Freedom in Christ and Legalism.
Jesus came to set the captives free. Captives of traditions, of sin and Satan. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ..
Ephesians 2:1-2
,The Bible says::”And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:32
What is truth?
His Word is truth and Jesus is the truth as He is the Word. When you know Christ Jesus, you will be set free. Once we were gentiles, away from God and His ways. But when God had compassion on us He granted us the authority to be His children merely by faith in Christ through grace.
This was a great mystery which was hidden in the heart of God who knows everything beforehand. He chose Israel to be the Royal priests through whom all the world could be saved to form His Kingdom. This is clear from the instructions He gave to the 70 disciples who were sent to the lost sheep of Israel. When the Syro Phoenician woman asked for healing of her daughter Jesus answered that He would not give His children’s bread to the puppies as healing was the bread of His children. It was not because of lack of compassion, but because He wanted to make it clear to His disciples that His Kingdom could be established through the Israelites. His own people didn’t accept Him.
Even after His death and resurrection Israel was not ready to acknowledge Him as their Messiah. The 12 disciples whom He chose to be with Him, tried to convince the people about Christ’s Kingship Jesus expressed the future plan of making them judges over the 12 tribes of Israel when He would return to the earth. .
When the people were stubborn and arrogant to refuse His authority He caught Saul on his way to Damascus and continued giving him revelations after revelations, to save the gentiles through faith alone by grace. .
Therefore Remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision Made In The Flesh By Hands— That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:11-12
Now we have become members of His household as we believed in Christ Jesus. We are adopted into His family and we are heirs of heavenly inheritance and authorities. Though we are free we come under the oppression of traditions and legalities. Apostle Paul warns about legalism in the epistle to the Galatians.
But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years.Galatians 4:9-10
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Galatians 5:6
Law is not there for those who are in Christ as we are not saved by our good action. We are saved by grace through Christ who bore our sins and became a curse for us.
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14
Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
Colossians 2:20-21
These regulations constitute legalism which restricts our freedom in Christ. If we come under this legalism Christ suffered the cross without any effect in our lives. And we demean the value of Cross.. So let us be careful not to take our Lord and His cross to be granted and lowly for our righteous actions cannot save us.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
I Corinthians 1:18
Cross of Christ Jesus has provided us with the ministry of reconciliation. We are the ambassadors of Christ in this W
world. May the Holy Spirit guide us through our ministry and let us be vigilant not to fall a prey in the hands of legalists and traditionalists. Praise Jesus.
Prayer:
Thank you Jesus for setting us free. Thank you Lord for reconciling us with God through Your cross. May the faith in Your cross be our strength. Thank You for laying down Your life as a ransom for us. Help us to remain grateful for Your blood which you poured out for us. We love You Lord. We worship You. Glory to God. Amen.
Sol. Salomi Kurian