The drift towards law

Scripture: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8

It’s easy to slip into rule-keeping mode — to start defining faith by what we do rather than what God has done. The Pharisees had good intentions: they wanted to protect God’s law. But somewhere along the way, they forgot the heart behind it.

The same drift happens today. We make categories and policies instead of having conversations. We label instead of listening. But Jesus never did ministry through labels — He did it through relationship. He invited tax collectors, defended the condemned, and restored the broken. Grace always moves through connection, not control.

As Pastor Cory said, when grace feels messy, that’s when it’s working. God’s grace changes people from the inside out — but we have to give it space to do its work.

Reflection: Are you more comfortable with policies or with people? How might God be calling you to show grace in relationship today?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for showing me grace when I least deserved it. Help me choose conversation over condemnation — and relationships over rules.