The Reality Is

These are a shadow of the things that were to come;

the reality, however, is found in Christ. (Col 2:17)

The reality is that in Christ we are free from all religious activity, rituals, regulations, etc that would supposedly bring us into good relationship with and keep us in good relationship with God, His favor, His grace, and as it were, His smile.  The reality is that we are already in right relationship with God, and are under His grace, His mercy, His favor, and His smile through Jesus Christ.  We can't be in a better relationship with Him than we already are in Christ.  All the grace and mercy and favor we can experience from God are in Christ., and all of that by grace. The reality is that in Christ we are free of all religious activity that would supposedly make us more right with Him or more pleasing to Him.  Not only are we free of those things but also the institutions and people that would try to impose those things upon us so that we may be more godly in their eyes.  The reality is that in Jesus we are free of all self effort to be right with or maintain rightness with God.  The reality is that in Christ we are free form sin and all efforts we attempt to make up for, pay for, or pay the price for sin.  We have what religion and rituals can't give us. We have what regulations and penance can't give us.  We have been set free of those activities and delivered into the freedom of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The reality is that in Jesus we are free from the shadow of religion, and have free access to God and all that implies through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.