15 Sep 2011 3 Comments

Free from the Stronghold of Legalism

Are we thinking like a Pharisee? Those of you who try to earn God’s approval by obeying his laws have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen out of God’s favor. Galatians 5:4

Why do we keep trying to earn our own salvation and teach others to do so as well? We can’t. It has been given to us by grace in Christ Jesus. It is impossible for a human being to earn salvation through any other way.

We have been given a choice – grace or the law. It’s that clear. Romans 8:2 What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Those of us who have been teaching others to earn their salvation and God’s favor by following the law, must stop teaching this — it is legalism. STOP teaching others that it’s up to us. It’s up to God and God alone. He is in control. He’s the one that draws us to him and he’s the one who can save us. Works can not.  The one thing we are required to do is believe. If we are not teaching this, the people we teach are in jeopardy along with us.

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.

Biblical tips to overcome the stronghold of legalism:

1. Test what you are hearing. When it comes from the Holy Spirit it will be for the glory of God.

John 7:16-18 Jesus responded to them, “What I teach doesn’t come from me but from the one who sent me. 17Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts. 18Those who speak their own thoughts are looking for their own glory. But the man who wants to bring glory to the one who sent him is a true teacher and doesn’t have dishonest motives.

2. Don’t get confused or fearful by wrong teaching and religious spirits. If a religion or teacher is controlling or self righteous, they are probably not being led by the Holy Spirit given to us through Christ Jesus.

John 6:37 Jesus told them, “ 37Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me.

Romans 8:14-16 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

3. Don’t teach legalism. Get familiar with the free gifts we have been given through Christ Jesus and pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your congregations or the people you are teaching as you speak.

Romans 6:23 For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Peter 4:10 As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God’s many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].

4. Confirm what you hear by the Word of God. If you hear something that appears to twist the word of God research and ask God for clarification.

Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!  9As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from or contrary to that which you received [from us], let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!

5. Pray for God to guide, comfort and protect you from participating in wrong teaching.

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.

6. If you have been hearing or teaching legalism, turn back to Christ and he will forgive you and teach you his way by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:9 For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life.

7. And finally, learn the difference between grace and law.

Galatians 5:18-23 18But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.

19Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,  20Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies), 21Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, 23Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[a]that can bring a charge].

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by Pola in Christian Authors Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,