Oh but we do fret and try and try...God is not mad at you, he never left you. You cannot fall overboard only on-board. He's about love, grace and fellowship. No rules, judgment and condemnation.
I've been guilty of thinking that I need to to present an intellectually powerful defense of Christianity and, Bingo!, they'll all see the error of their ways. It has prevented me from sharing my faith on more than one occasion.
People who aren't ready/prepared to hear the message won't respond to even the most powerful presentation, and those who are ready will respond to even the most simple presentation of the good news of salvation.
Wrong!
Jesus died on the cross instead of you. He took your punishment from the Law of sin and death. What He did was save you from the second death you earned with your sin. The wages of sin is death. He paid this death. OTOH, Mat 5:17-20 tells us that the Law is still current. The 10 Commandments are still in effect and you will be punished with many stripes if you break Commandments. Jesus said they will last until heaven and earth burn up. There are rules, The Word will judge everyone, and many will be condemned.
Luk 12:47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Joh 12:47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, [75] I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.
Joh 12:48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
Grace just means that if you still sin, you won't die and go to hell if you confess Jesus as Savior. But you are still responsible for what you have done. As an example, if you are a homosexual and confess Christ, Scripture says you will NOT see the Kingdom of Heaven.
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
1Co 6:10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
If you are a Christian and you steal, you are still responsible for stealing, but you will be punished but won't end up in Hell. As a Christian you are responsible for what you look like to the world. This is what the Commandment that says you shouldn't take the Lord's name in vain means. There are many verses on cursing and filthy language, but the Commandment means you called yourself a Christian and still willfully sinned. You can't call yourself a Christian and kill babies and support sodomy. Romans 1:32 says you can't even approve of such policies because you deserve death. Grace just means you won't receive the second death because of your sin. I don't know about you, but my earthly father would have beat my tale if I disobeyed him and I'm his son. I don't think he would have killed me however. Jehovah is our Father and will discipline those He loves, but there are still rules, judgement, and condemnation.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,* who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Here Paul explains that there is no condemnation, but you MUST walk in the Spirit. There is a condition. Then he explains that you are free from the law of sin and death, not the 10 Commandments. Kinda puts some importance on keeping the 7th day Sabbath instead of Sunday doesn't it? We have 10 Laws, not 9. Back to Mat 5 Jesus said He didn't do away with the Law, which Law? The 10 Commandments!
You have to ask yourself which Laws you will throw away and which ones you will keep if you believe there is no rules.
That is pure heresy. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep my commandments."
1 Corinthians 7:19 says, "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters."
1 Corinthians 14:37 says, "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord."
1 John 2:3 says, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments."
1 John 2:4 says, "He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
1 John 3:24 says, "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."
1 John 5:2 says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments."
We Christians have died to the Law, but if you love God, you will keep the New Testaments commands.
Love is love?
Sheesh...