Legalism—a silent killer

READ: Ezra 7,8; Psalms 21; Acts 15:1-21

SCRIPTURE: Acts 15:1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

OBSERVATION: Many of the problems we see in the church today are not new; they are as old as the church. Identifying such issues and resolving them at the earliest would keep the Church alive and vibrant. Acts 15:1 tells us the reason for the “sharp dispute and debate” in the early church. In Antioch, the people from Judea demanded that circumcision is compulsory for the Gentiles to receive salvation. But in Jerusalem, they put forth more and impractical demands to compel the gentile believers to adhere to the law of Moses (v.5). They might have thought their objections against the gentiles were proper in line with God’s word revealed through Moses. Note: They started with a demand of “Unless” you do this and that, you cannot be saved or be(come) a Christian.

Legalism always enters into the Church with such demands. At first, legalism starts with emphasizing small things. Later, it will have a snowball effect which would affect the freedom and joy that believers enjoy in Christ. Legalism is one of the most significant enemies against the Church and Christians. Legalism keeps the Christians under guilt and shame; it blames them for not doing certain things they hear from the pulpits and robs off their joy. Jesus already warned us concerning the uselessness of such hypocritic Pharisaic teaching (Mt.23:13). The Apostles and elders came together to bring an amicable solution. Apostle Peter told the council about how God accepted the gentiles without any discrimination. While rejecting the law as an unbearable yoke, Peter pointed, “it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved,” not by the law. Even good Christians may support certain forms of legalism. They often list the do’s and don’ts and urge other Christians to be like them. Legalists are often proud of themselves as they think they are pleasing God by doing or following certain things. Jesus’ “unless you do this” list is different from the list of legalists. Jesus taught us about being born again, forgiving others, accepting the Kingdom of God like little children, repentance, and so on (Mt.5:20; 18:3, 35; Lk.13:3, Jn.3:3; 6:44; 12:24; 15:4). We must give our preference to Jesus’ teachings, not any legalistic teachings.

APPLICATION: I should never forget that I am saved by God’s grace, not by any of my works. I cannot please God by my works. I should not allow legalism to enter into my life and lead me away from the Lord. I must keep the main thing main. When I live a Christ-centered life, I experience peace and joy. I will not allow any type of legalism to affect the blessedness of my Christian life.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your grace that saved me from worldly pride and sins. Jesus, help me to be careful in anything that distracts my attention from you and the word of God. Amen.

- Arputharaj Samuel
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Day - 203