Rules and Regulations

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:3-4

The United States Code, the list of all the laws passed by the federal government, is 22 million words long. That doesn't include all of the state, county, and city laws that apply to you. You might also have professional standards, HOA regulations, and house or family rules to obey.
Do you feel oppressed yet? That's a lot of rules! So many you couldn't possibly read them all, much less remember them.
And more importantly, since you're a Christian, you should obey God's laws. Sometimes,the weight of it can seem crushing. But John says that God's commands are not burdensome. How can that be?
Because of God’s grace to you, you already have been freed from the penalty of sin and have the ability to obey. One reason that the federal code is so daunting is that you can't know if you're breaking part of it. You can't try to obey a law you don't know exists. But through the Bible and the work of the Holy Spirit, you already know God’s plan for you and have the ability to carry it out.
That’s the final part of loving our brothers and sisters. Is it hard? Just don’t wanna? Pray and ask God for faith, mercy, and forgiveness. He wants to make you as loving as He is.

Questions for reflection and discussion
1. Is there a rule or law that’s extra hard for you to obey?
2. How has God shown you that you already have overcome sin?

Dear God, thank You that You have not left us under a law we can’t obey. Continue to give us the grace to love and obey Your commandments. In Jesus’ name, amen.