Mercy is when you DON’T GET what you deserve. Justice is when you GET what you deserve. Grace is when you GET what you DON’T deserve. Three simple principles to remember when studying the Bible.
   We have made the Christian life far to difficult, and taken the joy right out of following Jesus by allowing legalism to creep into pulpits and classes. Legalism is a system of works whereby one feels he has balanced the religious scales so he can get into heaven.  Legalism is the focus on obeying commands (of God) and minimizing the grace which makes a “walk with Him” possible,  and takes the heart, joy and soul out of following Jesus.
   Answer these questions: Can you give more? Can you attend church more? Can you tell others about Jesus more? Can you read the bible more? Can you pray more? You say, “Sure, I can do more.” Well, legalism says, “You are bad because you have not done all you can.” Law has no Savior, no Calvary, no forgiveness. It just condemns you when you don’t DO what it says. You can never do enough ‘under law’. You will find a lot of guilt on this ‘road too much travelled’, because no matter what you do, it is never enough. This is what many use to get people to give, pray, and attend, bring people etc…
   Consider these questions: Do you give some? (“Yes” – Wonderful! Grow), Do you go to church? (“Yes” – Wonderful), Do you tell others about Jesus? (“Yes” – Great! Keep it up). What’s the point? Well it should be obvious because we are showing the difference between legalism and grace. Life under LAW is hard, and demanding and a life of guilt. Life under GRACE on the other hand is a life of joy, and encouragement to keep growing in Jesus.
   For example, just think about your driving record. All of you “good” drivers, think of all the times you did a ‘rolling stop’, or crossed the solid white line, or made a “U” turn where you shouldn’t have, or went over the speed limit, or parked wrong. Now imagine a roll of paper coming down from the sky with ALL of your infractions listed over the years you have been driving. Long list, right? Under LAW, you are a terrible driver. Add to that all the other things you’ve done wrong. There’s no hope. 
   Under GRACE however, this roll of paper has nothing written against you. God says, “This one is Mine, My Son paid for his sins. Read Romans 8 
   Well, will Christians who act like they are under law and works go to heaven? O, I believe they will, but they will go kicking and screaming, never confident about their salvation, never believing they have done enough, prayed enough, given enough, attended enough. Never seeing that Jesus did it all.  Amazing grace is not tiny grace, narrow grace, or ‘barely there’ grace… it is great grace. Great enough to save even the worst of sinners. Great enough to save believers who disagree.
   I don’t, go to church, give, sing, pray, study, write articles – to be saved… I do these things because I am saved by grace and heaven bound.
   May I suggest that gaining a balanced and Biblical view and understanding God’s grace along with His commands, will truy make His yoke “easy” and the burden truly “light”. God bless you.  (More to come).