The Do-nots & the Go do's!

Today's passage of Scripture once again is in Leviticus and is all 'Do Not...' It made me thankful that I live in the time I live. I know that I still have to obey the 'Do Nots' but I also have Jesus as an example of the Go Do...Jesus didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfil the law.


While the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were stopping people from doing things, Jesus was telling them to Go do stuff. For example, Jesus tells us to Go and make disciples of all men; to love one another; to love God; to be a good neighbour; to heal the sick; look after the poor and elderly; to turn the other cheek...We need to start doing what Jesus told us to do and stop worrying about the Do not's of life.


I was speaking to a lady in school today. We spoke about Lent and about what lent meant to her. She explained that this is the only 'Religious' thing she does as she didn't do religion. I explained to her that I wasn't religious and that I didn't do religion either. She was really surprised, she then went on to tell me that I was the most religious person she knows! 
I think this is a general misconception that people have. Most people think that to be a Christian means that you have to live by a long list of rules and regulations that are meant to be restricting and 'party-pooping' I feel really sad that I was told that I am the most religious person that this lady knows, although there is part of me that feels really good, as she knows what I believe and that Jesus is my Saviour - I guess for me its good to know that she knows that I am a Christian. I do believe however, that if religion and the restrictions of religion is the thing that is stopping people knowing Jesus, then that is bad. I want to be a Christ follower and not a person that is legalistic and stopping others from being in a relationship with God because of a list of rules that I put on them.
This has really made me think. I need to show Jesus not with the rules that I keep, but in the Christ like actions that I do. I need to do what Jesus did - Love God, love others, treat others with compassion and kindness. I need to make sure that when people see me they don't see the restrictions, but instead they see the truth - the FREEDOM that comes with knowing that Jesus is the Saviour of the world and that through his death that we can be forgiven of ALL of the sin in our lives.
I want to run the race that God has for me, I want to run the race of Freedom and help others come to the same knowledge that I have, that Jesus is Lord and that there is freedom in knowing the creator of the world.
Lets face it rules are there to be kept. Rules help us to keep on the right track. You can't play even a game of football without playing within the rules. Lets remember that the rules that are in the bible are not there to restrict us, but are there to keep us in line with what plans God has for our lives.