Legalism?

As I reflect on the broader church there are areas where we have improved hugely over previous generations. Our desire to be relevant to the culture in which we find ourselves so that we might win people to Jesus is awesome. We've lost the religious and formal atmosphere that makes God (and church leaders) inaccessible and distant that too is amazing. We often have contemporary worship and accessible sermons – again, well done!

But we've lost a few battles too. Sanctity of marriage and sexuality within marriage has been lost as most couples Christian or not will live together prior to marriage. We've been largely silent on the social injustices like poverty and abortion and too vocal in some places on things like homosexuality and yet strangely silent about gossip.

A major area where I believe that we are in danger of losing the battle is with regarding grace and legalism. And much of the debate is about misunderstanding the biblical principals.

Grace is God giving unmerited favour to those who cannot earn it. Legalism is the opposite, that we can earn God's favour by our good deeds.

Grace says “Jesus does all the work on the cross our job is to have faith.”
Legalism says “God will accept me if I am good and Jesus showed me how to live”

Paul fights this fight all the way through Romans.

My concern is that when churches bring in some sort of rule or legislation they are often accused of being legalistic and that grace must prevail. I don’t like that at all mostly because I think it is a lie. Firstly laws and rules are not legalism and neither is trying to enforce them as long as they are biblical. Secondly that kind of response is not called grace it’s called permissiveness.

The question gets raised in my mind in dealing with a number of issues in the church:

-Tithing is a big one – all people should be tithing and yet our statistics tell us that our tithing is around 2%. Should leaders be tithing? Surely they should be leading the charge so to speak? And if they are not are they being obedient to Jesus and if they are not being obedient should they be leading? How does this tie in to express instructions in the bible to give to God of our first fruits?

-Our kids church is looking at a questionnaire asking some pretty deep questions about peoples lives. These people are caring for our kids, surely they should be vetted in some way so that we are sure that our kids are safe. The recent debacle in the catholic church shows what happens when these things are swept under the carpet. How does this tie in to the biblical instructions of caring for children?

-Uninvolved members – how should churches deal with those who no longer attend worship? Many churches have people on their roll who come to worship once a year at most – how does that tie in with the biblical command to gather regularly or to fellowship and encourage each other? Do we leave them be or confront them?

-Gossip – wow all churches have a lot of gossipers! Do we weed them out or leave them be? How does this tie in with the bible’s instructions to seek unity, peace and harmony with each other and James’ instructions on taming the tongue? In our desire to be gracious are we not allowing disunity to be spread?

My concern is that in being permissive we harm the church by accepting unacceptable behavior and being silent lest we be ungracious - I believe that is a lie spun by the evil one. And then in the same breath I am concerned that we become a bunch of rule-focused people rather than Jesus focused, that would be another evil lie too...there must be some middle ground!

The scriptures paint a picture of grace that so changes our lives that we live differently to Jesus glory, one cannot legislate that kind of thing can one? And yet somehow we need to remind those who are not living differently that they have missed out on grace, for such a grace cannot leave us the same, such a grace will shape and mould our lives because it is the most profound truth the world has known.

My belief is that the church has made it much, much easier to 'follow' Jesus than Jesus made it to follow Jesus. He tells us to pick up our cross and to come and follow him. To die for him that we might live. To let the dead bury themselves. To drop everything and follow him.

And yet millions of those who profess faith in Jesus refuse to carry their cross and reject the call to follow...and leaders in those churches have allowed those under their care to believe they are OK with Jesus instead of graciously but firmly calling them to repentance and faith by pointing out their error and reminding them of the instructions, law and rules that Jesus and the apostles laid down...

Some food for thought and I'd love to hear your comments.