Let’s be real: humans love rules. Like, we can’t help ourselves. Even today, we find ourselves thinking, “If I just do X, Y, and Z perfectly, God will really see me.” And this isn’t some new problem—it was happening in the early church too.
Case in point: Acts 15. Yep, the infamous circumcision debate. Awkward? Definitely. . . Confusing? Totally. . .Necessary? Nope. However, some Jewish believers insisted that Gentile Christians had to get circumcised to really belong. Imagine explaining that in modern terms:
"You’re saved… but first, let’s have a little, um… surgical procedure."
Yeah. . . awkward. But here’s the thing: they were clinging to what they knew, the Jewish law, traditions, and the rules that had defined God’s people for generations. And that makes sense. But Peter, Paul, and the apostles had to step in and essentially say: “Nope. Stop trying to add to what Jesus already did. He’s enough. Trust Him.”
Why We Think We Need Rituals
We all do this. We try to add stuff to Jesus to make Him work better for us. More Bible reading. Longer prayers. Daily devotionals. Coffee with extra foam on Sundays. (Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea.)
Throughout the New Testament, the pattern is clear: people kept thinking adding something would make them right with God. Circumcision. Dietary laws. Sacrifices. Rituals. Endless checklists. And every time, the apostles had to gently (and sometimes not-so-gently) remind people: “You don’t need that. Jesus did it all. Stop adding to it.”
Paul puts it plainly in Galatians 2:16:
“A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”
And Hebrews 10:10 reminds us:
we are made holy once and for all through His sacrifice—not our performance.
The Big Idea: Jesus + Nothing = Everything
This is the spiritual truth that changes everything. You don’t need Jesus + rituals. You don’t need Jesus + checklists. You don’t need Jesus + performing perfectly. You just need Jesus. Period.
Let that sink in for a second.
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Jesus alone covers our sins.
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Jesus alone gives us new life.
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Jesus alone is enough.
When we get this, it’s like a weight lifts off our shoulders. The pressure to perform, to get things “right,” to earn favor—all of it falls away. Freedom. Peace. Joy. That’s what Jesus gives.
So, yes, circumcision. It was a big deal. And I get it—it’s weird to us today. But for them, it was about keeping the law. They thought salvation somehow depended on doing more on top of Jesus.
Peter and Paul had to say: “Hold up. You don’t add anything to salvation. Jesus + nothing = everything. The cross covers it all.”
It reminds me of today: some people think they have to perform perfectly to be “good Christians.” They stress about skipping a devotional, missing a church service, or failing in their personal discipline. And honestly? Jesus is still enough. Always has been, always will be.
Acts 15 wasn’t the only time people tried to add “extra steps” to following Jesus. Over and over again, the apostles had to deal with it.
In Romans 14, there was this whole debate about food. Some believers thought certain foods made you “unclean,” while others said, “Nah, we’re free in Christ.” Paul had to step in and basically say, “Stop arguing. Stop judging. Jesus already took care of this. Don’t make food the measuring stick of someone’s faith.”
Then you see it again in other places—traditions, rituals, legalistic rules creeping back in. And every single time, Scripture pulls us back to the same truth: faith in Jesus is what saves us. Not rituals. Not rules. Not checklists. Just Jesus.
Here’s the fun part: when you realize Jesus is enough, all the “extras” stop feeling necessary. You can relax. You can stop measuring your faith by what you do and start living in the grace of what Jesus has already done.
What This Looks Like Today
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Skipped your devotional this morning? Jesus still loves you.
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Haven’t prayed for everyone on your list? Jesus still covers it.
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Feel like you need to “earn” God’s favor? Newsflash: you can’t. And you don’t have to.
This doesn’t mean we stop reading the Bible, praying, or growing spiritually. It means those things aren’t the source of our salvation. Jesus is. He’s the source. He’s the goal. He’s everything.
Reflection / Encouragement:
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Stop adding rituals, rules, or performance to your faith.
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Let Jesus’ death on the cross cover your sins—past, present, future.
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Live in the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus + nothing = everything.