Rules Versus Relationship. When people say these three words, as if the two, rules and relationship, contrast with one another, we should understand that they don’t. You can’t have a relationship without rules. Rules are a basis for a relationship as seen in the model for relationship, the relationship between the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It isn’t just rules. It is relationship, it is true. It’s about the relationship, but it isn’t in contradiction to rules. By the way, it’s never been about rules for me or our church. Contrasting the thought should be vexing, that a life is just about keeping rules. No proof exists that we have ever thought that and we have preached against it. Just because we stress a rule or defend a rule, doesn’t mean that we think that the rules are merely about keeping rules. The relationship between the Father and the Son, the model relationship, is one in which the Son kept all the rules. He pleased the Father. Not keeping the rules would break the relationship. You won’t have a relationship if you murder the person or steal from the person. These are two obvious examples. Actual love relates to concrete terms, which would for us include repentance and forgiveness. Operating within rules concedes there is meaning in life and greater than ourselves. It harms or breaks a relationship to offend someone, which is to break a rule. An offense of God is breaking a rule of God. A rule, the noun, is about rule, the verb. God rules over us and that is our relationship to Him, and He does that through rules. We please Him by keeping them.