Legalism and own justice

Sunday 20 June 2021

Legalism and own justice

But he (the eldest son) replied to his father : I have been at your service for so many years without ever disobeying your orders and you have never given me a kid to celebrate with my friends. But when your son arrived, the one who ate your goods with prostitutes, for him you killed the fattened calf ! Luke 15:29,30

Saul of Tarsus relates : I was more advanced in Judaism than many of my age (Galatians 1:14). He earnestly seeks to apply the teachings of God as he writes : In relation to the righteousness of the law I was blameless (Philippians 3:6). But the tragedy is that this accuracy in fulfilling the Law is accompanied by a fanaticism that leads him to persecute his compatriots who have become Christians. Threats, violence and murders in the name of God, this is where his religion leads.

How he resembles the eldest son in the parable, this Saul of Tarsus who is sure that he has done everything right, that he has never transgressed the command of God ! He thinks he is serving him faithfully by persecuting Christians and he believes he is on the right path which inevitably attracts the blessing of God on him.

The older son did not really know his father’s love. Likewise, Saul does not know the love of God. He remains under the yoke of the Law which enforces the keeping of commandments, without giving the strength to fulfill them, and he persecutes those who have received the revelation of God's love in Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus must meet him on the road to Damascus, throw him to the ground and thus reveal himself personally to him. He became the apostle Paul, the messenger of the grace and love of God in everyone known then.

Even today, there are believers who think they are winning God's favor by trying to keep certain commandments of the law of Moses. The tragedy is that they believe they are doing God service by forcing their point of view on others and excluding those who refuse to follow them.

The apostle Paul fought all his life to prevent Christians from falling into this drift of legalism, the source of self-righteousness and hatred. Let us reread the Epistle to the Galatians and remain very humbly aware, both of our weakness, and of the grace of God.

Source (Pleasing the Lord)