The Death of Legalism ...

I was a rebellious child.  Apparently at 2-years-old, my mother laid out newspapers across the kitchen counters and stove-top while she attempted to clean the tops of the cabinets and ceiling above the stove.  My guess, too many burned meals accumulated smoke over time; but then at that age, I was hardly the food critic I pretend to be today.  Before climbing up on top of these counters, my mother specifically warned me “NOT” to turn on the stove, lest something horrible happen.  Well telling a societal rebel “not” to do something, has to be considered a formal invitation on engraved print at the age of two.  So upon walking through the kitchen I promptly turned on the stove in order to test a physics theory I was still trying to work out regarding accelerants and the forced acrobatics abilities of my mother.  Turns out my theory did not account for the displeasure of my mother of forced anything; nor the fear in me of seeing cause-and-effect of a fire that had to be scooped up and put out in the sink. (regardless I still scored mom’s landing as an Olympic 8.5, and made secret plans to hide another wooden spoon behind the refrigerator where many of its brethren were already waiting) 😊  One could argue, how is a 2-year-old capable of real rebellion, let alone rebellion against the “rules” of societal conformity?  To which I would argue I found a way.

At 3-years-old, I determined the kitchen in my parents apartment needed some redesign, so I sat in the middle of the floor one Saturday afternoon having escaped my playpen, opened up a can of gold touchup paint my father had accidently left within my reach; sat down, and proceeded to dip my fingers into the paint and begin to paint … everything.  I painted the refrigerator, the stove, or at least the parts of them my 3-year-old fingers could reach.  I painted the cabinets, the floors, the table and chairs, and of course myself.  What artistry could ever be considered complete until the artist matched his work?  My parents awoke from their “nap” to find me still sitting in the middle of the painted kitchen floor.  My finger-painted oil-based paint nearly dry now on everything within an 8-foot radius of where I sat, paint can now empty.  Would have been hard to deny it was me.  While I may have had advanced language skills, I had no reason to deny the artistry I was plainly intended to do (my calling at that age – LOL).  And my parents, not appreciating good art (neither did the apartment landlord/manager apparently), were left with attempting to clean up everything from the paint; hardest of all was getting it off of me.

I only know these stories of me because my mother still takes great pleasure in telling them to me (and later to my kids).  What caused her great frustration when they occurred, are now seen and remembered only for the humor they are capable of inciting.  If you can get past it, rebellion might even look as ridiculous as it sounds, while you are in it – not so much.  (When we moved my mother discovered a treasure trove of wooden spoons hiding behind the refrigerator; she laughed heartily knowing full well why they were there.)  But it is nearly the nature of rebellion to do stupid things.  The perspective of wisdom generally exceeds the rebel’s ability to perceive it.  And where it comes to worshipping God, we, His church, find not-so-cute ways to rebel against the notion of having a unique relationship with Jesus, and rebel, in favor of having a corporate one. 

We confuse gathering together to share our unique experiences with each other, to encourage each other; with having none of our own and becoming fully dependent on hearing the stories of others and believe the “listening” has become somehow enough.  We wrap other people’s stories up in tradition and sequential order, with beautiful music, children’s stories, offering calls, prayer, and then focus our attention on a sermon (the lessons or perspective of just one person) – all of this masking the fact, that our own contribution in church does not require us to share “our unique” testimony or experience with Jesus that grows every week.  These traditions make us comfortable not recognizing, perhaps we don’t have a unique and personal experience with Jesus at all.  And a single story or encounter of Jesus and you, is surely NOT what Jesus has in mind as His relationship with you.  He wants one that is intimate, growing, changing, and getting deeper all the time – forever dynamic.  Stagnant ones are boring ones.  Telling the same joke, or funny story over and over is hardly as fun as telling a new one every time you see a friend.  But if we are content to be stagnant, forever looking backwards at one thing, or worse, having nothing real to look at all – we have found a way to rebel against the true worship of God, in favor of group think.  Now who else is the rebel?

In Peter’s gospel (penned by his friend John Mark) he tells of a crazy lady who believed if she could but touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole, despite a complete lack of evidence that might work up to that time.  That was her personal and unique testimony of her encounter with Jesus.  And it worked.  But it did not stay personal.  She shared it, with force, with conviction, with passion.  The passion of one who was sick and now was made whole.  Her words were accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit to introduce the Truth to those who heard her.  And Matthew picks up with his testimony in his gospel in chapter fourteen, of what the results were of the crazy lady’s thinking and testimony were.  It begins in verse 34 saying … “And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. [verse 35] And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; [verse 36] And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”

An entire region believed.  Not just in the Jesus who fed the 5000, or walked on water, or moved time and space.  These events just occurred yesterday, not enough time to reach them with all the details yet, perhaps only some of them.  But it was not just the Jesus the Messiah, this entire region believed in.  They also believed in the crazy lady’s story of touching the hem of His garment and being made whole.  And that worked too!!  For every single person who did it.  A unique testimony spreading between each sick person and the Savior who’s hem they had only to touch.  The power of healing not from clothing, but from the One wearing them.  Similar stories, but still unique to the person.  Similar themes, but each unique to the person who received the healing.  Lame men, women, and children leaping to their feet to praise God in the person of Jesus Christ.  You could not confine these ones to a church pew and dare to call it worship.  They had to run.  They had to use the restored health they were given to carry His gospel to the far distances healed legs, joints, and feet would go.  Yelling the whole way to any who would listen, about the good news.  Hugging with restored arms and hands.  That was their church.

