IN a small town in America, there was an old barber who was very kind and also very rich.
One day, a florist got a haircut. When he was about to pay, the old barber said, “It’s free. This is my community service.”
The florist was very grateful. One hour later, when the barber opened the door, he saw a thank you card and 12 roses from the florist.
The next day, a baker walked into his barbershop and got a haircut.
When he was about to pay, the old barber said, “It’s free. This is my community service.”
The baker was very grateful. One hour later, when the barber opened the door, he saw a thank you card and 12 ensaymadas from the baker.
The next day, a Filipino software engineer walked into his barbershop and got a haircut. When he was about to pay, the old barber said, “It’s free. This is my community service.”
The Filipino software engineer was very grateful. One hour later, when the barber opened the door, there were 12 Filipinos looking for a free haircut.
God is like that old barber. His love is free. You don’t pay for it by being a good boy or girl. Instead, you want to be good out of gratitude. And you tell other Filipinos —and other non-Filipinos—to come and have a free haircut.
This is what evangelism is.
Which brings me to the two kinds of religious people in the world: those whose relationship with God is based on Law or those whose relationship with God is based on Grace….
- When Your Relationship with God Is Based On Law
These are the religious people who are working very hard to earn His love.
Because of this, the Law rules their life. These are people who believe that because of their sins, God is angry at them, and for God to love them, they have to follow the Law. Sadly, this is very common. For many, they’re religious to appease an angry God.
If your relationship with God is based on Law, it’s a NO-WIN game. Because only two things can happen: If you’re not able to follow the Law, the result is Self Pity. But if you’re able to follow the Law, the result is Self Righteousness. Which leads to being judgmental towards others. (“How can they not follow the Law? It’s so easy.I did it!”)
The Worst Sin in the World
Question: What is the worst sin in the world?
Let me read to you Saul’s story: Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-3)
Saul was a veeeeeery bad boy. If you’re a bad boy, and you know you’re a bad boy, it’s not too bad.Because admitting you have a problem is solving 50% of the problem.
But Saul was adamant he was good. Why was Saul doing this? Spiritual pride. I believe spiritual pride is the worst sin of all. Why? Because you’re rejecting God’s Love by telling God that you don’t need it.
Saul didn’t think he was a bad boy. He thought he was really doing the will of God. Here’s what I realized: Some of the biggest crimes in this world are caused by people who think they’re doing the will of God. If you look down through history, you’ll see how religions and violence go together. Creeds and Cruelty go together. Faith and Force go together. Because of the sin of spiritual pride.
Second, when you’re spiritually proud, you’ll persecute.
But you don’t have to look at history to observe this happening. Just look at your own backyard. Look at your own family, or your own office, or your own neighborhood, or your church, or your prayer group. Who can be the most difficult people in the group? Who can be the most judgmental, arrogant, self-righteous people? Answer: Religious people.
Paul describes his spiritual pride: I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. (Galatians 1:14) He also said, If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:4-6)
I compare a spiritually proud person to this woman who goes to the doctor and says, “Doc, it hurts everywhere,” as she was touching different parts of her body with her finger. “My arm hurts, my neck hurts, my shoulders hurt, my head hurts…”
After the tests, the doctor says, “Do you know why everything you touch hurts? Because your finger is broken.”
A spiritually proud person likes pointing to what’s broken with other people. Not realizing that he is the one who is broken.
Religious Leaders
By nature, people whose relationship with God is based on the Law are zealous, and they eventually become leaders of a church or community or organization. And very quickly, the group morphs from a community of love to a community of laws. From a community of compassion to a community of condemnation. From a community of gentleness to a community of judgments. Norms become more important than people. If you can’t follow the norms, you’re condemned. You’re ostrasized. Ultimately, you’re kicked out.
But Jesus built a very different community. A community of grace. He welcomed the worst sinners—prostitutes, drunkards, tax collectors. This is the irony of Jesus. He befriended the Prostitute with 7 demons, the Adultress with 5 husbands, the Chief Tax Collector who cheated his fellow-Israelites—but he condemned the religious leaders of his time, Pharisees and Sadducees. Because of their spiritual pride.
One day, a prostitute wanted to go to church. But after attending the church, everyone looked at her in such a mean way, she finally left. She sat under a tree outside the church and started crying.
She said, “Lord, the people in church don’t want me to go in.”
That was when she heard God tell her, “That’s okay, my daughter. I myself have been trying to get into that church for many years now, but they wouldn’t let me.”
We in the Light of Jesus Family welcome everyone. Mistresses. Adulterers. Practicing homosexuals. Prostitutes. Anyone.
And then there’s a second kind of religious person…
- When Your Relationship with God Is Based On Grace
He is someone who believes that before he does anything good and despite his sins, God already accepts him, forgives him, and loves him—and that it’s God’s unstoppable love that will ultimately change him.
Result? Humility. Gratitude. Compassion. Kindness.
Because if you know you’re accepted by GRACE, then you’ll also accept others by grace too.
That is what happens on the Road to Damascus. God wakes up Saul from his spiritual pride… As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. (Acts 9:3-5)
On that fateful day, Saul experienced God’s unconditional, unstoppable love. How unstoppable? He realized that God will not stop loving you until He totally fixes your brokenness.
Years after his conversion, Paul said, God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT) The man of the Law became the man of Grace.
On the Road of Damascus, Saul became Paul. Why? Because Saul met Jesus. Saul met Grace.
Read the Story of
Cheryl and Philippe Villareal – Journey to Love
Diana Jessica Aguila – A Promise of Hope
Rading Decepida – Blessings In Disguise
