THE GAME IS ABOUT MORE THAN RULES

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. Galatians 2:16 (NLT)

When you watch a football game, do you cheer for the players who have memorized every single rule in the handbook? No. Regulations give the game structure and make it fun, but strict rule-following doesn’t necessarily make a player great on the field.

In the same way, it’s possible to obey all the Bible’s rules, yet live out a lousy existence as a Christian. Why? Because Christianity is not about trying to gain God’s approval through following a bunch of rules.

Now, of course rules are essential in society. They help us navigate traffic safely, raise our kids and enforce law and order.

But when Jesus came to the planet, He didn’t come to hang out with an exclusive club of religious rule-followers. Had that been the case, Jesus would have chosen twelve of the most pious Pharisees in the land as His disciples, yet He didn’t. He hand-picked ordinary people. Why?

Because Jesus came for a family—and like all families, His has imperfect people in it. In fact, it’s full of perfectly imperfect people that He accepts just the way they are!

The beautiful part is when we place our faith in Christ, regardless of what we’ve done, Jesus evens the playing field. We are made right with God through Jesus' obedience on the cross, not through our actions.

Through Christ, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve fumbled the ball or think you have followed all the rules perfectly. Placing your faith in Him creates a permanent seat for you at the family table and opens the way to growing a fulfilling relationship with Jesus.

That’s what Christianity is about!