Obedience is not Legalism

Legalism is following man's rules that were not commanded by God and making it a rule for everyone. Obedience is when we want to please God by living as He commanded.

When someone accuses us of "legalism" for bringing to bear the Word of God on a situation in life, they attempt to intimidate us into silence so they can feel comfortable in their sin.

The Holy Spirit in us makes ungodly rebellious people feel troubled and even depressed. Sadness overwhelms those who know the truth but refuse to obey it. They desire to be seen as a good person even though they have no interest in Christ.

All unsaved people are insecure, which is why they must surround themselves with those who accept and even praise their sin. We know they are insecure when they detest us merely because we desire to live for Christ.

Many years ago a friend told me that her family decided that television was becoming too much of a distraction. The children were neglecting their school work to watch it and wasting time. Because of this, they got rid of their television.

One day some extended family members came to their house and noticed the television was gone. My friend didn't say anything about the television to them but they noticed it's absence. The family members chided my friend for thinking they were better than others because they removed the television.

I saw that the TV was gone and felt nothing about it except that perhaps it would be good for everyone to do that. I have a television but restricted it to certain clean shows that we would watch with them and never on a weeknight.

Why was I not offended by what someone else had decided for their home? I was not convicted by what they did, I had my own rules for this problem of television.

Here, was a good example of "family-mobbing" when we do what we see best for our own family and extended family wants to make us feel foolish for our choices that have nothing to do with them and that honor God. Sadly the people who chastised my friend for getting rid of her television attended church every week, even heavily involved in the church.

This gives us an idea what gatherings are like in our region, they are social clubs that expect their attendees to live like the world during the week and come to church all dressed up on the outside and black as coal on the inside.

Matthew 23:27-28

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

Don't quote me as saying it doesn't matter how we dress for church, I am a fan of looking our best when attending the gathering. The reason I am is that I believe it reflects an attitude of diligence in our appearance, but this does not mean we judge anyone else about clothing. If we would dress up to go to an office job why would we dress down to worship God.

When we are born again we desire that everything about us is in order.

Matthew 23:15

"15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."

Everything in our lives ought to reflect our inner heart. However, sometimes our outward appearance is merely a pretense of what we want people to believe is in our heart without any actions taken to cleanse the heart.

Matthew 23:1-11 "23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,

2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.

3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.

4 And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger.

5 And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

6 And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,

7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.

8 But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.

9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

10 And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant.

12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."

What should be our prayer?:

Psalm 139:23-24

"23 Search me, God, and know my heart;

Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;

24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way."

Hallelujah!!!

Co-dependency Ruins Our Walk

Co-dependency is when a person is so connected to another person or group of people that they cannot think on their own, they must have support from the group or their co-dependent partner to exist without guilt or shame.

Group-think is very common in our world today. It is very rare for someone to do their own thinking and even more rare that they want God to impart His wisdom to their hearts.

If you wish to be a person following after God's Own heart then you must break away from co-dependency and group thinking.

It takes the courage that only Christ can give to be able to think independently from the group, the community, and the family.

Those who never step out in faith and follow the heart of God will always be stuck in the community standard that reflects everything that is evil in this world. Even if they are not committing "big-bad" sins, they are indulging in self-exaltation to be accepted by those around them.

When we must have the approval of others we will end up not having the approval of God. The only way to have the approval of the community and family is to become just like them, a thought that is repugnant to me since these entities almost never care what God thinks.

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them."

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Mark 8:36 "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"

The world has nothing to offer us, Christ has everything to offer us. His wisdom is worth more than all the gold in the world.

The Heart of Man is Seen in His Actions

A person's heart cannot be different from their actions. So many times I would correct someone about their behavior and they would say I was judging and couldn't know their heart. They say only God judges the heart. I remind them that Jesus Christ is God, He judges the heart and He lives in us. We are able to discern the heart of people through their lifestyles.

The entire book of Proverbs is an expose on how the believer is able to judge the truth about themselves and others.

Matthew 7:15-20

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 So then, you will [c]know them by their fruits."

Galatians 5:22-26

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other."

If we were not able to discern the heart of another person then God would not have given these words to us to be able to judge righteously. We would be fooled all the time without discernment and the deception would cause us to lose our footing.

John 7:24

"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment"

We are to judge according to God's word. We are not to judge things we have not seen for ourselves and we are not to judge based on gossip.

Matthew 7:6

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."

If we were never to judge the character of others then we would not be able to discern whether or not someone was swine. God was speaking of those who have rejected Him and refuse to listen to correction and instruction, especially the gospel.

When someone has rejected the truth, staunch against the things of the Lord then we know God's command is to stop speaking to them about the Lord and keep our distance so that we do not become complacent in our walk with Christ.

In order to remain faithful to the Lord, moving forward in our Spiritual walk we must withdraw from those who would come against our walk.

John 7:24

"24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

God never at any time told us never to judge, He did say not to judge others for doing things we are also doing, that would be hypocrisy.

When we walk in the Spirit of God Who is in us we do not have to carry guilt or shame, we are free to follow Christ even if no one else comes with us.

Romans 12:12

"rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,"