Am I a Legalist?
I have been a Southern Baptist all my life. I have never considered my self legalistic or even traditional. I have always thought of myself as contemporary. Recently the way I perceive myself has been challenged. Alicia and I have started attending a church plant and it has really challenged how I look at church. Here are a few of things I have had to work through.
First of all there are no pews. Even though pews are usually uncomfortable, I have gotten use to them. This churched sold their pews and bought very cushy chairs. Why did the fact that there were no pews even cross my mind. I have never walked into a movie theater and missed the old wood chairs, the ones with the iron arms. Or perhaps it was the story of Paul in II Romans where he talked about the spiritual renewal that comes only from sitting in pews (if you are agreeing with me please put down your computer and read the New Testament).
People dress in normal clothes at this church. Everyone always looks nice, but I miss the little kids wearing the suit that’s a little too tight. And all the people dressed up who associate more formal attire with funerals. No one seems uncomfortable or self conscious about their clothes.
The thing that caused me the most disruption was coffee and donuts in the sanctuary. I have been trained from toddler hood that no one is allowed to eat in the sanctuary except for the Lord’s Supper. I remember my mom cutting off the end of my sucker with a pair of scissors. This would have been okay if she had gotten the entire stick out, but she left a little stub. The stub was alright at first as long as you did not stab the roof of your mouth, but after a while it got real soggy and ruined the whole taste. I cannot find it in my concordance or Holman bible dictionary, but I believe there is a verse about mints are okay but suckers are not (once again if you are agreeing with me please put down your computer and start reading your bible). The first time we were there I imagined all the well known problems that can come from food in the sanctuary; food fights, the pastor scared to preach the word because he might end up with a jelly donut upside the head, or big messes that would distract people from hearing the gospel. So, far none of this has happened. No one is chomping on a big crème donut during the sermon and no one has thrown even a little donut hole at the preacher.
Galatians chapter one has really convicted me of my legalistic tendencies. Specifically chapter 11 through 21. How big of a deal is it to be so concerned about the things that don’t matter. We see in these verses that a man by the name of Paul believed it was a big problem. He was so concerned about it that he got right in Peter’s face about it. Peter was so important and well respected and yet Paul got up in his face. What had Peter done? Had he murdered someone? Had he committed adultery? Had he lied? Had he preached a sermon on salvation through works? No, he had separated himself from the gentiles while eating because he wanted to impress Jews from Jerusalem. Even though before theses visitors came he ate with the gentiles, so now he had simply become a hypocrite. In verse 16 Paul reminds Peter that we are justified by faith in Christ and not works of the law. And the verse that really hits the target is verse 21- “I do not nullify the Grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly.”
I have never tried to follow the Old Testament Law or the Jewish Oral Law, but how many times have I demonstrated a faith through works in my life. Peter did not have to say anything he made his point with his actions. How many times have I got caught up in church tradition and separated myself from sinners? How many times have I been the hypocrite? Have my actions made the death of Christ appear needless.
In the Bible God doesn’t talk about pews or donuts or even worship styles. Why not? Because they are not important. The important thing is the salvation of souls which is only accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ.
First of all there are no pews. Even though pews are usually uncomfortable, I have gotten use to them. This churched sold their pews and bought very cushy chairs. Why did the fact that there were no pews even cross my mind. I have never walked into a movie theater and missed the old wood chairs, the ones with the iron arms. Or perhaps it was the story of Paul in II Romans where he talked about the spiritual renewal that comes only from sitting in pews (if you are agreeing with me please put down your computer and read the New Testament).
People dress in normal clothes at this church. Everyone always looks nice, but I miss the little kids wearing the suit that’s a little too tight. And all the people dressed up who associate more formal attire with funerals. No one seems uncomfortable or self conscious about their clothes.
The thing that caused me the most disruption was coffee and donuts in the sanctuary. I have been trained from toddler hood that no one is allowed to eat in the sanctuary except for the Lord’s Supper. I remember my mom cutting off the end of my sucker with a pair of scissors. This would have been okay if she had gotten the entire stick out, but she left a little stub. The stub was alright at first as long as you did not stab the roof of your mouth, but after a while it got real soggy and ruined the whole taste. I cannot find it in my concordance or Holman bible dictionary, but I believe there is a verse about mints are okay but suckers are not (once again if you are agreeing with me please put down your computer and start reading your bible). The first time we were there I imagined all the well known problems that can come from food in the sanctuary; food fights, the pastor scared to preach the word because he might end up with a jelly donut upside the head, or big messes that would distract people from hearing the gospel. So, far none of this has happened. No one is chomping on a big crème donut during the sermon and no one has thrown even a little donut hole at the preacher.
Galatians chapter one has really convicted me of my legalistic tendencies. Specifically chapter 11 through 21. How big of a deal is it to be so concerned about the things that don’t matter. We see in these verses that a man by the name of Paul believed it was a big problem. He was so concerned about it that he got right in Peter’s face about it. Peter was so important and well respected and yet Paul got up in his face. What had Peter done? Had he murdered someone? Had he committed adultery? Had he lied? Had he preached a sermon on salvation through works? No, he had separated himself from the gentiles while eating because he wanted to impress Jews from Jerusalem. Even though before theses visitors came he ate with the gentiles, so now he had simply become a hypocrite. In verse 16 Paul reminds Peter that we are justified by faith in Christ and not works of the law. And the verse that really hits the target is verse 21- “I do not nullify the Grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly.”
I have never tried to follow the Old Testament Law or the Jewish Oral Law, but how many times have I demonstrated a faith through works in my life. Peter did not have to say anything he made his point with his actions. How many times have I got caught up in church tradition and separated myself from sinners? How many times have I been the hypocrite? Have my actions made the death of Christ appear needless.
In the Bible God doesn’t talk about pews or donuts or even worship styles. Why not? Because they are not important. The important thing is the salvation of souls which is only accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ.
posted by Derek V. Stargel at 12:19 PM
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