Religion vs. Grace

Lately I've been studying the topic 'Grace'. (naturally, since it feels like I need a buttload of it most of the time!!) When I was listening to a Relient K song the other day a line they sang stuck out to me. "The beauty of grace is it makes life not fair". The gospels are full of 'grace stories' as I call them. The woman at the well, the blind man, the paralyzed man and on and on. Reading these accounts of simple, perfect grace nearly brought me to tears at times. Jesus is grace personified for me, for all us. Not grace earned, but grace given. I can't hardly comprehend the grace of God. In my head I imagine the day Jesus was crucified and what heaven and hell must of looked like. The devil thrilled and jeering with his demons by his side looking down at Calvary. God's back turned to His beloved Son. I bet those three hours were dark in more ways than one. In that moment, all the godless religious practices and rituals of the world conquered the world, the disciples cried, Judas commited suicide, and Jesus was dead. I can't help but shudder at the dark time in history. But, then Easter happened. Ressurection happened. Grace happened. When I see people, even christians, so bent over by religion and restrictions and rules I wonder why Jesus died to set us free but still expects us to stick to legalistic views and judgmental attitudes? If we are free indeed then the only thing that should be fueling us to do works for God is our realization of His grace and our gratitude for that grace. Jesus didn't die so we could act like pharisees or sinners, He died so we could be saved. Bro. Kevin said one time at camp that God can't love us any more or less than He already does. God never asked us to be perfect, only to find His grace. What a beautiful thing that God could continue to love me the same way all the time no matter what I do, all because I've accepted His Son. After studying 'Grace' a little more I understand a little less. I realize I am ill-deserving of it and its power but somehow here I am engulfed by it. I can't explain grace at all, I can only say I feel it. The point is- don't let religion control you but be freed by conquering grace. Not so you can sin, but so you can show what's been so graciously shown to you.