Christ has set us free

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision countsfor anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love. You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? Suchpersuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. I am confident about you in the Lord thatyou will not think otherwise. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. But my friends, why am I still being persecuted if I am stillpreaching circumcision? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love becomeslaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Galatians 5:1-15 (NRSV)

Legalism is a nasty, subtle thing that sucks the life out of a soul and a church. My computer's dictionary defines legalism as "strict adherence to a literal interpretation of a law, rule, or religious or moral code." Wikipedia defines it as "Legalism is alleged against any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Its opposite is the doctrine of Sola Fide, which is the traditional Protestant view that believing in Jesus Christ is the only requirement for receiving eternal life."

It is interesting...it seems to me growing up that legalism was always defined as what THAT OTHER group did wrongly as a part of their spritual walk or emphasis. It never seemed like anyone realized that they themselves could be legalistic, too. Ex. I was with some friends of one of the 'other' groups with one guy going on and on about how he and his church aren't legalistic because they believed that once one was saved, one could do whatever one wanted. But then, this same person would begin obsessing about the 'sin' that a Christian sister did by cutting her hair. He could do anything he wanted and it wasn't sin, but she had committed a grave sin by cutting her hair. There was no forgiveness for cutting her hair. It was scary how legalistic he was but even more scary that he couldn't see it.

An other example would be a mentality that I have encountered the last few years. It is "if we want to see people come to know Christ and come to church, the ONLY way is to play ______ type of music." Hmmm....I wonder how God ever converted anyone before that style of music was created...or how he converts a deaf person, or someone in a part of the world without that style of music?

Joy came to me when God set me free last year of various religous groups' ideas of: how one was converted, how one grew in a relationship with him and what one believed about the end times. Instead of focusing on rules to obey, I am now focusing on God's love and sharing it with others. I love verses like these:

Galatians 5:14 - The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Romans 13:8 - Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:10 - Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself", you are doing right.

Focusing on loving God and loving my neighbor has been the key to finding joy, grace, peace and love for me.