Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

LIVING PER THE CODE

September 14, 2011

Some people who don't want to be troubled by following Jesus, respond, "I live by a code, a value system, by the Golden Rule..." In other words, without a a Savior, they rely upon adhering to do's and don'ts.

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God...You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
                                           --Romans 2:17,21 TNIV

Over the centuries, many have rejected the invitation to follow Christ, instead claiming to follow a code of life, in essence a law, do's and do nots. So at the end of Romans 2, Paul says, "Okay, but what human being actually is capable of obeying their own laws perfectly?" In the law or code-book living, there is no grace upon failure, and no empowerment to keep the code. That's bad news all the time.

The purpose of the code is to tell you if you've been bad or good (Santa Claus thing!), but in the end it is only bad news. Thanks be to God in Jesus Christ, we are freed from the curse of the law, and a lifeless code.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson