Are you a legalist?
(portions taken from "Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian) The greatest threat to the gospel's advance in this world, and the greatest threat to gospel growth in our lives is a particular strain of idolatry that arises not from outside the church but from inside each one of us. Is this type of idolatry inside you? To find out, take this little quiz. Do you:
- Make rules outside the Bible
- Push yourself to try and keep your rules
- Castigate yourself when you don’t keep your rules
- Become proud when you do keep your rules
- Appoint yourself as judge over other people
- Get angry with people who break your rules or have different rules
- “Beat” the losers (adapted from a sermon preached by Mark Driscoll)
So, how'd you do? Are you a legalist? I am. Really, we all are. And sadly, the Bible makes it clear that the gospel's premier enemy is legalism (some call it performancism or moralism). Millions of people, both both believers and non-believers think that the essential message of Christianity is “If you behave, then you belong.” Yes, a legalist only looks at what they need to do, not what Jesus has already done for them.
But this is not what the Bible teaches. The fact is, the only way [depraved] people start to obey is when they get a taste of God’s radical, unconditional acceptance of sinners. Grace alone melts hearts and changes us from the inside out. Progress in obedience happens only when our hearts realize that God’s love for us does not depend on our progress in obedience, but in his acceptance of sinners.