These thoughts are prompted by a correspondent who is emerging from a legalistic cult. This cult has very clear rules, not only in areas of morals, but also regarding everyday (non-alcoholic as well as alcoholic) drinks and clothing. These rules are applied as if they had divine origin, and the adherent must keep them in order to qualify for admission to the cult's temples. There is thereby an earthly sanction for failing as well as the implied eternal consequences of disobedience.
By contrast standard Christian ethics seem rather vague and imprecise. The New Testament does not prescribe any specific clothing to be worn, and give no list of drinks which may not be consumed. Instead we Christians have to interpret the precept that we love our neighbour as ourselves in all the myriad of daily circumstances in a society which operates rather differently from that of the first century. God's inner voice through the Holy Spirit is the moment by moment guide we have, but unless you are experiencing this, it is hard for this to be explained in mere words.
Within a legalistic framework there is a clearly understood pattern of cause and effect: keep the rules and you are 'in', break the rules and you are 'out'.
In a sense it all makes the same sort of sense that parents understand when they make rules for their young offspring. They set boundaries for their children when they are young because this is what young children need. Good parents want the children to grow up, and to reach the point when the principles behind these rigid boundaries are understood, and the children do not need the 'rules' any more because they naturally make right choices freely, having understood and accepted the reasoning behind the principles used to establish the 'rules' in the first place.
To a legalist it seems that Christians are lacking in morals, because they lack these same sort of rules as they have. But the reverse is true. Christians are supremely moral, because a morality based on love is the highest possible morality. But love goes beyond a set of rules defining 'loving' behaviour. Life is too full of unpredictable events for this to be remotely possible.
And what about the sanctions for failure? For a legalist the concepts of confession and forgiveness are equally difficult to comprehend. It seems to them almost as an invitation to sin, because all impending punishment (another legalistic term) can apparently be forestalled simply by asking to be forgiven. Paul addressed this problem in his letter to the Romans, chapter six. It is best to read the whole chapter to get the whole solution. As a Christian I have 'died to sin' (to use Paul's expression), and therefore am invited to 'offer myself to God'. As a Christian I now have the potential to say No to sin, and am promised that 'sin shall not be your master'.
This is where the deep contrast with legalism lies: Christianity promises power not to sin, and this goes beyond what legalism demands. Legalism says 'here are the rules - keep them or else.' Christ offers us His quality of life (zoe in Greek), which enables us to be what we could not be without Him. And, as the last verse of chapter six tells us, this zoe is a gift.
But to step forward into this new life in Christ, there is so much for a legalist to adjust to that it perhaps more challenging than if they had never lived by all the cult's rules beforehand; so much to unlearn; so many new concepts for someone who thought they were already pleasing God perfectly by keeping all the cult's rules.
I know Christ's love reaches out to my correspondent, just as when on earth He encountered so many who thought their own rules (every bit as detailed as those of any modern cult) were the way to God. He talked about these rules as a 'burden', a 'heavy load', and invited all who felt these burdens to come to Him, as the One who would set them free, and take all these burdens away. (Matt 11:28-30)
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