Why Does the Bible Have So Many Rules? (And Is Christianity Just a List of Do’s and Don’ts?)

You ever hear someone say, “Christianity is just a bunch of rules”? It’s usually said with an eye roll and the tone of someone who just got told they can’t have dessert before dinner.

Honestly—at first glance, the Bible does have a lot of rules. Don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t murder (which, I think we can all agree, is a pretty solid one). But then there are rules about what to do, what not to do, how to live, how to love, and some that just make you think… what?

So, what’s the deal? If the Bible claims to bring freedom, then why does it feel like a cosmic rulebook? Is Christianity just one giant heavenly HOA agreement full of restrictions, fines, and weird clauses about mailboxes and lawn maintenance? Hint: Nope.

Life is Rules—Whether We Acknowledge Them or Not

Here’s a fun idea: Try driving 100 mph through a school zone and tell the cop, “I reject the rules of this society.” See how that works out for you.

I almost did that once. Okay, not 100 miles per hour—just 80. And yes, it was a school zone. BUT—it was a holiday! Schools were closed! The road wasn’t crowded! It felt like an exception should exist.

Turns out? It does not.

Evidently, if those school zone lights are flashing, it’s still the law, holiday or not. Long story short, I got caught, and my license got revoked for a bit. Lesson learned.

Or better yet, try ignoring the rules of gravity and see if you can hover over your kitchen floor. You can’t. And if you do, you might want to call a priest.

Like it or not, life has rules. We don’t even think about most of them, but they’re there:

• Our universe has rules – When those rules aren’t followed, planets crash, and we get things like black holes (which is basically space’s version of deleting your entire hard drive).
• Our bodies have rules – Eat nothing but fried food for a month and see how you feel. Disregard sleep for long enough, and you’ll be having full-blown conversations with the furniture.
• Society has rules – Break enough of them, and you’ll get a free orange jumpsuit and a roommate named Bubba.

Rules aren’t the enemy. They’re just reality. And they exist not to restrict us, but to keep things from falling apart. The same is true for God’s Word.

Rules Aren’t Chains—They’re Guardrails

When people think of biblical “rules,” they picture a divine list of restrictions, like God is some cosmic hall monitor just waiting to hand out citations for bad behavior.

But here’s the thing—God’s commands aren’t meant to steal your joy. They’re meant to keep you from destroying yourself.

Think of a guardrail on a highway. It’s not there to ruin your road trip—it’s there to keep you from plunging off a cliff. Nobody yells, “Ugh, these guardrails are so oppressive!” when they save your life.

God’s commands work the same way. They aren’t about limiting us; they’re about protecting us from:

– The consequences of sin
– The destruction of relationships
– The pain of regret
– The trap of thinking we know better than the Creator of the universe

The Freedom We Actually Need

This is where we get it twisted. We think freedom means “I get to do whatever I want.” But let’s be real—how well has that worked out for anyone? Do you have the freedom to eat an entire large tub of vanilla Haagen-Dazs in one sitting? Yes. Can you? 👀 Possibly. SHOULD you? No. Just take my word for it. 

Freedom without wisdom leads to disaster. Ask anyone who thought they could eat Taco Bell at midnight, over the age of thirty-five, without consequences.

The Bible’s version of freedom isn’t lawlessness—it’s the ability to live without being enslaved to sin. Paul puts it like this:

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” – Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

This means freedom isn’t about throwing off all restraint—it’s about being free from what actually destroys us.

Without God’s truth, we become slaves to:

• Our own desires (which let’s be honest, don’t always have the best track record or our true best interests in mind)
• Our culture’s shifting values (which change faster than an iPhone update)
• Our past mistakes (which love to whisper that we’ll never be good enough, never get over it, no one will ever forget… and a thousand other lies)

But in Christ, we’re not trapped by any of that. We’re free to live with purpose, joy, and security, knowing that God’s way leads to actual life—not just survival, but flourishing.

So, Is Christianity Just a List of Rules?

Nope. It’s a relationship, not a rulebook. But like any good relationship, it comes with boundaries that protect and strengthen it.

Think about it—every meaningful relationship in your life has expectations:

• A friendship without trust and loyalty isn’t a friendship.
• A marriage without faithfulness isn’t a marriage.
• A family without love and care isn’t a family.

God’s commands aren’t hoops to jump through—they’re the framework for a real, thriving relationship with Him.

Jesus didn’t come to pile on more rules—He came to fulfill the law and offer us grace, redemption, and the kind of freedom we can’t even comprehend (Matthew 5:17).

So, the next time someone says, “Christianity is just a bunch of rules,” you can smile and say:

“Actually, it’s a rescue plan—and the rules? They’re just the guardrails that keep us from falling off a cliff.”

You Were Made for More Than Just Rule-Following

At the end of the day, God isn’t looking for perfect rule-followers—He’s looking for hearts that trust Him.

Yes, the Bible has commands. Yes, there are guidelines. But they’re not there to weigh you down—they’re there to set you free.

Jesus Himself summed it up best when He said:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

God isn’t standing over you with a clipboard, grading your performance. He’s inviting you into a life of peace, purpose, and real joy. A life where you don’t have to figure it all out alone. A life where you are deeply loved, fully known, and completely free—not because you got everything right, but because Jesus already did.

So, if you’ve ever felt like Christianity is just about rules, here’s the truth: it’s about relationship. A relationship with a God who knows exactly what you need and loves you too much to let you settle for anything less than the life He created you for.

And that? That’s real freedom.

☕ A little faith, a little courage, and a whole lot of stubborn joy. – Tonya

What’s been your experience with biblical rules? Do they feel freeing or restrictive to you? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

© 2025 All posts written by Tonya E. Lee