We are most probably all aware of the saying “walking on eggshells”. If you are walking on eggshells, you are being very careful not to offend someone or do anything wrong. There seems to be a lot of “walking on eggshells” in our country today.

Many Christians live their lives that way regarding their view of God. “Follow these rules, do this many good things: if you do these things, this is the way to get to heaven.”

In the orthodoxy of ancient Judaism, and even in modern times, the devout Jews follow what is called the Halacha.  The Halacha is a body of laws that were expanded from the written law of Moses (The Torah) and the “Oral Torah” (laws not written down but those that were passed down from generation to generation). The Halacha guides in all aspects of life such as civil law, the treatment of family, relatives, and religious requirements. For these individuals, the main reason for the adherence to the Halacha is to be in right standing before God, to become spiritually close to him, and to earn a reward in the future world.  The word Halacha means:  “the way to behave” or “the way of walking”.

In John 14:6, Jesus responded to a question from Thomas about knowing the way (Jesus was speaking concerning his crucifixion and resurrection):

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

What a bold statement by Jesus! So What did this statement mean and what does it mean today?  Jesus said there is no other way to get to heaven, no other way to have a right standing before God, except through him, His death, burial, and resurrection. Strict adherence to the Halacha does not merit enough grace to get you into heaven. “The way of walking” will not allow you to walk into heaven.

The belief, through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is the Way, the only way to get to heaven, nothing else added.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  (Eph. 2:8-9)

Now that doesn’t mean that we don’t do good works, for we have been saved to do good works. The good works we perform do not merit us any grace or good standing in regards to our justification (salvation), rather they are the fruit of our salvation.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)

One may say that good works are acts of obedience out of love.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

 Nor does it mean that because we have been forgiven through Gods’ grace we are exempt from the commands of Christ. This doesn’t mean that we are free to live sinfully, thinking that God will not hold those sins to our account because he has forgiven all our sins.

The apostle Paul confronted this same wrong thinking in his letter to the Romans.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

Walking on religious eggshells is an exhausting, anxiety-filled, and fruitless endeavor. It is like trying to fill a water bucket that has holes in it, an endless futile attempt, and a yoke we were never intended to bear.

Jesus’ very words in Matthew 11:28-30 illustrates this very well.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The true child of God doesn’t have to walk on eggshells around Him out of fear, rather obey His commandments with joy because you love Him.

We are to rest in what Christ has done for us, which means to solely trust and rely on His good work, not live a life of fear that we have not done enough to enter the gates of Heaven.