If you were raised in a religious home or attended a religious school, it was probably the rules that made you question whether religion had a place in your future. Perhaps these rules associated with the faith tradition you were raised in made you feel judged. Maybe that faith community ostracized you. Whatever your case, most religious rules run contrary to human nature. And being the human that you are, that’s a problem. In spite of that, all faith systems agree that in order to be in good standing, followers need to keep the rules. But here’s something you may have never considered before. Rules always assume a relationship. And when it comes to God, he established “rules” as a confirmation of a relationship with him, not a condition for a relationship with him.