Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Legalistic, Liberalistic and Moralistic

My today's devotion:

Legalistic: My own concept of obedience makes me feel very safe that if its part of my life, I will impose on others. If they are not following my formula of legalistic beliefs, they are not being obedient according to my understanding of the Scriptures.

Liberalistic: I rationalize that certain rules, regulations, laws (ceremonial) and/or any other concept of commandments in the Bible do not apply today. If I see it does not apply, then others are not being obedient according to my understanding of the Scriptures.

Moralistic: I am following my resolutions according to my understanding of the Scriptures that being radical and focusing on agendas to accomplish God’s will even though I understand this is a “self-effort” rather than “grace-power”.

When we trivialize the Scriptures, we reduce God’s Commandments of our Christian Life to formulas (legalism) which lead me to be “proud” of my efforts, or we rationalize away the demands (liberalism) which makes me comfortable with my life, or we fabricate a list of things (agenda) we are going to do for God (moralism) which makes me tired, all three (legalism, liberalism and moralism) replaces God’s grace and need for Jesus Christ. If we allow ourselves to the bondage to a corruption of nature (i.e., legalism, liberalism and moralism), then we are not free as the Bible defines it.

2 comments:

Nancie said...

A very solemn reminder. How we need God's grace to preserved us!

Diane J Standiford said...

Great post. Why do so few "get" that?