Where is Grace?

Sometimes I look at our churches today and wonder what the difference is between us and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were blasted by Jesus because they focused more on the laws than they did on the heart. Are we reaching that same legalistic plateau? Do we care more about dos and don’ts than purpose, meaning, or love? The Pharisees were so worried about breaking laws that they developed “hedge laws” to prevent them from even thinking about breaking the true law (e.g. since they weren’t suppose to use the Lord’s name in vain they completely removed his name from their vocabulary all together). Jesus recognized that the Pharisees cared more about the laws than the meaning behind the laws so He turned the Laws upside down by raising their standard to an unreachable height (“Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”). Just look at the comparison Jesus made between the Mosaic Law and His new law in the Sermon on the Mount (e.g. “You have heard that it was said ‘Do not commit adultery’ but I tell you ‘Do not lust’”) and you can see the change He desired to make from a legalistic view to a grace-filled view in the fact that he transformed the laws into an almost unattainable challenge. Why would Jesus make the laws so difficult? Because He wanted us to realize that without His grace we cannot achieve them! I’m afraid that we’ve begun the same process as the Pharisees. We no longer look at the meaning of the law, but instead, build our own hedges of protection which we call “traditions.” If we continue down the same road of legalism then we will find the same response from our Savior. We must realize that we are not saved by laws but by grace (see Ephesians 2:8-9).

In addition, Legalism leads to a spiritual life that is driven by fear – fear of sin. Sin is not something to be feared; its just something to be avoided. Everyone will sin at some point in their life. I would venture to guess that every one will probably sin at some point this year. If we try to live a life of perfection for fear of messing up then inevitably we are going to mess up. The only motivation we need as Christians is the blood, sweat, and tears rolling down the battered body of our Savior on the cross. That should lead to the love and commitment that God desires from us. If we sincerely desire to follow God then why should we need laws to guide us when God’s grace is designed to do that. When will we quit living by legalism and start giving grace the credit its due? I think Samuel’s words to Saul apply to us more now than ever, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).