My Name is David, and I am a Recovering Legalist
One day I’m going to find a Legalists Anonymous meeting and stand up and say this! I admit to trying to keep the Law till I was hog tied and bone dry as the hills of Gilboa which have neither dew nor rain!
But I’ve learned a good lesson from it all. That lesson is that the Law is God’s appointed method for bringing us to Him. It’s not solely that the Law “was” our schoolmaster and never again to be. It still “is” the schoolmaster and still has its appointed task of bringing us to Christ to be justified by faith, if that’s what we want. Anyone out there want faith for justification? I do, more and more! Not just once, but every day! Not just cleansing for my feet, but my head and my whole body!
So, as crazy as it might sound, if you want to know God, keep the commandments! In your futility, if you are in earnest and determined to run into its 100 foot thick wall until you prevail, sooner or later you will crumble and that’s exactly where God needs you to be in order to help you. And there is no other way. God gave the Law the first time just for the purpose of preparing the world for the Saviour to come. And, according to Galatians 3:24 it accomplished its intended purpose. Remember the fellow who got the people ready for Jesus? What kind of a message did he give? Love and peace? No, it was all about what God expected of them and the consequences of disobedience. “Bring forth therefore the proper fruit of repentance! Now the axe is laid to the root of the trees! Every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire!” It may not have sounded like a nice speech, but it was necessary, it was God-inspired. Only those who listened to John followed Jesus. If they rejected John, they rejected Jesus later. This is good news if you find yourself a legalist (such as we all really are), that is to say, an honest legalist.
So today, many may say the Law was done away with, or they may know better than to profess that but they skirt the Law as an unwanted, dangerous thing. But, all in the same group, they are only hurting themselves and refusing the one and only authorized method for coming to Christ. God wants to break us down to parade rest. That’s what they do with a fire-arm in order to clean it. Every tiniest part of the weapon must be disassembled and cleaned and oiled. Otherwise, a jam up will occur and someone may get seriously hurt. So God needs to see the sinner broken into crumbs. Then He can clean us every wit.
We need to do what no one in his right mind would do! We need to be crumbled and humbled. It needs to be done and we must consent to it. So what’s God to do? He must get rid of our self-styled “right mind!” And then we will do the ridiculously foolish thing that is necessary for our own good; we will fall before Him in repentance. He uses His Law and the foolishness of preaching and many pricks and hard knocks until we bow before His Law in a pitiful little heap. When the Law is returned to its rightful place of respect in our hearts, then our mouth is finally stopped because we put our own hand over it, and we realize our guilt before God. Yes, guilt is healthy in the hands of a Professional. Then and only then do we really need a Saviour enough to go in search of one. Only when I see the exceeding sinfulness of my self will I truly hunt as for hid treasures, lift up my voice, knock on every door in desperation for a cure for sin, until I find it.
Eventually I discover that the it is a Him. A Person! A caring, compassionate Friend and Mentor!
Then the adventure really gets good.
But I’ve learned a good lesson from it all. That lesson is that the Law is God’s appointed method for bringing us to Him. It’s not solely that the Law “was” our schoolmaster and never again to be. It still “is” the schoolmaster and still has its appointed task of bringing us to Christ to be justified by faith, if that’s what we want. Anyone out there want faith for justification? I do, more and more! Not just once, but every day! Not just cleansing for my feet, but my head and my whole body!
So, as crazy as it might sound, if you want to know God, keep the commandments! In your futility, if you are in earnest and determined to run into its 100 foot thick wall until you prevail, sooner or later you will crumble and that’s exactly where God needs you to be in order to help you. And there is no other way. God gave the Law the first time just for the purpose of preparing the world for the Saviour to come. And, according to Galatians 3:24 it accomplished its intended purpose. Remember the fellow who got the people ready for Jesus? What kind of a message did he give? Love and peace? No, it was all about what God expected of them and the consequences of disobedience. “Bring forth therefore the proper fruit of repentance! Now the axe is laid to the root of the trees! Every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire!” It may not have sounded like a nice speech, but it was necessary, it was God-inspired. Only those who listened to John followed Jesus. If they rejected John, they rejected Jesus later. This is good news if you find yourself a legalist (such as we all really are), that is to say, an honest legalist.
