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Love Over Legalism

By Chelsea Seaton 

One day while worshipping at church, we sang the lyrics: “Holy are You, God. Holy is Your name.” The song was so moving that most every hand went up in praise including mine. As we worshipped together, my eyes were closed, my hands were up, I was belting out the song, and ... thinking about what I’m going to have for dinner: Honey Nut Cheerios or peanut butter and jelly? Now, on the outside, I’m sure I looked like a great Christian and an in-love-with-Jesus worshipper. Only that’s not what was happening in my mind and heart. I was somewhere else thinking about dinner!

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you’ve probably heard about the Pharisees and how we aren’t supposed to be like them. In Matthew’s account, Jesus constantly called them out for doing religious acts but with the wrong hearts. It’s very easy to judge those mean ol’ Pharisees, but the truth is we can all be Pharisees.

We know the churchgoer rules and etiquette. The parts of the song when our hands go up. When to say “Amen” or nod our heads when the speaker says something tweetable. We know the don’ts, the dos, and the areas that are approved, depending on your denomination. Those things are not necessarily wrong. The book of James tells us that our “faith without works is dead,” but if you’re doing works for show and your heart couldn’t care less, then you may have a Pharisee problem.

Jesus says in John 13:35, it’s your love that will prove to the world that you are His disciple. He doesn’t say it’s your good deeds and church attendance that show people you’re a Christian. It’s love—not legalism.

Your love might cause you to do crazy things like letting someone over in traffic or remaining calm after 45 minutes on hold and not getting what you wanted from the cable company. It may even cause you to see the perspective of someone who votes differently than you. But when we do good works because of Christ’s love in our hearts, those works will be fruitful, light, and win people to Him. If we do them out of obligation, it will feel burdensome and be ineffective.

Be effective today. Do awesome things because Christ loves you and you want to offer that same love to others—not because someone is watching or you have a Christian obligation. Choose love over legalism today.

Prayer

Jesus, please forgive me for the times I’ve done things for the wrong reasons. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might show Your love to people today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Memory Verse

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8