“Do this!” “Do that!” “Not good enough!” Legalism kills the Spirit, because all of the laws and codes surrounding holiness are exhausting and impossible. They do a perfect job showing us how flawed we are, because it’s not possible to keep them. Which, according to the Apostle Paul, was exactly what they were supposed to do.

As Paul writes to the Corinthians he tells them that there is a New Covenant, one not based on following the “letter” of the law, “but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life,” (2 Cor 3:6) and in this Spirit “there is freedom,” (2 Cor 3:17).

Thank You, Jesus, for forgiveness and freedom through the Spirit, because this life is hard enough without having to be perfect!

Now look, this is not a license to sin, we are called to pursue holiness, to be like Jesus. But if we mess up, we can rest in His grace. So this is a relationship based on pleasing Jesus out of love for all that He has done for us (giving His life for ours on the cross and giving us His Spirit), and not out of fear of discipline (lightning bolts from the sky every time we mess up).