Leaning on Simplicity

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -- Ephesians 2:8-10

The Christian faith, across the board, has had the habit of being extremely legalistic.  I don't know if it is because of the large number of folks who just HAVE to have control over others, or what?  To hear many speak of the Christian faith, on television or elsewhere, the strong impression is given that if YOU make up your mind to "get your heart right with God," you will DO A, B, C, D, E... THEN God will love you and bless you and give you the world... "Ask and it will be given..."

Such an outlook on faithful living is not the cross (crux) of faith.  I'd refer you to the whole of the second chapter of Ephesians.  I think it speaks strongly of the Real Christian faith.  The focus of our faith in God, is not on what I've done wrong - by some outside definition imposed - and then covered with a band-aid of guilt.  The real point of faith is the grace God instilled into the equation through Jesus Christ. In fact, in the above verses, God instilled the desire and will to do good works in us by design, and therein is the life we walk with God.  There is no directed moral code that demands adherence as much as there is just this invitation to be good and, as Jesus said it, "love your neighbor."  The simplicity of that is astounding.  Just be good and trust God's gift through Christ's death to make everything okay.  Just lean on this promise.  It will be enough.