Imagine the eyes of the blind, who now looked deep into the face of the savior who opened them with only a brush of his garment walking by.  Imagine them burning in the image of that face, not just in their eyes, but in their very souls.  They too would have a testimony that each of them would find unique.  While staring at the word was a gift they would not reject, staring at the face of Jesus was one they would forever prefer.  Who wants to read the story of others about Jesus, when you can see Jesus yourself face to face?  The entire Old Testament pointed forward to the coming of Jesus, but those words met their fulfillment in the face of Jesus, the blind were now free to see for themselves.  Can you imagine any one of them turning away from Jesus in favor of books?  That was the error of the Pharisees.  But then the Pharisees refused to recognize their own blindness.  Worship for one who was blind and now was free to see, was something else entirely.

When the formerly lame, met the formerly blind, do you think they both sat still, while a Pharisee recited his own interpretation of scripture?  Or do you think both could not help but tell the Pharisee about why he was wrong, because of the Love incarnate in the person of Jesus, and invite that Pharisee to come and see.  And therein is the gospel; an invitation to come and see Jesus.  Come and taste Jesus for yourself.  Reach out and touch His hem and be made whole.  Run to Him when your legs would not carry you before.  Look deep into those eyes of Love, when before you could not see.  Let Jesus take your sin from you, and free you from it.  Even today Jesus is still doing that.  But we are rebellious children, who prefer to move in the safety of groups, and mask our longing in the tradition of sequential order so as to fail to see.  We are content to sit still and quiet, for we have nothing unique in us to share, and no passion driving us to share it.

Those with testimony, have something they must say regarding the Jesus they have encountered that gave them that testimony.  It is a response to Love.  It cannot be earned.  But this is not the belief of the church elders in the days of Jesus, nor perhaps in our own.  Our denominational boundaries teach us that others are wrong.  But how could an individual testimony about Jesus be wrong?  It isn’t.  Instead it is the differences over doctrinal interpretations that keep us segregated.  We teach the rites done in the way only our church does them, the recitations pronounced in the ways we believe right.  These differences keep us apart now.  Matthew records in his gospel in chapter fifteen that it was also so in the hearts of our Pharisee forefathers.  He picks up in verse 1 saying … “Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, [verse 2] Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.”

Legalism.  For legalism exists that men might perform actions, to secure the favor of God.  We call those actions, obedience, but in truth it is far from that.  Those actions are meant to achieve a result.  We read our Bible’s more, or pray more, or give to the poor more – in order to secure the favor of God.  This is legalism.  We baptize in our certain way, after our doctrinal interpretations have been accepted.  We ask our members to adopt healthy lifestyles and equate healthy choices with Godly choices.  We twist the behavior of obedience that might come from a transformed heart with deeds that any hands can perform, and so lie to ourselves.  The Pharisees performed the rituals expected of them by the church.  They expected any person professing church leadership to do the same.  The disciples of Jesus were not living up to that self-imposed standard.  Therefore, the disciples were not worshipping correctly.  Nor would you be, if you disrupted the sequential order and traditions of your church worship by making inappropriate noise in an out of place time (even if that noise were the prophecies of God Himself).

Jesus answers in verse 3 saying … “But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? [verse 4] For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. [verse 5] But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [verse 6] And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”  Love cannot be undone by words spoken in any church.  We are supposed to love our parents, really love them.  When that love is in you, it does not need the limitations written in stone.  But when that love for others is not truly in you, then the reminders of what should be, written in stone are all you have to prick a guilty conscience.  The people in the days of Jesus, who did not want the “burden” of loving their parents, needed a get-out-of-jail-free card where the law was constantly reminding them.  They devised a tradition, where a certain sum of money could be given, certain words pronounced, and their “obligation” to love be forever removed.  Making the law of none effect.

