"Then
Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your
disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands
when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God
for the sake of your tradition?” Matthew 15:1-3
Being Right-eous
The Pharisees of Matthew 15:1-3 above were troubled because it seemed that their religious traditions were not being correctly followed. As we discover from Jesus’ reaction to them, they had made their tradition more important than the very people they were supposed to be leading, loving, and serving!
The Pharisees of Matthew 15:1-3 above were troubled because it seemed that their religious traditions were not being correctly followed. As we discover from Jesus’ reaction to them, they had made their tradition more important than the very people they were supposed to be leading, loving, and serving!
The
word we use for this today is Legalism.
The struggle against legalism is one we all engage in from time to
time. One of the greatest pitfalls of
legalism is that it seems to fall hand in hand with the efforts we make in
striving to become all that God wants us to be in Christ Jesus. We WANT to be faithful to the Word of
God. We WANT to be accountable to the
scriptures, and we WANT to help others not fall or fail as well. Those desires
and goals become problematic however when pride begins to take root and
self-righteousness becomes the product of our religious focus and fervor.
Good Times
Legalism
can actually feel like the right way to go, and it certainly loves
company. A group of persons collectively
holding one another accountable can be a very good thing. But when that group becomes exclusive and
elite in their own eyes and they begin to marginalize others who are not
meeting the mark, then the collective has become a god unto itself and their
mission has become idolatry.
Another
way legalism can ensnare is that it feels good to be “right.” Knowing what the rules are and adhering to
them feels good. But let pride enter
into the picture and now we don’t simply feel good for doing right. We are superior. And because we think everyone should be like
us, but aren’t; now we can be judgmental.
It is a slippery slope, isn’t it?
A
friend of mine who was recently dealing with himself on this topic called me on
the phone, laughing. He said “I just
came to realize what I’ve been doing! I’ve been so legalistic. And there is no love in legalism. There is no grace in legalism. There is only the law, and
self-righteousness, and condemnation. I
don’t know what I was thinking!”
Well,
I know what he was thinking…he was trying to be the very best that he could be
for the Lord, and he got caught in the trap…the law became his focus and he
began to use it as the template – not only for himself, but for everyone else
too. And it only brought conflict,
frustration, and failure.
Prayer
Father God, you
know our hearts…you know when we become dry and lifeless, and you know when we
burst with zeal and enthusiasm. As we continue to press toward Christ-likeness,
and as we strive to become more and more faithful and mature in our walk,
please guard our hearts and minds, lest we become lost in legalism. To the honor and glory of your name we live,
and pray. Amen.
