All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace.

When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down.

Romans 5:20 (MSG)

In a culture that screams “Work hard and you’ll be successful!”, it’s no wonder so many Christians think the same way about salvation. The whole concept of karma, that our actions decide our fate, has been around for centuries. The idea of karma is like a game of Chutes and Ladders. That way of thinking says that at the end of our lives, if we have climbed high enough up the ladder, if we have done more good than bad, we win—we earn God’s love and grace and a ticket to heaven. But if we have made too many bad choices, if we have sinned too much, rather than climbing up to God, we land on those awful chutes, and we go, well…down. But this kind of thinking is completely contrary to the Gospel of Christ.

God knows that in a life filled with “chutes and ladders”, there is no peace. He doesn’t want our works; He wants our worship! The law was given, not to force us to be ladder climbers, but to show us that because of our sinful nature, our tendency to sin, the higher we climb the farther we fall. God’s solution? He sent GRACE down! He sent Jesus to rescue us, to transform us all from religion-climbers to grace-receivers. Jesus came to show us all that rule following and all that needless climbing doesn’t save us. GRACE does! HE does! And our obedience isn’t the work; our obedience is our response.

When you understand that a Gospel-based life isn’t one that climbs and works its way to God, there is peace. There is no need to strive and compete and fight for status when you recognize that Jesus did it all. Your job is to open your hands and receive His free gift. Jesus came to pay the price that opened eternity, and He has handed you the key. Reach up and grab it! You are deeply loved!

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