Legalism, we all want to avoid it. It is the trap waiting to ensnare Christians concerned to change. We, rightly, want to avoid legalism. But here's my worry, in shouting loudly about the danger of legalism I wonder if it is leading us to confuse legalism with godliness or holiness. We don't want to be legalists, we do, or we ought, to want to be holy. Sometimes we can find ourselves wary of do's and don'ts in case we are being legalists. And yet Jesus calls people to leave certain lifestyles and habits, as do Peter, Paul, James, John and so on.
I worry that wanting to avoid legalism means we end up throwing the baby out with the bath water or more accurately throwing out the deliberate putting off of certain things with the bath water of legalism. Key to differentiating between the two is the audience the prompts the putting off, or ripping out or killing of sin. When I am doing it so that others think well of me, or look up to me as godly, or respect me, or so that I feel better about myself or feel more godly then legalism is a real problem. But when I am fighting sin because I want to be more like my Saviour who loves me and calls me to glorify him then legalism is not the issue. Legalism is concerned for an audience of my peers, godliness for an audience of one, God.
We need to avoid legalism, but we must also fight sin, hate sin, repent of it and become more like our Saviour.
Showing posts with label legalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legalism. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Monday, 6 May 2013
When good habits become bad masters
We were looking yesterday morning at 3 of Jesus confrontations with the Pharisees in Mark 2 and 3, one about fasting and 2 about the Sabbath. I just want to walk through in my mind and using my fingers and keyboard some ways in which we may find ourselves slipping into legalism.
Firstly we need to recognise that the Pharisees didn't set out to be legalists who loved law more than they loved people. They set out to live lives that pleased God. That is why they added layer after layer of tradition to the law, they were safeguards to make sure that they didn't break the law. They were seeking to please God, but the problem was not that they went too far but that they didn't go far enough. I don't mean in terms of needing more extremely laws, I mean in terms of understanding the purpose of the law, what it revealed about the nature of the problem, and what it revealed about God.
They did not go far enough in that their traditions addressed external behaviour not heart change. Their understanding of God didn't go far enough in that they assumed they could live righteously rather than seeing the bigger picture of what the law pointed to, which was that they couldn't. But most importantly they missed the heart of God revealed in the law - a God who loved, cherished, rescued, called, protected, disciplined and blessed his people. The danger is that we fall into the same trap, so what might a creeping pharisee-icalism look like in our lives:
1. A preoccupation with externals rather than heart change.
This can take any form you like, from keeping a mental register of who is in church week by week, to a legalistic focus on bible reading. The point is that the external practise has become what matters not the internal change. In short grace is no longer at work in your heart.
2. A lack of love for others instead of a deep love.
This evidences itself in writing people off, in not loving in a way that is active, in not pursing the lost or the wandering. Instead it leads to a bemoaning of the sins of others and the rapid degeneration of society and the church, whilst failing to hold out the gospel hope society and individuals need.
3. A rush to judge others rather than assume the best.
A lack of love leads to this. We are quick to assume the worst of people rather than the best. Be it that they will not respond to the gospel, or that they are too far gone, or that they are too hard hearted. Or simply that they are too bad for the gospel. It leads us to be hyper critical of Bible teaching and doctrine that does notexactly conform or phrase things in a way we would.
4. A failure to enjoy God
If you had asked the Pharisees if they enjoyed God they would not have known how to answer. I wonder how we would answer that same question. Are you enjoying God? Because Jesus focus in is on enjoying God rather than slaving for God. He talks of the kingdom in terms of a wedding banquet, he talks of the Sabbath as being designed for man and he brings rest, wholeness, restoration and redemption on the Sabbath. Do we enjoy God? Ask yourself that question and answer it honestly, because I wonder if in answering it we really see the inner Pharisee in each of us.
Firstly we need to recognise that the Pharisees didn't set out to be legalists who loved law more than they loved people. They set out to live lives that pleased God. That is why they added layer after layer of tradition to the law, they were safeguards to make sure that they didn't break the law. They were seeking to please God, but the problem was not that they went too far but that they didn't go far enough. I don't mean in terms of needing more extremely laws, I mean in terms of understanding the purpose of the law, what it revealed about the nature of the problem, and what it revealed about God.
They did not go far enough in that their traditions addressed external behaviour not heart change. Their understanding of God didn't go far enough in that they assumed they could live righteously rather than seeing the bigger picture of what the law pointed to, which was that they couldn't. But most importantly they missed the heart of God revealed in the law - a God who loved, cherished, rescued, called, protected, disciplined and blessed his people. The danger is that we fall into the same trap, so what might a creeping pharisee-icalism look like in our lives:
1. A preoccupation with externals rather than heart change.
This can take any form you like, from keeping a mental register of who is in church week by week, to a legalistic focus on bible reading. The point is that the external practise has become what matters not the internal change. In short grace is no longer at work in your heart.
