The Old Testament law of observing religious rules and rituals can actually serve a useful purpose in that it brings a person to the end of themselves: it wears them out from seeking to justify themselves by their own efforts. The Apostle Paul says that the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Gal. 3:24). The Bible says that we are justified by faith apart from deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28). “Deeds of the law” in this respect are the observance of religious rituals and duties as a means of being in right-standing with God. So it does seem that following rules does enable a person to fully comprehend and appreciate the true value of being saved by grace, without having to follow rules. It’s only when you have the contrast of grace and law that you can fully appreciate justification by faith.
There was a man who came to Jesus in Matt. 19:16 asking what he could do to have eternal life. Eternal life is similar, but not the same, to salvation. Eternal life is the Greek word zoe which means the life-giving power of God. This man was likely fed-up with keeping rules and wanted to experience the life-giving presence of God for himself. Jesus, knowing that the man was seeking after rules, gave him the Old Testament law in Matt. 19:17-18. This man said that he had kept these rules since his youth (Matt. 19:20). Jesus then gave the man some rules that he simply could not keep: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Matt. 19:21). The man went away sorrowful because he had many possession (Matt. 19:22). So you see, if you want to be justified by your own efforts, you will always experience frustration and disappointment because your efforts are never good enough.
I don’t suppose that releasing and inquiry has a lot to do with justification. But I used to wonder if releasing and inquiry were yet another set of formulas to use in order to seek fulfilment. The Bible says that we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I used to wonder if by using releasing and inquiry, I am somehow taking a short-cut to peace and freedom instead of seeking Jesus. But I did focus and study the true Gospel message, the message of grace, but I still struggled with anxiety.
Releasing and inquiry are a means of being able to let go off the negative thoughts that limit our lives. Well actually, Byron Katie says that when we use The Work to inquire into a stressful thought, and you come to know that it is not true – the stressful thought lets go of you! Releasing could be seen as learning to drop a hot potato that you are holding onto, when you have been taught all your life to hold onto the hot potato; or perhaps you have had some sort of stiffness in your joints and have had to learn to open your hands again after contracting around the hot potato (which is hurting you) for so long.
I have found that releasing is by far the quickest, simplest and most effective means of relieving anxiety and stress “in the moment”. Releasing is effortless – it requires hardly any spiritual knowledge or adherence to religious, spiritual or moral law, rituals or traditions.
Releasing only becomes a “work”, a “mind game”, when you use it for purely for selfish gain, such as prosperity. It is quite possible to do all sorts of advanced techniques with releasing in the hope of finding power and prosperity, and yet, experience nothing but frustration.
The concept of some practice becoming a “work” in Christianity is an important one. The Pharisees, who were the religious elite during Jesus’ earthly ministry, accused Jesus’ disciples of breaking the Sabbath law in Matt. 12:1-2 because they ate some corn. So you see, religious people can make a “work” out of the pettiest things! I agree with Byron Katie in that The Work simply does itself without hardly any effort on the part of the person doing inquiry. I think that Christianity (or you could say “grace”), releasing, inquiry or any other self-help or spiritual pursuit can become a “work”, if you pursue them with any other motive than peace of mind and relationship with God. Any of these practices, just like Christians pursuing the Old Testament law, can become a “work” which frustrates us and brings us to the end of our own efforts for seeking justification and fulfilment.
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