Did you know that the pharisees in biblical days wrote many extra laws and rules to help the people keep the Law of Moses? To remember and follow all of them had to be tough. Jesus spoke about these man-made rules many times. But you know what? There are many churches today that have done the same thing – making man-made expectations. Mostly unwritten ones.

Failure to abide by these can put a person in a position of having to defend their status of salvation. It seems the churches have forgotten verses like John 6:37 and others. From what I learned through my parents, with Jesus there is a freedom and hope that makes our faith shine and stand out as being different from other religions which have a laundry list of rules and expectations.

There are two things I want to point out today. Both have brought me freedom and hope.

First, Jesus did what society and the priests didn’t necessarily approve of. He ate with ‘sinners’ – laughing and having a good time. He enjoyed life and fellowship with others. He listened to children and gave them equal attention. He touched the untouchables. He spoke truth, pointing out sins or sinful natures that needed to be dealt with. He directed everyone to His Heavenly Father.

The more time I spend reading about Jesus the more freedom I have. Freedom from the cares, the pressures and the stresses of the world. There is freedom in doing as Jesus did. That my friend is to be desired.

My second point I recently found in Exodus 32. To refresh your memory, while Moses was with God, a golden calf was made and worshiped. God sends Moses back down the mountain to stop the people. Flabbergasted and angry at what the people have done Moses asks God if He doesn’t forgive this sin of the people then Moses wants God to blot out his name from God’s book.

What is God’s book? It’s the book of names. You may wonder when these names were written in this book. After all, Jesus hadn’t come yet. So when did the people give their heart to Jesus in order to have their name in the book of names? Turns out, God’s book of names was written from the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8) David calls it the Book of Life in Psalm 69.

Per God’s response to Moses, we see one important note that is often overlooked – names are blotted out, or erased. What does someone have to do to have their name blotted out? Look at Exodus 32:32-33.

“‘Now if you would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book you have written.’ The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will erase from my book.'” (CSB)

Now before you start thinking that means you have to tow a straight line without any failures, remember Peter’s denials, and Saul’s persecutions before he became Paul. Like them, we all make mistakes and some of those are against God.

But, He is a forgiving God and loves us tremendously. He is slow to anger. (Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:8) He knows the heart of man. (Jeremiah 17:10; Psalm 44:2; Romans 8:27) He knows why a failure is truly done even if you think there were ulterior motives. (Psalm 139) And, His ways are different from the ways of man, so we can trust Him. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

The next time you feel pressure to act or speak a certain way because “that’s what Christians do”, remember Jesus and how HE showed the Father’s love to all those around Him. Ask Jesus what HE wants you to do or say.

Remember there is always hope in Jesus.