This is a continuation of Legalism and its devastating effects on believers. Legalism somehow compels Christian people that they have to always be doing something for the Lord all the time 24 hours a day seven days a week, 365 days out of the year. Do you know what the Lord requires of you? Let us look into the scriptures ok:
6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 22:36 Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 22:38 This is the first and great commandment. 22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Legalism attempts to gain the favor of the Lord by doing many things for the Lord. Wow and Jesus said greater works will we do becasue he went back into heaven. That is great that we would do greater works in quantity than Jesus Christ did but our focus should not be on such works but on Jesus Christ and him crucified. Here is what the Lord Jesus Christ said: 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. But Paul also stated in the New Testament that the quality of our works was going to be judged not the quantity. Newsflash--God is a quality inspector. There are those like the Pharasees who have quantity works and yes they will be judged also and condemned becasue of hypocrisy. 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. So many Chrisitans think that if I go to every kind of fellowship service there is and partake of every church/fellowship function is that I will get brownie points from God or something like that. I have heard individuals say "Well I get up @ 4am every morning. Great!! But it is only by grace of Jesus Christ you can do it. It is only by the grace of God that I can post this blog. Praise Jesus name--Amen! God is no respecter of persons and he looks at man's heart. The King James Bible tells us what to put off or mortify: 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. The list could go on and on but this shows Christians what to put off. The dangers of Legalism are putting people into bondage. Even in the Old Testament it states that the just shall live by faith. 2:4 Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Now the King James Bible tells us what ot put on and here it is: 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 3:10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond [nor] free: but Christ [is] all, and in all. 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 3:14 And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. I am going to sum this up now and say that there are many of the do's and don'ts to those entraped by legalism which are nothing more than the mere traditions of men. I am not saying that one has a licence to sin that God's grace may abound more. God Forbids that. Faith is one thing, Legalism is another and Liberty without the Holy Spirit is yet another. Thank you all for reading and may the Lord bless you. Garry |
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