"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Legalists, people who follow strict rules of conduct, at first glance seem righteous. But Jesus warns against the subtle dangers of legalism. Oddly, legalism tends to lower a person's view of God. If I manage to meet all the requirements of a strict rule book, I may begin to feel secure about my goodness. In fact, I may even think I have earned God's approval through my own efforts.
Both Jesus' enemies (the Pharisees) and his friends (the disciples) seek a precise list of rules so they can feel they have fulfilled their obligations to God, which then gives them a sense of satisfaction. To such people, Jesus shouts a loud, "No!" We never outgrow our need for God; we never arrive in the Christian life. We survive spiritually only by constantly depending on God for mercy and for strength.
Jesus' disciple Peter tries almost ludicrously to reduce forgiveness to a mathematical formula. Let's see, exactly how many times must I forgive someone? Six? Seven? (verse 21) Jesus parries the question and tells a profound story about God's forgiveness- forgiveness so great and all-encompassing that it defies all mathematics.
The Pharisees continue along the same line in chapter 19 by trying to pin down a formula for divorce. Once again Jesus avoids the answer they want to hear and points instead to the principles that undergird all marriages. Later, in chapter 19, Jesus doesn't tell a rich person to give away 18.5% of his belongings; he says to give them all away. He doesn't restrict adultery to the act of intercourse; he connects it to lust, adultery of the heart. Murder? In principle, anger is no different.
In short, Jesus always refuses to lower the sights. He opposes every form of legalism, every human attempt to accumulate a list of credits. The credit goes to God, not us. The chief danger facing legalists is that they risk missing the Good News of God's grace, a gift freely given by God to people who don't deserve it.
1 comment:
Lord ; Deliver me from all forms of religious pride. This look at the Cross and Jesus' Sacrifice is a reminder of how easy it is to opporate on legalistic activity. He is The Exclusive Way to a life that pleases God.
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