So today, many may say the Law was done away with, or they may know better than to profess that but they skirt the Law as an unwanted, dangerous thing. But, all in the same group, they are only hurting themselves and refusing the one and only authorized method for coming to Christ. God wants to break us down to parade rest. That’s what they do with a fire-arm in order to clean it. Every tiniest part of the weapon must be disassembled and cleaned and oiled. Otherwise, a jam up will occur and someone may get seriously hurt. So God needs to see the sinner broken into crumbs. Then He can clean us every wit.
We need to do what no one in his right mind would do! We need to be crumbled and humbled. It needs to be done and we must consent to it. So what’s God to do? He must get rid of our self-styled “right mind!” And then we will do the ridiculously foolish thing that is necessary for our own good; we will fall before Him in repentance. He uses His Law and the foolishness of preaching and many pricks and hard knocks until we bow before His Law in a pitiful little heap. When the Law is returned to its rightful place of respect in our hearts, then our mouth is finally stopped because we put our own hand over it, and we realize our guilt before God. Yes, guilt is healthy in the hands of a Professional. Then and only then do we really need a Saviour enough to go in search of one. Only when I see the exceeding sinfulness of my self will I truly hunt as for hid treasures, lift up my voice, knock on every door in desperation for a cure for sin, until I find it.
Eventually I discover that the it is a Him. A Person! A caring, compassionate Friend and Mentor!
Then the adventure really gets good.
posted by David | 10:00 AM
13 Comments:
I'll join you in the Legalists Anonymous group. Proud to say I'm not longer there, but I don't like to hang around places that encourage that either. Not unlike recovering alcoholics staying away from their drinking buddies.
My husband came up with one of the best illustrations regarding the law that I have heard of in a long time. Your on the same wavelength when you talk about crumbling. Karl said that the true law, the 10 commandments, was contained in the mercy seat. When you fall on the mercy of God, and are humbled and broken, He restores you. But as Jesus Himself said, if the law falls on you, you will be crushed. Big difference. So, do we want to fall on God and His law, and come to Him with a broken and contrite heart, or do we want to keep trying to be a legalist and do it ourselves, and end up crushed.
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for adding your and your husband's experience. Jesus is merciful, far more than we can ever be. A mercy seat above the Law of God. Does that make mercy higher or greater than justice? What was the significance of how they were situated? Was it that sinners require an extra dose of mercy? Or that God has always tipped the scales toward mercy? Or is it that justice is the foundation of His throne, and mercy beautifies it? Both equally important and of equal weight. Truly something to ponder!
You are not alone! I too am a recovering legalist. I went SOOO far out of the realm of "normal". I thought I was above others and said MANY hurtful things to people who were honestly just doing their best to serve The Lord. They were not "up to the standard" in my view and it was "my place" to let them know. I said a lot of mean things about TV, Worship, Music and food. I destroyed several friendships in my self-righteousness. It is embarrassing to think back on those days, but I am on a journey and I learn more each day. It is God's love that draws me now, not the Law.
Thanks Trailady.
You sound back to your old self again! I'm glad your migraine is gone. Praise the Lord! (I hope that didn't sound too much like a legalist) I'm glad to be out of it also, but I'm also glad to have gone through it. Now I can appreciate Jesus's love more. And I can also identify with others who are making their way through the maze of legalism and shower them with friendship. Now I thank God for His Law and His justice because they are what brought this prodigal son to himself and to God's great mercy.
How exciting to find you guys - all you ex-legalists. Yes, I think about Paul who said that the law was designed to show us the futility of keeping it, and Martin Luther who had a revelation of major proportions who said "sin boldly" which means - just let go and let it all hang out so you can see your sin - the worst problem is the lie to ourselves when we keep secret sins, cover up and have "self control" in the negative sense. Usually, this is accompanied by pride which is the worst of sins!
Remember David who prayed "Lord keep me from secret sins, from presumptuous sins so I may be blameless of great transgression." When you hold it in, keep it down, strive strive and strive, it backfires and suddenly you're doing worse things than you would have.
It occurred to me - those people in leadership positions do terrible things because they are sending out a desperate signal - that they want you to allow them to be imperfect, because they feel it is encumbent upon them to be perfect.
