Legalism and Lawlessness

We have been picking green beans- actually they are purple beans this year. My wife decided to plant a variety that that is purple instead of green. I like them because they are easier to see when we pick the reward of our labors.
-
I have learned that some rewards are given for hard work and other rewards are given for just showing up. For example, the reward of our purple green beans comes from the hard work of gardening. On the other hand, our little boys often get the reward of Gummy Bears for simply showing up at Grandma’s house.
-
Whether the reward was earned or just given because “Grandma loves you,” imagine how you would feel if someone tried to keep you from getting a reward that was meant for you.
-
In the book of Colossians, we read of a wonderful reward that is given to Christians. That reward is the realization that we are complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10 says, “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (NKJV). Because we as believers are complete in Christ, we are no longer under the Old Testament law. “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14 NKJV)
-
Sadly some were trying to deprive the Christian Colossians of their reward of salvation and completeness in Christ. They were distracting them from Christ by putting their focus on angels instead. Furthermore, they were not only trying to make them think that they needed to obey the Old Testament ordinances, but they were also adding other man made ordinances as well. Consider vs. 16, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,” (NKJV) The scripture is even more blunt in vs. 20-22, “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men?” (NKJV)
-
If we continue to read into chapter 3 of Colossians, we find that God does have expectations for Christians. “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5 NKJV) Further we read, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,” (Colossians 3:8-9 NKJV)
-
I fear that the reward of the faithful Christian life is often robbed in a couple of ways. The first way is to put a heavy yoke upon Christ’s followers that he never intended for them to carry. This yoke is added by telling people that they have to do things that God does not require of them. Adding the earthly requirements of man as if they had come from God is a dangerous form of worldliness. (see Colossians 2:20-22 above). This worldly distortion of Biblical doctrine is often referred to as legalism.
-
As damaging as legalism is, chapter 3 of Colossians shows us that lawlessness can be just as damaging. The Christian must study the Bible to understand what God expects and to know the difference between man’s demands and God’s. Without such diligent study, the believer is left to the whim of teachers who may either heap unneeded rules upon the backs of their followers, or encourage them to do things that are clearly forbidden in scripture.
-
Because Christians must sort out the difference between legalism and lawlessness, it is important for them to study God’s word, but it is also important for them to find a church that preaches through the scripture verse by verse and explains what God wrote and why.