The new covenant makes all the difference.
Under the old covenant, people had to keep a series of laws. Under the new covenant, these same laws were written on our hearts.
Here's what Hebrews 8 says
The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.
But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.
God's laws are already written on our hearts. This means we can live from the life within us. We don't have to obey a set of rules in order to have a relationship with God.
What was drudgery under the old system becomes life under the new. We find ourselves wanting to do what pleases him rather than having to do it.
We're free to color outside the lines! And other people sense the difference.
4 replies on “Coloring outside the lines”
Great post. I always love the fact that He wants us to be bold and confident in our relationship with Him. He has taken care of everything.
I too agree strongly. I think misunderstanding the freedom from law in the new covenant is very common among christians, and is crippling. And I love the analogy of colouring outside the lines.
I think laws written on our heart can be so abstract, rather JC now lives in our hearts & because He is there the laws of God or the expression of His character naturally come forth. It’s His character coming forth, all we have to “do” is to stay out of His way.
David, Amen!!