Yes, Gabrielle, I feel for those in the highest positions. They must be perfect or lose their jobs. Their employers/board of directors/voters, pay them well to do everything right, and if they mess up they will pay dearly. Their career goes down the drain. But that's the life they choose, but its bondage. Not that the Lord doesn't want or need people at those places of leadership. But when He places a Daniel or a Joseph there, they depend on Him and He makes them perfect enough to do the job, and do it "10 times better" (Dan. 1:20) than those who fight their way to the top.
David is a good example of someone who was free. He held his demanding position at the top, not by defending it like "King of the Hill." But like Abraham, he would give it all up at the drop of a hat if that's what God wanted. God was his portion, and as long as he had communion with the living God, he would walk away from the kingship, the palace and the wealth.
But on another note, these men demonstrated another curiosity--they loved to keep God's law. David said, "I will walk at liberty: for I seek Thy precepts." "Let Thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even Thy salvation, according to Thy word...Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in Thy judgments. So shall I keep Thy law continually for ever and ever." "Oh, how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Ps. 119:45,41,43-44,97. David found that God's mercy, far from excusing him from obedience to God's Law, was the greatest attraction to obedience to God. Daniel, Abraham, and all the other Bible heroes discovered the same thing. Here is shown the secret to overcoming the sins that so easily beset us all. And its not legalism, because love and indebtedness to God for His mercy are the motivation, instead of self-centeredness. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
Gabrielle,
Just one more thing. I appreciate your heart-felt input. I also wanted to clarify, that even though God's Law is to be obeyed, that obedience comes after all the hard futility of us trying to obey it. The only true obedience comes from a heart surrendered to Jesus. Like I said, "Eventually I discover that the 'it'(the cure for sin) is a 'Him.' A Person! A caring, compassionate Friend! Then the adventure really gets good." When He has finally gotten us into His spiritual "Full-Nelson" hold and we are finally convinced of our ugly, utter ineptitude in obedience; when we see that He has every right to destroy us on the spot but refuses to do so, then we see the goodness of God, and we say, "I will serve you forever." At that point and ever afterward, when we obey His Law, we really obey, because He is doing it in us. Then it is His robe of righteousness, and we are His witnesses, declaring through our life "The Lord our Righteousness."
This is well stated, David! I believe the same. Christ in us, the hope of glory!!!! :o)
I have NO ambitions to be high ranking in any church. If God wanted me in such a position, he would have to put me there Himself, for I would be quite reluctant. The biggest change that has happened in me is that I no longer live my life because I want accolades and pats on the back. I am living for an Audience of One. This is freedom! Have a journey, but no agenda except surrender.
Gabrielle, I always appreciate your thoughts. I can tell you have also had quite a journey! :o)
Hey Trailady!
I'm glad we're on the same track. Once again, our jouneys continue to parallel each other. And it sounds like Gabrielle and Sharon also have been there, done that. That helps me know my experience wasn't just a fluke of nature. Thanks for everyone's response.
Sharon, I just caught what you said, "Proud to say I'm not longer there." Proud to not be a legalist, huh?! That's funny!
I only know one thing - the freedom of where I am after all the ins and outs and all the experiences of being caught under a life not resting in grace.
When I was caught in the law, Satan had so much opportunity to attack. It was all of the attacks that finally led me to the truth, so I guess we can thaank God for those.
Thanks Trailady - you are a blessing.
Yes, what you've said is exactly what I experienced, and I believe Trailady has also. And I don't believe we would have the faith we have today if it hadn't been for our attempt at keeping the Law without God's grace working in us to do it. Not that the Law is the enemy. "Great peace have they that love Thy Law; and nothing shall offend them." Ps 119.
But many are still, as you say, "caught in the law" and haven't yet come to terms with their own inability to keep it. This is true of everyone in the world. A close look will reveal that no matter what the culture or background or favorite pasttime, the whole world is stuck in the grip of their brand of morality. Only those who have realized their morality is ugly and filthy have renounced their self-suffiency and gone in search of a savior from the sinful condition. Not all have found the Savior, Jesus Christ, but if they are honest they will eventually find Him. Many of them entering through that narrow gate do not even claim religion. Many of those who haven't entered this narrow gate are in the church.
Its the issue of the Law and self-sufficiency and the experience of faith that Christ brought out so often to the religious leaders that levels the playing field for faith and the truth. The mountains and hills are brought low and the low places filled in, and the crooked ways made straight.
Thank you again Gabrielle.
Love all the comments going on here. God blesses. Amen!!
Thanks Sharon, I appreciate your comments too.
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