the other side of the road. If I can’t drive my way, I don’t want to drive at all!” Sounds pretty foolish, doesn’t it? When someone is going for their driver’s license, they accept the noes as part of the package. They recognize that the noes are part of order and safety so that driving can be a useful and enjoyable experience for everyone. They focus on the freedom of driving, not the restrictions.

Why is it that Christianity has become known as a religion of noes? People choose not to become Christians because they don’t want to follow “all those rules.” Somehow Christianity has come across as a collection of dos and don’ts instead of the path to life working as it is meant to work, the path to freedom. Christianity is supposed to be about following Christ. But it is about so much more than legalistically following all the rules. It’s about a love story. It is about you and I responding to the reality that is the love of Jesus Christ. Christianity isn’t about rules. It’s about love.

Legalism or love? Are you caught up in trying to obey all the rules?

Legalism follows the rules out of fear. My dear friend, are you often afraid that God is mad at you? Or disappointed? Or even indifferent? If your image of God is an old man on a big throne with a scowl on his face, just waiting for you to mess up so that he can send a lightning bolt to consume you, then you have got it all wrong. Be honest with yourself. That image may seem extreme, but when you miss the mark and “break the rules” do you wonder if God really loves you? Are you afraid He might reject you? You don’t have to be living in constant fear of God’s scowl.

Maybe you had a parent who was constantly angry at you for not living up to their expectations. Or perhaps you had another adult in your childhood life that was continually disappointed in you for not measuring up. Their disappointment and anger have become part of the ways that you see God and other authority figures in your life. But I want to offer you another image of God to replace your angry, disappointed god. What if you could envision Him as a smiling Savior, hands outstretched and ready to guide you in right choices? What if you saw Him as One who was continually lavishing love upon you and inviting you to come closer to Him so that He can wrap you up in His arms of love? What if instead of fearing His displeasure when you miss the mark, you could run to Him for comfort and loving correction, guidance onto the right path after your foot has slipped?

If you have focused on trying to get everything right to make God happy, maybe it’s time to think of love rather than legalism. Maybe it’s time to wipe the scowl from your image of God. Maybe it’s time to replace that face with a Father who smiles, who delights in you before you have done a thing, and who reaches out to help you when you have messed up. Love doesn’t fear rejection. Love responds to love.

Love understands the reality of relationship.  Here’s the bottom line: God’s love for you is what motivates His rules. He wants to protect you from harm. His response when we deny those limits is not a scowl, but concern. Sin harms you and me in ways that we are unaware of. His love says no for your good. Just like speed limits, lines and guard rails are for safety and protection on the road. God’s limits are for you, not against you. When you and I choose to follow those noes out of a response to His love, then we don’t fear His anger. We delight to do His will and we experience His delight in return. Legalism is about fear. Love is about delight. There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John …)

The most beautiful thing of all is that Jesus is the reality the rules are pointing to. The reality of His love expressed on the cross is contained in the noes of Scripture. When I focus on His love, I don’t want to veer from His path. I want to stay on it with Him. I want to stay close to Him. I want to see Him smile.

Jesus is the reality of God’s love.  Christianity has often become known for the noes rather than the yesses. But Christianity as God designed it is about a big YES. It is about life. It’s about saying yes to Jesus because He is the ultimate reality.

Are you out of touch with the reality of Jesus? What does He mean to you? When I am in touch with Jesus then the noes are not about rules. They are an expression of His love for me and my love for Him. I choose not to do something because it would break His heart. I don’t deny myself for the sake of the rule. I deny myself as an act of love, like giving the last cookie to my husband. It’s less about saying no to myself. It’s more about doing something that will make Him smile.

I want my life to make Jesus smile.

How do I know that He is the reality? I have experienced His smile. It’s hard to explain and even harder to understand, but I have. I have experienced His presence in ways that confirm His reality. Sure, I have questions. I don’t fully understand it all, but the reality of my experience overshadows the questions.

Dear friend, you may be struggling with God’s limits. Perhaps you are always on edge and wondering if you have made God mad. Relax! His love for you is greater than any displeasure at your failures. His love motivates Him to, not only set limits but to help you live within them. He wants you to experience the reality of His love rather than live in fear and legalism.

Key Thought: When you experience the love of Christ, following the guidelines of Scripture becomes about love.

A Scripture to Consider: 'So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. ' Colossians 2:16-17

A YES Challenge: Sit for a moment with the image of God scowling at you because you have broken one of His rules. In your imagination, transform that look into one of loving concern. Take some time to thank God for His limits and loving concern for you.

Prayer: Lord, You know that I have questions and struggles related to faith, but there is nowhere else I want to be. You are my reality. I want my life to make You smile. Help me to live according to Your rules, not out of fear and legalism, but out of love. My life is Yours. Amen.