Voiding God's Commands
If you've been keeping up with TFC's RMMR care group devotional approach you'll be reading Mark 7-8 today. That means you'll be reading Jesus' rebukes of the Pharisees; spiritual leaders of His day who tended to get it way wrong.
For example, as I was reading, I was struck by Mark 7:1-13, and the seemingly incurable tendency Pharisaic humans have to void God's Law by creating their own traditions. Legalism takes many forms; one is that it creates religious laws that God simply does not authorize, and then clings to those laws in such a way that they supplant God's Law in our lives.
Christian history is full of examples of this. We think of those early Christians who decided that sex and pleasure were bad, so in their zeal for what they thought pure, they denounced God's created ordinance of marriage and sexual joy in it. Or we think of those who denounce all (even moderate) drinking of alcoholic beverages as evil (because they supposedly damage the body) but then overeat or fail to exercise (which really do damage the body). Or we think of those who forbid all "worldly entertainment" as evil, but then entertain gossip and slander and complaining as a regular form of pleasure in their lives.
Or we think of those who ignore or forbid spiritual gifts (out of fear of their excesses) but then fail to earnestly desire those gifts (as God commands!). Or we think of those who criticize those who do not dress up for worship (according to their definition of dressing up) which God nowhere commands, but then do not shout and sing out and clap and kneel and leap and celebrate in worship (as God does command).
Traditions and preferences almost always will blind you to actual Laws of God. It's the way the Deceiver works. He tempts us to create laws that God does not endorse for certain areas of life to avoid seeing and obeying His laws (that He does endorse) for those same areas of life.
A safe and necessary rule to set us free from legalism and from becoming self-righteous critics of those who don't measure up to our standards is this: never accept as law or develop into a conviction any tradition or opinion that does not have clear and explicit support from God's Word. Never. If we cannot find clear and unmistakable biblical grounds for our opinions, then we must reject those opinions. Period.
Consciously check all traditions and styles and "ways we've always done things" by the simple question: Is this God's command or simply my tradition or preference?
If it is not God's command then either get rid of the tradition or relegate it to such a place of conscious indifference that it cannot ever again assume anything like authority status in your life (or in anyone else's).
Decide to go to war with your traditions and preferences to demote them to at least a place of indifference, if not a place of repudiation. I have found that repudiation is the best option; it keeps me hanging on loosely to all those things I think wise or good or best--and keeps me searching hard for all those things which God really cares about.
Let us hear the words of our Lord.
For example, as I was reading, I was struck by Mark 7:1-13, and the seemingly incurable tendency Pharisaic humans have to void God's Law by creating their own traditions. Legalism takes many forms; one is that it creates religious laws that God simply does not authorize, and then clings to those laws in such a way that they supplant God's Law in our lives.
Christian history is full of examples of this. We think of those early Christians who decided that sex and pleasure were bad, so in their zeal for what they thought pure, they denounced God's created ordinance of marriage and sexual joy in it. Or we think of those who denounce all (even moderate) drinking of alcoholic beverages as evil (because they supposedly damage the body) but then overeat or fail to exercise (which really do damage the body). Or we think of those who forbid all "worldly entertainment" as evil, but then entertain gossip and slander and complaining as a regular form of pleasure in their lives.
Or we think of those who ignore or forbid spiritual gifts (out of fear of their excesses) but then fail to earnestly desire those gifts (as God commands!). Or we think of those who criticize those who do not dress up for worship (according to their definition of dressing up) which God nowhere commands, but then do not shout and sing out and clap and kneel and leap and celebrate in worship (as God does command).
Traditions and preferences almost always will blind you to actual Laws of God. It's the way the Deceiver works. He tempts us to create laws that God does not endorse for certain areas of life to avoid seeing and obeying His laws (that He does endorse) for those same areas of life.
A safe and necessary rule to set us free from legalism and from becoming self-righteous critics of those who don't measure up to our standards is this: never accept as law or develop into a conviction any tradition or opinion that does not have clear and explicit support from God's Word. Never. If we cannot find clear and unmistakable biblical grounds for our opinions, then we must reject those opinions. Period.
Consciously check all traditions and styles and "ways we've always done things" by the simple question: Is this God's command or simply my tradition or preference?
If it is not God's command then either get rid of the tradition or relegate it to such a place of conscious indifference that it cannot ever again assume anything like authority status in your life (or in anyone else's).
Decide to go to war with your traditions and preferences to demote them to at least a place of indifference, if not a place of repudiation. I have found that repudiation is the best option; it keeps me hanging on loosely to all those things I think wise or good or best--and keeps me searching hard for all those things which God really cares about.
Let us hear the words of our Lord.
Labels: Legalism, Obedience, Traditions
posted by Tim Shorey at
6:11 AM
2 Comments:
Balance, balance, balance... biblical balance. That is what I consistently find in your writing and speaking-- and one of the many reasons we are glad to be part of TFC.
There is a safe and sure place to be found in following the actual teaching of the Word rather than our preferences and traditions.
Peter speaks of balance, and balance is exactly what the Bible gives us. It preserves us from extremes and excess at all times-guiding us into the proper path.
O Lord--how I love your Law!
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