JP54: Tricky Religion: How To Shift From Legalism To Love

Religion can be tricky.  Like when we look to religious practices as a framework for becoming a good person.  We realize that, left to ourselves, our rebellious nature will accumulate destructive habits and broken relationships. It feels like we need a counterweight to slow the moral slide.

At first, religion seems to do the trick as we pick up new habits of moral exercise.  We might even get noticed for our external piety, leading to satisfaction and more motivation to "live right."  

The problem with religion is that we never know how much is enough.  How far do we take these practices to become right with our fellow man and God?    

In ambiguity, we overcorrect and find fault with those who fall short of our perceived moral perfection.  What we thought would lead to moral consistency leaves us trapped in legalism.  

Religion is about appearances - a cleaning up of the outside, if you will.  However, we need a renaissance that changes us from the inside out to be free to love once more.

Is there a way we can be free to love all people and have the assurance of an eternal, spiritually solid foundation? Thankfully, we find a helpful answer through a tense but instructive dinner conversation with Jesus.

When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.  39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.  42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.  43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.  44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”   (NIV, Lk 11:37–44)

Clean The Inside Before The Outside

Jesus' statement that the Pharisees were full of greed and wickedness sounds ironic.  The Pharisees were at the top of their class in observing religious practices, yet Jesus graded them last.  How could this be?  Because their legalist ways blocked their ability to love, trapping them in a life of false, lifeless religion.  In essence, Jesus says that religious performance is worthless if we deny justice, fail to meet the needs of the poor, and bypass the love of God.  Thankfully, by the grace of the Father, we can remain free to love and escape the trap of legalism when we learn to find our value behind the scenes.

Find Our Value In Hidden Things

The Pharisees found value in public status, leading them to look for the best seats and seek titled greetings to fuel their sense of worth.  What they thought gained respect only defined them as self-serving religious bigots.  

In contrast, when we find our value in hidden things, we discover a sense of worth based on what Jesus did and who He is rather than our performance.  

This value perspective frees us to live in gratitude and spend our lives in the service of others, finding that our worth is measured in hidden investments made with our neighbors and friends.

Practice Loving God and Others

Escaping the trap of legalism is completed when we give time to actively bring justice to our community while cultivating the love of God in ourselves by the grace He provides.  The apostle Paul teaches us,  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-5)

Becoming free to love starts when we clean ourselves on the inside through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  His abiding presence forms us into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) capable of humble service as people of reconciliation and love in a broken world.  May our grace empowered connection with Christ stand as a helpful example that an abiding relationship with Jesus is the only way to shift from legalism to love.

Prayer: Jesus, you are my King.  Thank you for reconciling me to the Father through your perfect life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave.  Thank you for promising to return and restore the world to the Eden glory that existed at the beginning of time.  Help me to abide in your love and avoid basing my self-worth on external practices.  Teach me to love all people with the same love and grace you have shown me.  Amen.

Questions for Application:

1. What form of religion do you presently practice?  Does your practice make you humble or proud?

2. Do you find it natural to see your value in being created in the image of God or is your value based on another standard?

3. Are you ready to shift from legalism to love that is based in the unconditional love and grace of Jesus?

4. What is Jesus saying to you about ways bring love and justice to a broken world?

Tricky Religion: How To Shift From Legalism To Love

1. Clean the Inside Before The Outside

Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? v. 39-40

2. Find Our Value in Hidden Things

But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. v. 41

3. Practice Loving God and Others

“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. v. 42

Photo by Christopher Windus on Unsplash