Acts 15:22-31 NKJV

[22] Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. [23] They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. [24] Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment— [25] it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, [26] men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [27] We have, therefore, sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. [28] For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: [29] that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. [30] So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. [31] When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.

Having been raised under fairly strict Pentecostal teaching, I defaulted to the notion that I had to check a pile of boxes daily to achieve righteousness. I had to do this. I couldn't do that. It was exhausting and discouraging. I could get most things "right" occasionally, but most days ended up being a disaster. By the time I turned 18, I had pretty much resigned myself to being on the FastTrack to hell. I could not get it right.

The apostles understood the frustration of unnecessary rules and laws. The Gentiles were new to the faith. If the Holy Spirit had made no distinction between the Jews and Gentiles, the same rules didn't apply. Circumcision did not equate to sanctification. They had witnessed this firsthand.

God didn't need me to get cleaned up before He started working on me. I started having authentic interactions with the Holy Spirit before I could pass a drug test. The heavy lifting of my sin burdens was handled by Jesus on the cross. I never found freedom in man-made rules or religious laws. The freedom I found was in Christ alone, moment by moment, day by day.