Lay Down the Burden of Legalism
ICS Daily Devotions
Romans 6:1-4 (NKJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Jesus said, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30). Therefore, our walk with God was never meant to be burdensome and difficult but easy and light. However, Many Christians feel the weight of trying to live the Christian life. Slowly, condemnation sets in, causing them to drift away from God. This is because they have begun to put their identity in what they do rather than in who they are in Christ, and their walk with God has become legalistic rather than rooted in grace—or in their identity in Christ.
All Christians have died with Christ when they received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. However, as we are used to Phileo love, which is conditional, we tend to look for the do’s and don’ts in the Bible so as not to disappoint God. We will attempt to use our own strength to gain God’s love and acceptance. However, not only will we fail miserably because of the weakness of the flesh, but we will also soon find ourselves becoming legalistic and judgemental towards other Christians.
Our relationship with God can begin to drift when we feel that we do not measure up to His expectations, exacerbated by the devil’s condemnation. When legalism rules our lives, it can also make us critical and harsh towards others. In this way, a legalistic lifestyle can lead us into sin against God.
Some might slip back into living as the old man, or allow the old man to return. In fact, some Christians might not even realise they can live as the new man. Therefore, it is crucial to renew our minds with the Word, so that we understand who we are and what we can do in Christ.
The Apostle Paul emphasised who we are in the new man, and that the old man no longer has power over us. We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light, and we are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness. Because of the new creation, we have been set free from our old way of life and can now live as the new man from the inside out.
To walk in this truth, we need to continually renew our minds. Christianity is not about striving to earn God’s approval, but about Jesus’ finished work of redemption and the abundant grace of God. As we grow in this understanding, our walk with God becomes what it was always meant to be—easy and light.
Reflection: In what ways has legalism—mixing grace with law—affected your relationship with God and how you relate to others? What might God be asking you to change?
Sermon Series – Legalism or Life in Christ