2. A lack of love for others instead of a deep love.
This evidences itself in writing people off, in not loving in a way that is active, in not pursing the lost or the wandering. Instead it leads to a bemoaning of the sins of others and the rapid degeneration of society and the church, whilst failing to hold out the gospel hope society and individuals need.
3. A rush to judge others rather than assume the best.
A lack of love leads to this. We are quick to assume the worst of people rather than the best. Be it that they will not respond to the gospel, or that they are too far gone, or that they are too hard hearted. Or simply that they are too bad for the gospel. It leads us to be hyper critical of Bible teaching and doctrine that does notexactly conform or phrase things in a way we would.
4. A failure to enjoy God
If you had asked the Pharisees if they enjoyed God they would not have known how to answer. I wonder how we would answer that same question. Are you enjoying God? Because Jesus focus in is on enjoying God rather than slaving for God. He talks of the kingdom in terms of a wedding banquet, he talks of the Sabbath as being designed for man and he brings rest, wholeness, restoration and redemption on the Sabbath. Do we enjoy God? Ask yourself that question and answer it honestly, because I wonder if in answering it we really see the inner Pharisee in each of us.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Prayer, legalism and duty
One of the things that has changed in church culture is a desire to avoid anything legalistic, there is a great emphasis on relationship and the freedom that is ours in Christ. This is a great truth and one which we must not forget because becoming religious remains a great danger for us.
However, I wonder if we are now in a time when we face the very opposite danger. Where now everything that is a pattern or a habit or a duty is viewed as being dangerously akin to legalism.
John Piper has said this:
"...very few set aside set times to pray alone-and fewer still think it is worth it to meet with others to pray. And we wonder why our faith is weak. And our hope is feeble. And our passion for Christ is small.
And meanwhile the devil is whispering all over this room: “The pastor is getting legalistic now. He’s starting to use guilt now. He’s getting out the law now.” To which I say, “To hell with the devil and all of his destructive lies. Be free!” Is it true that intentional, regular, disciplined, earnest, Christ-dependent, God-glorifying, joyful prayer is a duty? . . . Is it a discipline?
You can call it that.
However, I wonder if we are now in a time when we face the very opposite danger. Where now everything that is a pattern or a habit or a duty is viewed as being dangerously akin to legalism.
John Piper has said this:
"...very few set aside set times to pray alone-and fewer still think it is worth it to meet with others to pray. And we wonder why our faith is weak. And our hope is feeble. And our passion for Christ is small.
And meanwhile the devil is whispering all over this room: “The pastor is getting legalistic now. He’s starting to use guilt now. He’s getting out the law now.” To which I say, “To hell with the devil and all of his destructive lies. Be free!” Is it true that intentional, regular, disciplined, earnest, Christ-dependent, God-glorifying, joyful prayer is a duty? . . . Is it a discipline?
You can call it that.
- It’s a duty the way it’s the duty of a scuba diver to put on his air tank before he goes underwater.
- It’s a duty the way pilots listen to air traffic controllers.
- It’s a duty the way soldiers in combat clean their rifles and load their guns.
- It’s a duty the way hungry people eat food.
- It’s a duty the way thirsty people drink water.
- It’s a duty the way a deaf man puts in his hearing aid.
- It’s a duty the way a diabetic takes his insulin.
- It’s a duty the way Pooh Bear looks for honey.
- It’s a duty the way pirates look for gold."
We need that realisation, that view of prayer if we as a church in Britain are to see the believer discipled and grow to maturity, the lost won and the church multiplied.
Friday, 11 May 2007
Why isn't being good, good enough?
How do you know what is good? What is the standard for goodness? Is being good a little like 
marmite all a matter of taste? What does a good child look like? Is it one who eats their greens, does her homework, is polite, washes without being frog marched to the sink, helps out around the house, and writes his thank you letters? Is that a good child? You may think that is more than a good child, that such a child would be a miracle but I may just consider that normal behaviour and not especially good.
Or how about a good employee, what does a good employee look like? Is it someone who is punctual? Always meets deadlines? Uses their initiative? Obeys instructions without question? Works long hours? Buys into the company ethos? Makes the coffee without being asked? What does a good employee look like? My hunch is if you asked 10 managers you’d get 10 different answers.
So what does a good person look like? Is it someone who is law abiding, no criminal convictions, well apart from a few speeding tickets? Do they give to charity? Are they animal lovers? Do they have to be religious?
