Session 11: Does Christianity Just Mean More Rules?

Welcome back, everyone. Today we're going to talk about one of the biggest reasons some people want nothing to do with Christianity: the rules. Don't do this. Don't do that. Go to church. Don't get drunk. Don't lie. Don't cheat. Control your anger. Forgive people. Put God first. From the outside, Christianity can look like one enormous list of things you're not allowed to do. And you might think, “Why would I want that? I want to be free.” But let's ask an important question: What does being free actually mean?

WATCH VIDEO (coming soon)

Does freedom mean doing whatever you feel like whenever you want? Think about alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, social media, anger, or even your phone. Something can begin as “I can do this whenever I want” and eventually become “I can't stop even when I want.” That's not freedom. Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” — John 8:34. Christianity teaches that real freedom isn't simply being able to do whatever you want. It's being strong enough to choose what's good even when you're tempted to do something else.

Think about an athlete. Great athletes follow all kinds of rules. They practice, exercise, control what they eat, and sometimes train when everyone else is having fun. Those disciplines don't take away their freedom. They give them the freedom to become excellent. God's commandments work in a similar way. Don't lie because dishonesty destroys trust. Don't steal because other people matter. Don't let anger control you because it can destroy relationships. Don't become obsessed with money because it can become your master. God's boundaries aren't there because He wants to ruin your life. They're there because He knows what can hurt you.

So here's your challenge today. Ask yourself: “Is there anything in my life that has more control over me than I'd like?” Maybe it's your phone, someone's approval, pornography, alcohol, anger, gaming, social media, or something else. Choose one and practice saying no to it today. Then pray: “Jesus, show me anything that's controlling me and give me the strength to choose what's good.” Maybe real freedom isn't doing whatever you want. Maybe it's becoming strong enough that nothing controls you. Next time, we're going to talk about something I've mentioned throughout this series: prayer. If God already knows everything, why do we need to pray?