Grace versus Law

Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses you cannot be saved.' Acts 15:1

Circumcision would have come to be a form of holiness to the Jews. It was a huge price paid by an individual to show that that person would follow God. We can see from the passages around this scripture that circumcision was enshrined in the Jewish faith and Jewish Christians valued it's sanctity so much they fought for it.

We have, all of us, parts of our Christianity that are sacred to us. It depends what faith we are in before we come to know Jesus as a living friend as opposed to a mystical thought out there that we follow.

Before I had asked the Lord into my life I was a catholic. The catholic faith has a lot of rituals and beliefs associated with godliness.

After conversion I had to go through a time when I needed to learn what was law and what was grace. the words 'I should do' became suspicious to me.

Worship of Mary had never figured heavily in my faith but if it had then I would need to come to understand that Mary was someone just like me who was blessed greatly to bear Jesus and raise Him. Yes that made her a special lady but it did not deify her. Jesus said himself 'I am the Way, the Truth, the Life no man comes to the Father but by me.'

That was enough for me. I could give up my rosary beads, my scapulars, my medals, my 'holy cards' for my Jesus and my bible was all I needed.

Coming into 'grace' has been the best experience for me. Realising that Jesus paid the price for all my sin and that there is nothing more that I need to do except humbly accept He is enough.