How do you know who is good? Is a terrorist a good person? Someone who sets out to kill others to highlight a cause he or she believes in. Those who share his or her beliefs might say they are good, his victims’ families would no doubt say otherwise. Who is right? Who decides?
How do you know who is good, how do you decide? Surely there has to be a standard. In industry there are kite marks that can only be used if your product passes certain standards of goodness. If it isn’t good enough, if it fails to meet the pass mark it cannot have the stamp to say it has met the standard.
Who decides what is good? God does. Why? Because “In the beginning God created…” God designed the world, he created us therefore he has set the standard. Just as in industry it is a manufacturer’s agreed standard that sets the pass mark for goodness, so God, the creator sets the standard for goodness.
So who does God say is good? The startling thing is that according to Romans 3 God says “No-one”. There is no one who passes the test for being good, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? because although I may be good in my eyes, I may pass my standard of goodness, I may award myself pass status. My verdict doesn’t matter, it is God’s standard that counts. There are two reasons why we are not good?
1. Because God says so.
(Romans 3:10-18) are a collection of Old Testament quotations that emphasize God’s standard, and our utter failure to meet it. God’s standard is not some shifting idea of goodness, like ours where the standard changes as societies values change. God’s standard is righteousness. God’s standard is not comparative, it is not about how good you are compared to so and so down the road. God’s standard is an absolute - righteousness -living a life that pleases God, living in line with God’s priorities, not mine, living a life that acknowledges God’s right to rule.
What is God’s judgement – there is no-one who seeks God, no one living in fear of him, no-one living with that continual awareness that God rules, is watching and is relevant.
In Genesis 3 we see that God has made the world and it is good and God has placed Adam and Eve in the midst of that world to enjoy it and to rule it on his behalf. The whole of God’s perfect creation is theirs to enjoy, they can eat of every tree bar one. The question is will they ‘fear the Lord’, can they live righteously, and can they accept the creator’s word and rule? Will they give God the respect he is due? Will they follow the maker’s instructions?
Well you know the story don’t you, they grasp for autonomy, they try to knock God off his throne, they reach for self rule, they want to decide for themselves how to live. They reject the creator and that in a nut shell is the problem, why can’t I be good because I reject the creator.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” God says do not lie but if I don’t lie I’ll look silly, or be found out, so I decide what is right and wrong. God says love your neighbour as yourself, but well he doesn’t know what they are like, I’ll make do with ignoring them – again I decide what is right and wrong. God says love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength, but I love my work, I love the money it brings in, I love the things I can buy with it, I love my family, I love my hobbies. What is it I spend most energy and time on in the week? That is what I worship, that is what my idol is and again I decide what is right and wrong and push God’s standard away.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because it is not what I think that counts, I may measure up to my standard of goodness, may be you even measure up to my standard, but we fall way short of God’s. God says “no-one is righteous”, no-one measures up. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, we all miss the target. God’s standard is a life lived with God’s glory in mind, with God’s priorities in place and God’s rule established.
I’ve never played rugby except in PE at school. What would happen if I suddenly found myself
playing for England against the Springboks in a few weeks time? I guess it wouldn’t be pleasant to find out, and would involve a substantial period of time taking food through a straw. Why? Because I am just not up to their standard, I could not stand the pace, the sheer intensity would find me out and leave me broken. To even be on the same field would place me in danger because I am just not good enough.
One day we will stand before God and we can bring our coupons of goodness with us, but we will realise that they are worthless that we do not know what goodness is. That our definition of good is not on the same plane as God’s standard.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because God says so. But also because
2. God shows so (24-6)
If your death would secure world peace would you willingly die? What about if it would end the conflict in Iraq? What about if it would save the life of a child who is stood in front of a bus? Is the sacrifice worth it?
We only make a sacrifice if we consider it worth doing. If the benefits outweigh the cost, that’s true in every small sacrifice, like giving up chocolate to lose weight, or going out jogging to keep fit, let alone in the big decisions. I wouldn’t be prepared to sacrifice my life unless I had to, unless it was absolutely necessary, unless I was convinced it was the only way to save somebody.
Well if being good is good enough then why did God sacrifice his son? Surely God only paid such a high price because it was the only way to save us. The cross is such a radical rescue package that it screams out you can never be good enough. It is the only way to make us good in God’s eyes, otherwise why would Jesus go through it. That is why God’s Son veils himself in humanity, that’s why the creator submits himself to the blows and indignities rained down upon him by the creation, that’s why God’s Son experiences his Father’s just anger against all rebellion against him.
