Nothing But The Blood?!?!?!?

American Evangelicalism is a funny hybrid of Christianity. On one hand we say we believe the Gospel to “get saved” but on the other hand we live our Christian lives as if it has nothing to do with our relationship with God. We…
Seek to have a “closer (walk) relationship” with God,
work “to become holy”,
strive “to be sanctified”,
beg and plead “to be forgiven for our sins”,
tithe to get “the blessing”
resurrect parts of Hebrew law with it’s rule and regulations and latch onto our favorite parts to prove to others and ourselves that we are “real believers”, and those others are not,
condemn the big sinners “out there” so we can feel good about the sins we hide within ourselves,
we invent keys, steps, and uncover “secrets” to get in God’s good graces.

But the Gospel is not about us. The Gospel has nothing to do with what we do. The Gospel is not meant to chain us to a new law, but rather to set us free from the bondage of sin, self doubt, and fear and to experience God in a never before intimate way, and to become what God has intended us to become.

The Gospel has broken down the wall, and torn apart the curtain that has separated us from our Heavenly Father giving us instant access to Him.
The Gospel has covered us with a holiness and sanctification that we can never attain, even on our best days.
The Gospel has set us free from the penalty of every sin we have or will ever commit. We are totally and forever forgiven.
The Gospel fulfills all the laws and regulations of the Bible. We do not have to follow rituals, or do things for God so that He will take notice of us and bless us. Because of the Gospel we get blessing every day.
The Gospel is not a weapon to use against those that have not yet experienced the love and mercy of God, rather it is a balm that brings sight to the blind, healing to the spiritually sick, food and clothing to the hungry and naked, and freedom to those trapped in their self made prisons.
The Gospel is not nice tidy steps that we take one at a time in order to attain perfection. The Gospel is wild and unpredictable, interrupting the rigid, challenging the status quo, doing the unexpected, and reaching those we deem as unworthy.