It was the Disciple Paul that wrote about legalism in the Scriptures. Legalism is a strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code. Therefore, Paul wrote that Christ freed the believer from bondage to the law (legalism), and he went on to say “you have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace, for we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. If we live by the Spirit, not the law, we have freedom from the law.”
I can see why there seems to be a conflict of interest between faith and the law. Paul was speaking about being circumcised or not being circumcised, and he was speaking to the Jews as well as the Gentiles. Paul’s point was this: The Jews failed to follow the law and it did not matter if they were circumcised or not, that didn’t make them right with God, having faith and living in Christ and following the Holy Spirit, was the right and only way to be upright. Essentially, Christ replaced the law and then sent us the Holy Spirit to indwell within us. However, Jesus Himself said that He didn’t come to replace the law, but to fulfill it.
The law is still on the books, i.e. God’s book, the Bible. The purpose is to show us that we are sinners and God’s laws do that. Without His laws, we don’t really understand how sinful we are. Therefore, the law brings us under conviction. Without understanding and without conviction, there is no true repentance. Answering an “altar call,” is not the first step, knowledge of God’s laws, is the first step; conviction is the second step, and repentance is the third step.
Too many people believe that making a public showing by going to the altar is the only “step” that’s required. Seems to me that there are four steps.
1. Knowledge of God’s laws.
2. Conviction that we are a sinner.
3. Repentance of sins and asking Jesus Christ to forgive us.
4. Accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
Now,we are ready for our first step of many, many steps in our Christian Journey through life. We understand Lowell, so what’s the deal?
Too many of the so called “Christians” missed steps 1 thru 3.
They are given “laws” from their religious leader of his/her Denomination, as to what’s required of them as a member of their Denomination. Too many of these religious leaders are just “hired hands” (John 10:12-13). This is a good example of he blind leading the blind and both are lost. They have added leaven like yeast, to lighten the law. Many of our religious leaders are like Pharisee’s of the Bible. What they have done and continue to do to Christianity, is similar to what the U.S. Congress is doing to America. We have been deceived, lied to, and mislead by too many of our religious leaders and our Congress. The proof ? Read the Bible and the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
God provided His standard to follow. Our Forefather’s provided the Constitution and the bill of rights, and these documents are being ignored,
revised, shredded, by our intelligent, know it all,”Leaders.”
Now, for “the rest of the story.” Read the book of Revelation, in the Bible.
It will tell you what will happen. Not what might happen, or could happen, but what will happen. This is God’s opinion, and each one of us needs to deal with it and do things His way. If you can handle the truth, only a few will find His gate to heaven. If it is your religious leader who implies that you are “good,” you need to compare your preacher’s idea of good, to what Christ would consider “good.” After all, in the end, it is Christ who will judge you, not your preacher. And, as Christ has said, “many have been judged already.”