Every blow, every insult, every second of bearing God’s judgement, says there is no other way. Jesus atones for us – he does what we can’t do, he meets God’s standard on our behalf.
John 18:1-11 shows us Jesus arrest, what stands out as you read the account is that Jesus is in control. He is not being swept along by events, merely reacting to circumstances, he is orchestrating them. He identifies himself to his would be captors not once but twice, he secures the safety of his followers, he prevents his disciples fighting for him. Why? Why doesn’t he escape when he can? Why doesn’t he fight his way heroically to freedom?
Because he must drink the cup the Father has given him. He must face the cross and God’s anger against sin as God’s obedient son because we cannot do face it. Only Jesus death can pay the bill, I can never be good enough; I need Jesus righteousness – Jesus total obedience to God to be credited to my account.
If being good is good enough then Jesus death is pointless. The cross stands over history and God points to it and says look at the lengths to which I will go because I love you and you could never be right with me. You can never make yourself good enough but look at the price I am prepared to pay.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because God says so, and because God shows so in sending his only Son to die for us to make us right before him.
This brings with it implications:
1. I had better understand God’s standards.
If what the Bible says is right then there is no point trying to live up to our own standards of right and wrong, no matter how high you set the bar it falls short. God’s standard is the only one that counts. If God’s verdict is “all have sinned and fall short” “There is no-one righteous” If I fail to meet those standards I had better find out if it is possible to meet God’s standard.
2. I better examine God’s solution
Jesus is the only way to be made good enough, we fall far short of God’s standard and he has met that standard for us.
3. I better warn others
There are millions of people who will go to sleep tonight thinking that even if, on the off chance, there is a God they are OK. If they were to be face to face with him they have a back up plan, they lead pretty good lives and that’s good enough isn’t it?
There are others who believe in God but think that being good is the key to heaven. That if they can show their giving, their being nice, their kindness, their goodness that will get them in. That God will accept them. If being good isn’t good enough someone needs to tell them.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because God says so and because God shows us so.
marmite all a matter of taste? What does a good child look like? Is it one who eats their greens, does her homework, is polite, washes without being frog marched to the sink, helps out around the house, and writes his thank you letters? Is that a good child? You may think that is more than a good child, that such a child would be a miracle but I may just consider that normal behaviour and not especially good.Or how about a good employee, what does a good employee look like? Is it someone who is punctual? Always meets deadlines? Uses their initiative? Obeys instructions without question? Works long hours? Buys into the company ethos? Makes the coffee without being asked? What does a good employee look like? My hunch is if you asked 10 managers you’d get 10 different answers.
So what does a good person look like? Is it someone who is law abiding, no criminal convictions, well apart from a few speeding tickets? Do they give to charity? Are they animal lovers? Do they have to be religious?
How do you know who is good? Is a terrorist a good person? Someone who sets out to kill others to highlight a cause he or she believes in. Those who share his or her beliefs might say they are good, his victims’ families would no doubt say otherwise. Who is right? Who decides?
How do you know who is good, how do you decide? Surely there has to be a standard. In industry there are kite marks that can only be used if your product passes certain standards of goodness. If it isn’t good enough, if it fails to meet the pass mark it cannot have the stamp to say it has met the standard.
Who decides what is good? God does. Why? Because “In the beginning God created…” God designed the world, he created us therefore he has set the standard. Just as in industry it is a manufacturer’s agreed standard that sets the pass mark for goodness, so God, the creator sets the standard for goodness.
So who does God say is good? The startling thing is that according to Romans 3 God says “No-one”. There is no one who passes the test for being good, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? because although I may be good in my eyes, I may pass my standard of goodness, I may award myself pass status. My verdict doesn’t matter, it is God’s standard that counts. There are two reasons why we are not good?
1. Because God says so.
(Romans 3:10-18) are a collection of Old Testament quotations that emphasize God’s standard, and our utter failure to meet it. God’s standard is not some shifting idea of goodness, like ours where the standard changes as societies values change. God’s standard is righteousness. God’s standard is not comparative, it is not about how good you are compared to so and so down the road. God’s standard is an absolute - righteousness -living a life that pleases God, living in line with God’s priorities, not mine, living a life that acknowledges God’s right to rule.
What is God’s judgement – there is no-one who seeks God, no one living in fear of him, no-one living with that continual awareness that God rules, is watching and is relevant.
In Genesis 3 we see that God has made the world and it is good and God has placed Adam and Eve in the midst of that world to enjoy it and to rule it on his behalf. The whole of God’s perfect creation is theirs to enjoy, they can eat of every tree bar one. The question is will they ‘fear the Lord’, can they live righteously, and can they accept the creator’s word and rule? Will they give God the respect he is due? Will they follow the maker’s instructions?