Those in harmony with the law of God, through a transformed heart made so by Jesus Christ, do not face this dilemma.  They are pleased with the “opportunity” to love parents and care for them.  The “blessing” of maintaining this relationship for as long as life will permit is truly considered a blessing not a burden.  This love grows from errant 2-year-old, through young-adulthood, to years of advanced age.  The love alters over time, but is enriched over time.  This relationship was meant to teach us things about God, from how secure we feel with being protected as a little child, to how it is possible to love children of our own when we have them.  Our ability to love our kids, sometimes in spite of what they do like covering a kitchen in gold paint, is a testament to how great a love can be.  It shows how love is capable of truly forgiving, and years later, finding the humor in how ridiculous rebellion can look.  To attempt to discard all of this with words spoken in church, reveals a selfishness that does not understand how love works.  This is what Jesus was trying to point out to these accusers of the brethren so long ago.

But before we all get comfortable that this only happened way back when, let us examine further the words that Jesus continued to speak picking up in verse 7 saying … “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, [verse 8] This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [verse 9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  Legalism!  Jesus calls out to them, and to us, what legalism truly results in.  A vain worship, that is a pointless worship.  A worship where we say all the right things, read all the right texts from scripture, pray, sing, and sit as dead men with no conviction in our hearts.  We teach instead for doctrines, the commandments of men.  Tradition usurps the heart of true worship.  Even when that tradition is buried in emotionalism of repetitive worship music carried on until the heart is whipped into a frenzy of false joy.  It is a matter of repetition, and sequence, and order.  It is a matter of corporate Jesus experience, replacing the unique individual experience Jesus longs to have with each of us.  We would rather perform, rather follow lists, than submit.  We would rather listen, than speak and perhaps have our speech reveal the absence of what we profess.

If absolute power corrupts absolutely; then perhaps legalism hardens the heart not partially, but completely as well.  Legalism leads us away from a unique experience with Jesus, and towards a manufactured one.  It is not obedience that does this.  For true obedience is a side-effect of the transformed heart.  But manufactured obedience, that is, obedience attempted for the sake of itself, or the favor of God, or because of a mandate you have yet to understand – is the poison of legalism that does not soften the heart, it hardens it.  You cannot obey your way to heaven, or to the side of Jesus.  You are not obedient because you declare yourself to be so, or because others see you this way.  You can only obey when you submit yourself first to Jesus, and allow Him to change who you are into who He intends you to be.  That transformation of your heart, will teach you what it truly means to love, and how great that love can be.  It is that transformation that brings your heart into harmony with the law of God, and the side effect is making obedience natural within you.  It is a result of love, not a stepping stone to love.  Those who promote legalism as “needed in some way” embark on a dark trail that leads to hearts of stone, well away from the admonitions of Jesus, and further still from the personal experience Jesus longs to have with each of us.

If you must rebel.  If you feel like rebellion is embedded into your DNA, and you must allow it some form of expression.  Then rebel against the societal norms of traditional church – and begin to infect your assembly with the vibrant expression of your personal relationship with Jesus that you have every single week.  Use the opportunity of the assembling together, as your chance to share what Jesus did for you that week, or what you learned sitting at His feet.  And be quick to see and encourage this in others.  Listen actively, and passionately, looking for every word you can encourage, and every opportunity you can take to demonstrate the love of Jesus to those around you, who are sure to need it. 

Be a rebel in totally disregarding age as a construct that creates boundaries in your mind.  Jesus does not shy away from the old, or the young, in fact, He is particularly fond of the young and young-at-heart.  I doubt Jesus was in favor of me painting a kitchen at 3, but I am certain He laughed hysterically at the ideas of my artistry at that age, recognizing the cuteness of my ridiculousness, and bearing me up in His arms with a hug so tight, my gold paint would have gotten all over Him.  If an artist I must be, then my Jesus would take the time over many years to help me hone my talent, offering me new mediums to dip my fingers in, and new canvas’ to spill out upon.  My Jesus did not spank the artistry out of me, but rather gifted me with more of it until my cup ran over.  How good I was, was never a concern.  This was something between He and I.  My only real critic sat upon a throne in a kingdom I could not see as yet; where I am certain He posted the copies of my work on His refrigerator even when others had no idea what they represented.  This is how personal Jesus gets with me, and why I know He will certainly do it with you, if you are open to it.

I imagine heaven being the place where we are all finally able to share our “earth testimonies” with each other.  I want to know your life story, and there we will have time to share it.  But here, when I am anxious to indulge that rebel part of me, I want to turn church over on its ear.  I want to make church a place where the passion Jesus creates finds an outlet for each of us, not just a few of us.  I want to get a start on hearing your testimony now, and embracing your encouragement, while offering you whatever I have as well.  We can turn the phrase “brother and sister” into something more akin to the family we would all idealize.  Imagine a church like that.  Does not matter if that is 50 people, or 50,000 people meeting every week.  Unleashing that kind of passion, and love for each other in a church, would surely change the world.  Let us become the beacon of Love He represents, and strive to meet needs, no matter what order or package they present themselves in.  If we are to rebel, then let us rebel against the norms that would deprive us of Him, and make our rebel church, and our rebel lives, rebelling against the world and aiming straight at Jesus.