Oh boy. I have had two things in my life bring me to this post. One source is my "homework" from my Growing Kids God's Way class that I am currently involved in AND a blog post by a cyber-friend of mine.
The issue is LEGALISM in Christianity! UGGGH. What an ugly topic. So many people use God's divine word to bind people up, to punish, to condemn, and to dole out hopelessness. I hate that. Have these people really read God's word or are they simply taking scripture out of context and/or removing God's heart from it?
The number one reason people do this, in my opinion, is to Bible thump others. This was the favorite past-time of the Pharisees. (Not a group of people I'd like to resemble!) You may want to take some time to research how Jesus responded to the Pharisees when they were trying to condemn someone for breaking a law/commandment. It is not pretty, actually. And in contrast, watch how Jesus dealt with such issues. STARK CONTRAST!
The second reason I believe people do this is because they do not know the heart of God. It always amazes me that the people who seem to be able to spout out scripture after scripture, in order to spiritually "beat up" someone else, don't have an inkling about the heart of the Father. I believe that the main reason that these people are even in the Word most of the time is to find more ammunition to bind others up, to "straighten them out", and (unintentionally) veil God's love for them.
The third reason I believe that people do this is because they don't understand that the condition of our heart is KEY to God--NOT how many rules, laws, commandments, and regulations we perfectly keep. That will not win anyone a spot in heaven. It won't. How can anyone read scripture and yet be so blind to what is really in there?!?! God KNEW we couldn't be perfect, He knew we'd fall short (every time)...He knew. He knew we could never do it on our own. He knew we needed a savior. THAT'S the heart of the Father. He's not the "Big Score Keeper in the Sky!"It amazes me that anyone could spend any time in His Word and not see His deeply loving heart for us.
TAKE NOTE: I do not subscribe to a God that I can create/manipulate to allow me to do the things I want to do either! Do not misinterpret me. God cannot be bended and manipulated for your own sinful desires. To try to do so is insulting to Him. Do not say to yourself, "I can do this thing or that thing that I know is wrong...and I know God, I know He loves me deeply and will forgive me anyway." Don't try to manipulate Him and insult Him that way. DANGEROUS!!! He knows your heart and your intent! He cannot be fooled. He can see through it all. He knows your heart intimately.
The issue is LEGALISM in Christianity! UGGGH. What an ugly topic. So many people use God's divine word to bind people up, to punish, to condemn, and to dole out hopelessness. I hate that. Have these people really read God's word or are they simply taking scripture out of context and/or removing God's heart from it?
The number one reason people do this, in my opinion, is to Bible thump others. This was the favorite past-time of the Pharisees. (Not a group of people I'd like to resemble!) You may want to take some time to research how Jesus responded to the Pharisees when they were trying to condemn someone for breaking a law/commandment. It is not pretty, actually. And in contrast, watch how Jesus dealt with such issues. STARK CONTRAST!
The second reason I believe people do this is because they do not know the heart of God. It always amazes me that the people who seem to be able to spout out scripture after scripture, in order to spiritually "beat up" someone else, don't have an inkling about the heart of the Father. I believe that the main reason that these people are even in the Word most of the time is to find more ammunition to bind others up, to "straighten them out", and (unintentionally) veil God's love for them.
The third reason I believe that people do this is because they don't understand that the condition of our heart is KEY to God--NOT how many rules, laws, commandments, and regulations we perfectly keep. That will not win anyone a spot in heaven. It won't. How can anyone read scripture and yet be so blind to what is really in there?!?! God KNEW we couldn't be perfect, He knew we'd fall short (every time)...He knew. He knew we could never do it on our own. He knew we needed a savior. THAT'S the heart of the Father. He's not the "Big Score Keeper in the Sky!"It amazes me that anyone could spend any time in His Word and not see His deeply loving heart for us.
TAKE NOTE: I do not subscribe to a God that I can create/manipulate to allow me to do the things I want to do either! Do not misinterpret me. God cannot be bended and manipulated for your own sinful desires. To try to do so is insulting to Him. Do not say to yourself, "I can do this thing or that thing that I know is wrong...and I know God, I know He loves me deeply and will forgive me anyway." Don't try to manipulate Him and insult Him that way. DANGEROUS!!! He knows your heart and your intent! He cannot be fooled. He can see through it all. He knows your heart intimately.
Get in the Word. See His heart. Understand His deep, deep love for you. Understand what His focus truly is: The Condition of Our Hearts. We cannot be perfect. We cannot go through life never messing up, never sinning, always doing the right and perfect things. We cannot. We strive for excellence in His sight, but we KNOW that the HEART---OUR HEARTS are what He sees and what He knows. Our hearts will reflect in our actions. Don't let modern-day legalistic pharisees spiritually beat you up! Trust in your Father, know He sent His Son to bridge the gap between you and God. KNOW THAT WAS ENOUGH! If you need a change of heart...do it today! If you know your heart is right with God, breathe a sigh of peace. God knows your heart.
4 comments:
The "Lion's share" of conflict Jesus had in our world, when He came here, was with this kind of people. He told us the Law was made for people, not the reverse of that. He did not condemn the woman "taken in the very act of adultry" (drug in by these well-intentioned people, with the full intention of stoning her to death, "according to the Law"), but instead He loved and forgave her. He did not condone her sin as evidenced by his final words, "sin no more." Do you suppose by that, He meant if she did sin further, she was somehow "dead meat?" If that command to stop sinning applied to her in that way, Peter would have been "dead meat" fifty time over in the first year of Jesus' ministry. Our "role" in God's process is to L O V E and forgive the sinner, not to condemn. And that heart thing, we need to CAREFULLY examine our motives as we deal with people, because you can bet God will, and He won't be fooled!
I didn't think of my question (does the Bible allow for remarriage) to be a legalistic question. But I totally see your point.
I couldn't put the loving Jesus I know next to "All marriage after divorce is adultery" and make them match up. I read one article and fell into the trap of legalism and didn't even see it for what it was!
How freeing to love our God.
Thanks for the reminder Carlotta!
Erin, I didn't think your question was a legalistic one at all either. Some of the things I have heard and read regarding that topic (the topic being the one you asked about and the article you referenced) have been very legalistic in nature. And it can be very damaging to the unsuspecting recipient of such content...like you and that article. I am glad you questioned it and couldn't make it match up. Love ya!!
this is beautiful - i ran into this into the class i just finished, i've been so frustrated by it this week, God has freed my heart from that cynical behavoir and being stuck in legalism... i'm so thankful :) thank you for writing this! i've missed talking with you lately! i'm soooo glad school is over until May! hee haw!
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