Obedience

     Someone has recently said that rules & regulations really don't matter as long as you have a relationship with the Lord.  Although that sounds spiritual & even non-legalistic, to say that we have no "rules" in the Christian life is ludicrous.  To clarify that statement, I must say that the Bible is clear that following a set of rules or even some man-made traditions has nothing to do with my relationship to Christ concerning salvation.  My salvation is all a work of God's grace, received through faith in what Christ has already completed on Calvary.  But, God loved me so much that He didn't leave me in the state that He found me.  Thank God that I am now "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works".
     As far as rules go, God spent most of the New Testament telling us how to live the Christian life.  If our salvation was all that God had in store for us in this life, then God would have just given us the Gospels and maybe the book of Romans.  If salvation was all that God wanted for us, then He would have called us home the moment we were birthed into His glorious family.  But, we are now ambassadors, called to be followers of Him, as dear children.
     Regardless of how you may try to twist the Scriptures to your liking, the Christian life is about obedience.  Christ was obedient unto death so He could secure our salvation.  Imagine if He decided that obedience was not important.  We would all still be headed for Hell.  I know that this may be unpopular to the Contemporary Christian mindset, but it is true.  If rules & regulations do not matter then what are you going to say when your spouse is found being unfaithful to you.  Will you just say to them, "As long as we have a relationship, then it really doesn't matter what you do"?  NO! That is foolish.  Just as foolish as thinking that you can have a real relationship with Christ w/out following after His Word.  He said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments". (John 14:15)