Changed From The Chains

Before my life was truly changed by the Gospel, extra biblical regulation (or standards) was my safety net, Christ was the ticket but being careful and old fashioned was the currency to heaven, which for me was just the other option outside of Hell. I was constantly measuring myself against others in order to think I was good enough for God.  I was living trying to ensure my ticket to Heaven didn’t expire.

  I am so thankful to know that it’s the Cross plus nothing that equals my salvation.  All the religious activities, and laws and regulations had become more about fooling others than living in any kind of joy of salvation.  The stress caused by what people perceived me to be and what I knew I was had become a life of bondage and defeat.

 As I grow in the knowledge of the Gospel truth, I have to praise God for the changes He is bringing into my life.  I am no longer bound to proving to the preacher or others that we are doing “good” spiritually by fulfilling religious, churchy obligations, and yet I am learning to find joy in that I get to serve within the church.  My wife and I are able to pray together and to ask each other for forgiveness and to ask others for prayer and advice when we face struggles in our marriage.  In the past the inability to be open and honest about the problems in our marriage almost destroyed our home, because we were so bound to the fear of man.  

Because of what Christ is doing in our lives we are growing in the desire to see others know the Gospel.  I used to care very little about other people whom I considered deserving of judgment because of my assessment of their “sins”.    Because of the Gospel, I see now that people are souls in need of salvation, & that I am the biggest sinner I know.  Joy, belief, and confidence in a finished work of salvation is replacing the old “I need a safety net” mentality.  I can now come to a place of worship and I’m able to raise my hands and sing songs of praise because Jesus is worthy of worship regardless of how much I messed up last week.  I can face the natural and spiritual conflicts of day to day life knowing that the battle for my soul has already been fought and Jesus has won the victory for me.  

The knowledge of the Gospel, “Christ in my place” is giving me the desire to learn more about my savior, to view heaven as more than a “better option”, to lead my family to the Gospel, and to serve others and see them changed by the Gospel as well.  

I cannot claim ownership of the positive changes in my life, it is all because of Christ for Gods glory…I can only thank Him.