English

 

Those who believe in Jesus and pursue legalism

 

In today's Christianity, people distinguish between the gospel and the law. Some say, “We are not saved by the law, but by the gospel.” But there is a pitfall here. If we do not distinguish between the law and legalism, we can fall into this trap. Therefore, it would be correct to say that we are not saved through legalism, but through the gospel. All acts of keeping the commandments commonly spoken in the church are legalism.

The distinction between law and legalism is very important for salvation. The law is God's word given to the Israelites by God. God commanded the people to keep the law to attain the righteousness of God. The people tried to keep the commandments of the law, but they could not. That is why everyone tried to be freed from sin through animal sacrifices. The purpose of God giving the people of Israel the law is that you are all sinners, and if you realize that fact through the law, you should discover the seed of promise (Christ) through the sacrifice.

God promised the descendants of the woman in Genesis 3:15. And God wanted them to discover Christ, the descendant of the woman, through the daily sacrifices. Therefore, the law is the Word of God that finds Christ. Hebrews 11:24-26 says that Moses met Christ. After Jesus was resurrected, in Luke 24:27, while he was having a conversation with two of his disciples on the way, he said, “Then he began to explain in detail the things about him that he wrote in all the scriptures, beginning with the writings of Moses and all the prophets.” means Jesus Christ. And on the Sea of ​​Galilee he says the same thing in Luke 24:44: “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.“I” is Jesus Christ. After all, it is Jesus Christ who is revealed in the Old Testament law.

In John 5:39, Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. What the law is saying is that it is the story of Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 34:16, “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.” The Book of Means the Law. When the people read all the laws, it tells us that Jesus Christ is in them.

Jesus Christ in the law is the one who died on the cross to save all sinners. Sinners killed animals and sprinkled their blood on the altar. The priest transfers the sin from the sinner to the animal, and the animal dies in the sinner's place. However, the dead animal is none other than a sinner. Although the animal dies instead, the sinner and the animal are united, and the sinner dies. That is why it is through the sacrifice that the rebirth is announced. Those who are united with the death of Jesus belong to the new creation, born again. In Hebrews 9:11, it is not something like the creation of this world. "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building"

The scene of Jesus and Nicodemus having a conversation with each other about the kingdom of God appears in John 3:1-9. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Only by being born again of water and the Spirit can we see the kingdom of God.” However, Nicodemus did not understand the meaning of Jesus’ words at all. So Jesus said in John 3:10, “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice his : and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” The Israeli teachers (rabbis) must have been well aware of the rules for sacrificing. This means that we do not understand the truth that animals are sacrificed on behalf of sinners through sacrifice, and that sinners die and are reborn as a result.

Thus, Christ is hidden in the law. Therefore, the law is strictly the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the same principle as the tree of life (Christ) is hidden in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (the law). Through the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God makes man aware of sin. Sin is a desire to become like God before eating the fruit. Human beings should look through the tree to see that there is a heart of greed. The dichotomous logic of “keeping the commandments is not a sin, and not keeping the commandments is a sin”. This is what prevents the believer from finding Christ in the law. That is what legalism is.

The law is the word of God that leads to the discovery of Christ, but legalism is a humanistic idea that removes Christ. Legalism and humanism are closely related. Legalism (humanism) ideas that are prevalent in the church do not deny me, but make me stand out. An example of this is the Ten Commandments. Humans must discover sin in the Ten Commandments and enter the cross of Jesus Christ, but they are bound by the commandments and debate whether or not to keep them. The Ten Commandments are God's commandments, but they contain God's love for sinners. It reminds us of the love of parents for their children. To be bound by rules is legalism.

Also, all the words that pastors force their members to lead a holy life like Jesus or give guidelines to lead a godly life of faith are legalism. They say that they are saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ on the cross, but they are trying to reveal themselves in their lives. Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, but many pastors are saving themselves. We must remember that all human beings are sinners, and as mortal beings before God, there is no other way than to live in union with Jesus Christ on the cross. If you do not remember the words of the Apostle Paul who shouted, “I die every day,” you will fall into legalism (humanism).

The figure of those who indulge in legalism emphasizes action. It is to listen to the rules that James speaks of and let the action appear. In James 2:26, ​​it is said, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Those who are in Christ are shown by works, but if ministers make them think of their works as a mandatory rule, it is legalistic thinking. Those who emphasize action are no different from other religions based on legalism (humanism). Therefore, Christianity, which mixes the gospel of Jesus Christ with legalism (humanism), is no longer the true gospel of truth. We must be aware that all religions are already progressing in an integrated way. So, today's believers are living in an age that requires spiritual discernment in the church. If there is spiritual discernment, like the parable of the ten virgins, you can see that the gospel of Christ and legalism (humanism) are mixed in the church. The parable of the wheat and the tares is the same, and the parable of the sheep and the goats has the same meaning. Satan continues to try to mix the gospel of Christ with legalism (humanism).