Well you know the story don’t you, they grasp for autonomy, they try to knock God off his throne, they reach for self rule, they want to decide for themselves how to live. They reject the creator and that in a nut shell is the problem, why can’t I be good because I reject the creator.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” God says do not lie but if I don’t lie I’ll look silly, or be found out, so I decide what is right and wrong. God says love your neighbour as yourself, but well he doesn’t know what they are like, I’ll make do with ignoring them – again I decide what is right and wrong. God says love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength, but I love my work, I love the money it brings in, I love the things I can buy with it, I love my family, I love my hobbies. What is it I spend most energy and time on in the week? That is what I worship, that is what my idol is and again I decide what is right and wrong and push God’s standard away.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because it is not what I think that counts, I may measure up to my standard of goodness, may be you even measure up to my standard, but we fall way short of God’s. God says “no-one is righteous”, no-one measures up. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, we all miss the target. God’s standard is a life lived with God’s glory in mind, with God’s priorities in place and God’s rule established.
I’ve never played rugby except in PE at school. What would happen if I suddenly found myself
playing for England against the Springboks in a few weeks time? I guess it wouldn’t be pleasant to find out, and would involve a substantial period of time taking food through a straw. Why? Because I am just not up to their standard, I could not stand the pace, the sheer intensity would find me out and leave me broken. To even be on the same field would place me in danger because I am just not good enough.One day we will stand before God and we can bring our coupons of goodness with us, but we will realise that they are worthless that we do not know what goodness is. That our definition of good is not on the same plane as God’s standard.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because God says so. But also because
2. God shows so (24-6)
If your death would secure world peace would you willingly die? What about if it would end the conflict in Iraq? What about if it would save the life of a child who is stood in front of a bus? Is the sacrifice worth it?
We only make a sacrifice if we consider it worth doing. If the benefits outweigh the cost, that’s true in every small sacrifice, like giving up chocolate to lose weight, or going out jogging to keep fit, let alone in the big decisions. I wouldn’t be prepared to sacrifice my life unless I had to, unless it was absolutely necessary, unless I was convinced it was the only way to save somebody.
Well if being good is good enough then why did God sacrifice his son? Surely God only paid such a high price because it was the only way to save us. The cross is such a radical rescue package that it screams out you can never be good enough. It is the only way to make us good in God’s eyes, otherwise why would Jesus go through it. That is why God’s Son veils himself in humanity, that’s why the creator submits himself to the blows and indignities rained down upon him by the creation, that’s why God’s Son experiences his Father’s just anger against all rebellion against him.
Every blow, every insult, every second of bearing God’s judgement, says there is no other way. Jesus atones for us – he does what we can’t do, he meets God’s standard on our behalf.
John 18:1-11 shows us Jesus arrest, what stands out as you read the account is that Jesus is in control. He is not being swept along by events, merely reacting to circumstances, he is orchestrating them. He identifies himself to his would be captors not once but twice, he secures the safety of his followers, he prevents his disciples fighting for him. Why? Why doesn’t he escape when he can? Why doesn’t he fight his way heroically to freedom?
Because he must drink the cup the Father has given him. He must face the cross and God’s anger against sin as God’s obedient son because we cannot do face it. Only Jesus death can pay the bill, I can never be good enough; I need Jesus righteousness – Jesus total obedience to God to be credited to my account.
If being good is good enough then Jesus death is pointless. The cross stands over history and God points to it and says look at the lengths to which I will go because I love you and you could never be right with me. You can never make yourself good enough but look at the price I am prepared to pay.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because God says so, and because God shows so in sending his only Son to die for us to make us right before him.
This brings with it implications:
1. I had better understand God’s standards.
If what the Bible says is right then there is no point trying to live up to our own standards of right and wrong, no matter how high you set the bar it falls short. God’s standard is the only one that counts. If God’s verdict is “all have sinned and fall short” “There is no-one righteous” If I fail to meet those standards I had better find out if it is possible to meet God’s standard.
2. I better examine God’s solution
Jesus is the only way to be made good enough, we fall far short of God’s standard and he has met that standard for us.
3. I better warn others
There are millions of people who will go to sleep tonight thinking that even if, on the off chance, there is a God they are OK. If they were to be face to face with him they have a back up plan, they lead pretty good lives and that’s good enough isn’t it?
There are others who believe in God but think that being good is the key to heaven. That if they can show their giving, their being nice, their kindness, their goodness that will get them in. That God will accept them. If being good isn’t good enough someone needs to tell them.
Why isn’t being good, good enough? Because God says so and because God shows us so.
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