Love Me Some Legalism! (updated)

I’m ready for a simpler life, there’s no doubt about it. Sometimes I get frustrated and bored (or even worse, a headache) from prayer, reading scripture and trying to live like Christ intended. When I need answers right away, what I need is a shortcut to get me there.

And I think I found it in Traditionalism and Legalism.

Legalism has its own map and guidebook to Heaven (though it nudges Christ aside in favor of following man-made rituals and traditions instead of him). Shoot, Traditionalism is so easy, it even turns the angst or “What should I wear to church today?” into a no-brainer.

Legalism bull-dozes its way through vast territories of scripture, grading and leveling the gospel along the way to arrive at the destination of its own choosing … with the optimistic (if stern) promise of steering the believer’s life onto a level, straight and narrow road.

Legalism is Self-Empowering, and gives me a role in my securing my eternity, by promising all ya gotta do is Follow the Rules. Don’t wear this, don’t listen to that … transforming Salvation from a gift to a lease-as-you go contract with God.

Legalism squeezes the Holy Spirit into a jar, preserved on the pastor’s a shelf like a lab specimen, and reduceS God’s living word to limits, platitudes and stained glass window-dressing.

Legalism uses guilt, anxiety and doubt to inspire believers to roll up their sleeves, start sweating and get busy finding new rules, the more rules the better, to help God out fine-tuning the details … and thus prove our merit and worthiness and assure ourselves of salvation..

If following so many legalistic rules is hard, Traditionalism is there with comforts like soothing hymns and “whosoever shalt wither ye also” translations, not so much to separate believers from the world, but to assure believers that they’re chosen, self-righteous and holy … superior to sinners and more loved by God than anyone else … and strictness, piety and indignation at the world around them is just icing on their heavenly cake.

Legalism’s appeal is its promise to make our walk with Christ simple and easy. All we gotta do is do things the same way they’ve been done for 300 years and avoid change like it’s a leper (just don’t ask what traditional church services were like before that, because there’s not a deacon emeritus who remembers) ... and look down our noses at anybody who doesn’t believe exactly the same as we do.

Legalism assumes it has all the answers, all the time … but overlooks the only question that matters to believers:

So what’s Christ been doing in your life?