E85 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Deadly Effects of Legalism
Hope’s Harbor
Gritty Bible Devotions
Episode #85
Title: Deadly Effect of Legalism
Date: December 19, 2022
Contact: info@hopesharbor.net
Key verse(s): Rom 6:14b - ‘…for you are not under law but under grace.’
Intro: Legalism is defined as ‘strict adherence to a law or moral code.’ That doesn’t sound too bad so far. But here are two main problems when it comes to the way legalism works out in religion.
One problem is when people think they are forgiven for their sins and on their way to heaven because they joined a church, or were baptized, or sprinkled, or performed some other ritual, etc. The other problem is when Christians don’t feel accepted by GOD unless they live perfect lives. They feel they never measure up and feel condemned. Depression often follows.
Both problems have a deadly influence – the first is when people believe they are worthy of heaven by their performance or membership, and then they face the Son of GOD for judgment. Here is a dire warning against this heresy:
Matthew 25:32 – “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Matthew 25:33 – “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.”
Matthew 25:41 - "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:”
The second problem with legalism is when a child of GOD feels condemned and goes through life crushed with guilt over past sins.
Devotion focus: There are two principles at work when it comes to legalism. The first is the false belief we can earn GOD’s forgiveness, earn salvation, by some type of work. People who truly know the Bible’s teachings know this is false teaching and heresy.
The second principle is the false belief that Jesus’ death on the cross was not enough
When Jesus told the priest, Nicodemus, in John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” He meant belief in His coming death for our sin is what makes us acceptable to GOD.
Jesus also told Nicodemus he needed to be saved: John 3:3 – ‘Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."’
Listen to Romans 5:9 – ‘Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.’
This level of belief involves going to GOD in prayer. Again, listen to another verse, Romans 10:13 – ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
And finally, we have Ephesians 2:8 and 9
Ephesians 2:8 – ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 – ‘Not of works, lest any man should boast.’
So it’s clear from Scripture that any acceptance we have with GOD comes through faith in the death of His Son, Jesus.
Now let me clarify something: being accepted as GOD’s child is one thing in which we are safe. This verse from 1st John 3:1 tells us we are GOD’s children:
1st John 3:1 – ‘Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
So being GOD’s child is one thing, being an obedient child is quite another. A good parent-child relationship teaches us a child is always a child to that parent. But when that child disobeys, something happens to the relationship. There is discord. It’s the same between GOD and us. We can create discord with GOD, but here is the most important point in this episode: even when we disobey GOD we remain a beloved child.
Now, what GOD does in response to our disobedience is what any loving parent does with a wayward child: discipline. If we love our child we discipline them in order to teach them. We don’t disown them, although at times we might want to!
What does all this have to do with legalism? Just this – pleasing GOD because we love Him is different from trying to earn His favor, or trying to work off a debt when we sin. The feelings associated with never measuring up to GOD’s forgiveness often lead to depression, even to suicide at times.
Feeling like I have to punish myself is legalism. And suicide is self-punishment resulting from the deadly effects of legalism upon the child of GOD.
And this is where legalism becomes subtle when we mistake the effect of grace for the cause of grace.
Grace is what I’m asking for when I pray, asking forgiveness when I sin.
Here’s an example from Romans 8:1, though there are others.
Romans 8:1 – ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.’
At first glance, it may seem that the declaration ‘no condemnation’ is based on those ‘who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Now follow this closely: those who ‘walk according to the Spirit’ are the result of there being no condemnation, not the cause. Do you see this?
The result of walking in the Spirit is grace. If having no condemnation depended on me walking in the Spirit, then it becomes works-based salvation. Jesus’ death would be unnecessary because all I would have to do is walk in the Spirit. And by the way, walking in the Spirit involves an obedient mindset on my part, not to earn GOD’s favor, but as a result of my love for Him, my desire to please Him. It is easy to live in this mindset when I believe I’m not condemned.
Summary: Obedience to GOD’s commands does not earn any acceptance from GOD. Obedience, however, does keep me in fellowship with GOD as my Father.
Action to consider: Get a Bible and read through the verses from this episode. You will find them in the show notes at HopesHarbor.net – and also read the signs of legalism and the verses from Romans 3:21 – 25 in the show notes Appendix.
Next week’s devotion: The Bondage of Busyness
Appendix:
Do this search online: signs of legalism in the church
https://research.lifeway.com/2019/05/28/9-signs-your-church-is-a-breeding-ground-for-legalism/
The people in your church have an “Us vs. Them” mentality: Those who believe in Jesus are good. Those who don’t believe in Him are bad.
There’s talk about the church extending “too much grace” when it comes to a less-than-desirable person in the pew.
You notice there seem to be many people who never believe they’re doing enough for God. They say things like, “I should pray more often” rather than “I love to pray.”
Outsiders don’t visit often (perhaps because the church is known for its legalism). People who are deeply hurting due to their sins or poor choices feel humiliated and embarrassed around you or people in your congregation.
Congregants actively avoid people who have a different worldview from them or who struggle with an outwardly visible sin.
There’s a general attitude among church members that being right is more important than being kind.
People are smug about their Bible knowledge and feel superior to those less educated about Scripture.
People who are deeply hurting due to their sins/poor choices feel humiliated and embarrassed around you.
This list has made you very uncomfortable, angry or indignant and you want to start defending yourself or your congregation—with Bible verses.
Verses to study concerning being forgiven by GOD and accepted by GOD without having to earn it:
(Highlights added)
Romans 3:21 – ‘But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Romans 3:22 – ‘even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Romans 3:23 – ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:24 –‘being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Romans 3:25 – ‘whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,’