We should not make it
difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God (Acts 15:19).
Although we would
never admit it, legalism betrays a fear that Christ’s death on the cross was
insufficient to guarantee our salvation. Whatever it might be, there is always
something in addition to Christ’s shed blood necessary to pay for our guilt.
As the early
church shifted to include the Gentile population, many believing Jews thought
Gentiles should be circumcised and obey Jewish law in order to be saved. In
other words, they were expected to convert to Judaism first, and only then
could they be received as Christians. On one occasion Peter almost bowed to the
pressure of the Judaizers, but then Paul took him to task and the matter was
favorably resolved.
Today we have our
own forms of legalism. Legalism may influence our choices of food or beverages;
it may dictate that Sunday and only Sunday (or Saturday and only Saturday) is
set aside for worship. It may require women to wear long hair and long dresses
and men to wear short hair and short dresses... nah! Just seeing if you were
paying attention. The point is we put our hope in following a set of rules.
Whatever the
recipe of our particular brand of legalism, the security that it brings is
false. When we get right down to it, legalism says all that really matters is
following the rules better than the next guy.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
Consider the words of that
old hymn: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and
righteousness” [6]. What’s that look like in practice?
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