LEGALISM (Judgmental, Self-righteous, Uncaring)
How can legalism destroy our witness?
Matthew 12:1-14
Then he went over to the synagogue, and noticed there a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Is it legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day?” (They were, of course, hoping he would say “Yes,” so they could arrest him!) (Matthew 12:9-10, tlb)
Legalism puts rules above God. As they pointed to the man with the shriveled hand, the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus by asking him if it was legal to heal on the Sabbath. Their Sabbath rules said that people could be helped on the Sabbath only if their lives were in danger. Jesus healed on the Sabbath several times, and none of those healings were in response to emergencies. If Jesus had waited until another day, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees’ authority, showing that their petty rules were equal to God’s law. If he healed the man on the Sabbath, the Pharisees could claim that because Jesus broke their rules, his power was not from God. But Jesus made it clear how ridiculous and petty their rules were. God is a God of people, not rules. The best time to reach out to someone is when he or she needs help.
Legalism puts rules above human needs. The Pharisees were so concerned about Jesus’ breaking one of their rules that they did not care about the man’s shriveled hand. What is your attitude toward others? If your convictions don’t allow you to help certain people, your convictions may not be in tune with God’s Word. Don’t allow dogma to blind you to human need.
Galatians 4:8-20
Before you Gentiles knew God you were slaves to so-called gods that did not even exist. And now that you have found God (or I should say, now that God has found you) how can it be that you want to go back again and become slaves once more to another poor, weak, useless religion of trying to get to heaven by obeying God’s laws? (Galatians 4:8-9, tlb)
Legalism kills joy. Have you lost your joy? Paul sensed that the Galatians had lost the joy of their salvation because of legalism. Legalism can take away joy because (1) it makes people feel guilty rather than loved; (2) it produces self-hatred rather than humility; (3) it stresses performance over relationship; and (4) it points out how far short we fall rather than how far we’ve come because of what Christ did for us. If you feel guilty and inadequate, check your focus. Are you living by faith in Christ or by trying to live up to the demands and expectations of others?
Colossians 2:6-23
Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:23, niv)
Legalism is attractive, but destructive. To the Colossians, the discipline demanded by the false teachers seemed good, and legalism still attracts many people today. Following a long list of religious rules requires strong self-discipline and can make a person appear moral, but religious rules cannot change a person’s heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do that.
Form the Baptist Identity People, this is a recommended read.
I picked up a book at our Association Office after a meeting and I would recommend that everyone read this little book. It suggests the kind of Church JESUS would want us to be. It is filled with Humor and Wisdom. It is a quick read and is written by Mike Nappa titled, “Who Moved My Church”.
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5 comments:
I like your blog.
Mat 12:7 - But if ye had known what this meaneth, The passage of Scripture in Hos_6:6
I will have mercy, and not sacrifice; of the sense of which, see Gill on Mat_9:13.
ye would not have condemned the guiltless. Our Lord taxes the Pharisees both with ignorance of the Scriptures, in which they pretended to be very knowing, and took upon them to be the interpreters of; and with inhumanity, for condemning innocent persons, the apostles, for rubbing a few ears of corn, for the refreshment of nature; which they would never have done, had they understood the word, and will of God; who prefers acts of humanity, compassion, and mercy, to the observance of rites and ceremonies; or had they the common affections of human nature, and those bowels of compassion which one man ought to show to another.
Good question. I am personally ready to move on from the alcohol issue but there are still many who just aren't ready yet.
CHRIS,
I'm with you; it is time to move on.
We are loosing our witness by all the infighting. I guess this has been a problem for a long time, instead of focusing on reaching lost souls; we are wallowing in the MUD. The powers to be didn't like what happened at the Convention, and now they really open Pandora's box, so to speak. I just started Blogging and I can see the HEARTS of those posting. They post comments and show they're arrogant and they get warned before they finally move on. I guess it's the free will that GOD has given us until he calls us with his wake up call in HIS WILL, (EFFECTUAL CALLING or IRRESISTIBLE GRACE)
We need all the GRACE GOD can give us to get out of this mess and still have a witness as the SBC,
A Brother in CHRIST
ONE of GOD'S CHOOSEN with a HEART
Ted Stone
Among Stone's final speaking engagements was an address to a group of directors of mission preceding the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C., in June.
DID THEY LISTEN?
There he implored Southern Baptists to stop regarding broken and hurting people as “second-class citizens in the family of God.”
Your Brother in CHRIST
What is amazing is seeing how the Great Commission and missions work appears to be the glue that is bringing us all back together and may be part of the answer to Jesus' prayer in John 17!!! May God ignite in our hearts a passion for Him and a compassion for all the nations and unite Christians in this!!!
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