For years I have lived a life of constant legalism, condemning others for their sins, pointing out the flaws in others, and embracing extreme forms of “purity.” I’ve acted like a modern Pharisee. I’ve twisted and cherry-picked bible verses to my advantage to win arguments felt morally superior compared to others and seemed to be the most intelligent. What have I accomplished? I’ve traveled the world, conquering illogical arguments, winning hearts and souls for Jesus through the weapon of persuasion, logic, and reasoning. Thousands have turned from their ignorance and were convinced by my borrowed phrases from C.S. Lewis and Ravi Zacharias. Don’t believe me? Well, you’re right not to believe me. No, I haven’t made progress by those methods. Instead, I have made progress by loving others and meeting their needs before mine. I now have open doors for discussions about the Bible and theological topics.
Jesus articulately summarized all of the Torah’s 613 religious rules into two. These two famous commands are as follows: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36-40). Loving God and our neighbors are seen throughout all of the rules and laws in the Torah. God’s will for us is to serve others and to glorify him in all of our actions. Being a contemporary Pharisee doesn’t help. Knowing Bible verses and defending scripture isn’t sufficient enough to glorify God. The Pharisees found in scripture were well-versed in Jewish literature and law, but practically they were as flawed as the common folk. Jesus pointed this out to the legalistic Pharisees. “Blind Pharisee! First, clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean” (Matthew 23:26). Imagine Jesus calling us out today: “Blind Christian! Clean your heart and your outward actions will be pure.” I’m guilty as charged! Jesus would tell me this. The good news is I’m forgiven and I can change.
Although I am forgiven, I am not free to do whatever I want. Legalism and holiness are not the same. Legalism is rooted in egotism, while holiness is bounded in love and service. “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:1-4). Grace affords us to be holy in him, instead of struggling to be holy on our own accord. Jesus Christ conquers our sin and builds us up as holy ambassadors enriched in grace and love.
If you’re living in legalistic bondage, know that you don’t have to continue on that road. Let God work a miracle in you. After all, he’s God! What’s most important is God using you to draw people closer to him, not winning arguments for winning’s sake. Love is the best argument, the best way to persuade, and the best way to encourage others to seek Christ. Love wins every time.
