Ahhh, the freedom to believe salvation was accomplished on the cross. Jesus suffered, died, and was buried, on the third day He rose again. You know the rest, that familiar vibration or hymn; He is seated at the right hand of the Father. That’s right, He sat down. Prior to this perfected sacrifice, the job of the High Priest was to remain standing. The work, the requirements to uphold the Law and appease God’s wrath were extensive, to say the least. But wait, Jesus came and fulfilled the Law. We can breathe easy. Walking in the perfection of the ultimate sacrifice, the flawless Lamb, Grace is the garment of the righteous.
No, not a mended garment, a brand new, spotless one.
Freedom.
Free from condemnation, free from the burden of guilt and shame, baptized in the water that separates us… from them. We are born again.
Now there are just a few things for you to tend to.
Don’t drink, smoke, cuss, spit, kick your dog, date your cousin, ogle your neighbor, eat too much processed cheese food, dance, miss church, cheat, steal, yell, watch rated R movies, play poker, bet on the ponies, Trick or Treat, talk to strangers or do any of the things that are listed among the “bad” things your conscience, moral high ground or church has you convinced interferes with your salvation.
Somewhere in the back of your waterlogged ears, freshly clogged with baptismal water, you remember hearing something about freedom from the Law.
Freedom.
Freedom to do whatever one wants?
By no means. Grace isn’t license to sin, grace is license to be entirely made new. The difference between changed by Grace and changed by Law? Grace is a change that is entirely lovely, without pretense or piety. It is utterly humbly, wholly grateful. But how can you be certain without constantly checking your belly button, if you have stepped out of the courthouse and into the banquet hall? Here are some sure-fire tests to try.
