Religious Living or Grace Living?

Religious living people put their trust in the written word ('the letter') above the Living Word (Jesus) and end up having the righteousness of the law (self-righteousness).

Grace living people however, place their trust in the Living Word, view the written word through the Living Word, allow the Living Word to manifested Himself in and through them, and thus end up having the righteousness of God that exhibits the grace and love of God.

Religious living people justify their actions by quoting the words or actions of someone they deem as a man of God, believing what speaks to be the oracles of God. This action gives them spiritual approval by their spiritual idols that opens them up to deception.

Grace living people however, never seek to justify themselves before men by complying with men's expectations. They are God's representative and their only ambition is to please The Lord. 

Religious living people are more interested in men's opinions than in God's opinion. 

Grace living people interested in God's opinion irregardless of man's opinion. 

Religious living people can meditate for decades on the words of praise and prophecy that some popular preacher spoke concerning them. 

Grace living people, on the other hand, like Jesus, refuse to receive testimony from men (Jn. 5:34). They know that other men do not know the corruption that they see within themselves, and so they realize that the praise of men is worth less than nothing.

Religious living people are legalistic and are under the bondage of the law. They think in terms of the minimum requirement necessary in order to please God and fulfill their duties. 

Grace living people on the other, hand never seek to discover what the minimum requirement is to please God. They seek to find out the maximum and give themselves totally to God.

When Grace living people study the law, they do it to discover the spirit behind each commandment. Therefore, when studying the law they see that it is not enough to merely avoid adultery in the flesh (even though that was the minimum requirement by the law). We need to know the spirit behind the commandment was that we should not covet or desire the intent of the commandment in our heart. We need to see that in God's eyes anger and murder are similar.

Because Jesus understood the spirit of the law He provided a new and living way through His death and resurrection to establish a New Covenant by fulfilling the law that no man could keep.

The attitude of the religious is, "What can I get from the Lord?".

On the other hand, the attitude of Grace people is, "What can the Lord get from me?", this will lead to true spirituality. It will then become natural for us to go beyond the minimum requirement without seeking man's approval.

Our work should not be to receive the accolades or the favor of man, but our doing should be out of love for God and for people.

Love's work is done without obligation, expectation, or  remuneration.