Page 27 - The Gospel Truth About Death and Dying_Neat

Rules kill relationship, whether the relationship is divine or human.

Think about your human relationships (if you are married, think of
your spouse; if you are not married, think of someone else you

are close to). If you live by rules with a person, there is not an

intimate closeness in your relationship. Rules undermine close

relationships. They alienate people. They cause conflict and

strife, and scripture says, ‘every other evil thing.’

A loving relationship must be built outside of rules.

Rules Undermine, the Gospel

Builds Up and Establishes

Here’s the way I like to say this:

The law of the Old Testament

demanded from people what it could not produce.

The gospel of the New Testament

produces in us what it does not demand.

Again, the only thing Jesus demands from us is our belief. Now

grated, Jesus talks about loving God with all our heart, mind,

soul and strength, and also loving others as ourselves.

But when he said this he was quoting the Old Testament law,

27