Legalism doesn’t work. What I mean is that a list of things you are not to do, in and of themselves have no power to help us resist them. They only help us identify and focus on what we are not supposed to do. Unfortunately the byproduct of focusing on what we are not supposed to do is just that; focus. And what we focus on (spend time thinking about) we are ultimately drawn to. Here is a simple illustration:
This week I want you to not eat any ice cream. Not your favorite flavor, not any flavor. Don’t even think about eating ice cream. We’ll if you are like me you started to think about a double scoop of pistachio almond from Baskin Robins. And I’m sure, somehow, within the next week I’ll magically end up at Baskin Robins getting my favorite kind of cream. So if you are often over eating and saying to yourself; “I ought not” and “I should not”; You only drive your mind to focus more on your desire And in this case its EAT MORE ice cream.
The Bible teaches that the laws (Old Testament) that were given were good; however they only helped bring alive the sin that is already in us.
Romans 7:7-11 reads, “ What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.”
The Christian life is the only true life to live that produces peace, joy and contentment; unfortunately the gospel has always been undermined by a teaching that keeping laws will bring this about this life. Legalist living is bondage because WE CAN NOT LIVE IT! I lived a good majority of my Christian life trying to prove my righteousness by keeping a list of rules. The end result of this type of living was depression and anxiety. I often feel sad for those who are trapped in religions that are teaching that a person can somehow attain heaven, nirvana, or whatever by keeping rules and regulations. We will always fail at this endeavor because of our nature.
So, then what really changes a person and actually empowers them to live a right and joy filled life? Stay tuned
