The Subtle Corruption of Legalism!

Acts 15 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” 6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Sometimes the church faced persecution from outside forces looking to extinguish the flame of Christianity, but in Acts 15 we see another kind of persecution, which came from within.  As the church grew in numbers and in the power of the Holy Spirit, so did the opposition from Pharisees, who tried to corrupt the gospel with the law. The law of Moses was meant to lead people to Christ, but the Jewish leaders used it for their own power and control.  In fact, they had used the law as they interpreted it to condemn Jesus, the Son of God.  So it is not surprising now these legalistic Jews tried to poison the church.

In this case the presenting problem was new Gentile believers should be circumcised according to the Jewish Law.  While it was true circumcision was the sign of the covenant God made with Israel and required of all newborn Jewish boys, this covenant was fulfilled in Jesus' coming to earth.  But underneath the presenting problem was that these Jews really hated the Gentiles.  They despised the fact that these "dirty" Gentiles were becoming part of God's family.  

As Paul and Barnabas found out these Pharisees had infilitrated the church and were trying to teach the new believers, they knew it was a huge threat to the early church.  So they were sent back into Jerusalem by the church to discuss the issue with the elders.  On their way, as they shared the great news of the Gentiles coming to faith in places like Phoenicia and Samaria, it was met by the church with great joy and celebration. Yet, when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem some of the Pharisees stood up and tried to negate what God was doing by requiring the men to be circumcised as adults.  They also required them to keep the Law of Moses.   

So what is at stake here?  The answer ... EVERYTHING!  Why?  Because what these legalists were teaching was and is antithetical with the gospel.  It is diametrically opposed with the Good News that we are saved by grace through faith in what Jesus did for us.  As Paul said so eloquently, "If righteousness could be obtained by keeping the Law then Christ died for nothing." Galatians 2:21  So basically you can say that teaching someone they need to obey the Law to be saved is a slap in Jesus' face! It nullifies Jesus' sacrifice, which met all the requirements of the Law, and set us free to obey God as result of the grace we have received freely.  

Can this still happen today?  Yes.  There are many ways in which the same legalism of these Pharisees can seep into the church.  Anytime we take something that is a gift of God and make it into a law, we introduce this same error.  For instance, if we were to say you have to give 10% to be a true Christian, we are making the same mistake.  If the church were to teach you have to read the bible or pray a certain amount of times per day, or in a particular way, we start down the same slippery slope.  

Bottom line: everything we do in our Christian life is a result of being saved by grace through Christ.  The law always kills, but grace gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6) You know you are moving toward legalism when everything you do is out of obligation and you lose any sense of joy in serving Christ, or spending time with him in prayer and in His Word. You know you are moving toward legalism when your religious efforts are to gain God's approval, not because you already have it. 

Friends the church is called to preach the gospel in its purest form.  Only through the gospel are we set free from sin, death and the power of the devil.  Only through the gospel can we serve God in newness of life.  Only through the gospel can we love everyone, including those very different from us.  Christ built the church on the gospel and the gates of Hades will not overcome it! The early church and its apostles stood on the rock of the gospel and we need to do the same!