Judicial?

As i continue to interact with people and try to explain the gospel, it is becoming more and more clear just how organic and not legal our salvation is.  Certain groups want to reduce Jesus' work of redemption to a mere legal matter, a mere paying off debt so as to free us from obligation.  Others see Jesus' work as extremely limited, merely providing a starting point for us to go on to earn our salvation, by doing enough good.
Both of these positions contains some portion of truth, but really do miss the point.
Jesus' work and our subsequent salvation are all about relationship. Adam's sin gave death power over us so that we could do nothing about our situation.  Jesus' work of atonement took away that power so that we could then come back into right relationship with God.
This is not a legal matter but a relational one.  I don't know of anyone who regularly refers to their marriage certificate as defining factor.  Instead they focus on loving their spouse.
We need to do the same.  God is a person who made a great sacrifice to restore our relationship.  When we strive after loving him, we can only look forward to a glorious eternity.  God wants to be in a loving relationship with him.  He wants to see us holy and loving.  If we allow him, he will do what it takes to make us perfect.