Legalism or Grace?

Legalism or Grace?

The other day I heard a TV Preacher saying that JESUS’ command to “…seek you first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness…” was legalism, this surprised me. He made it sound reasonable as he taught on grace as the gift of GOD, something we just receive by faith. To me that is just religious. The religion of doing nothing because GOD just gives you everything you want and need.

When Jesus taught us to pray “…Your Kingdom come, Your will be done…” and to “…seek you first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness…” He was not issuing legal or religious commandments, He was teaching us the grace of GOD’s gift of salvation for humanity.

GOD formed every human being in their mother’s womb and gifted and called us to the purpose of His Kingdom. We usually say something like “When I  found GOD…” or “I found GOD…” but the truth is that almost everyone of us was not seeking GOD or looking for Him at all when we encountered His saving grace of salvation and all that it is and means for our life in this world and in His eternal Kingdom.

There are and always have been those who make serving GOD in a religious and legalistic lifestyle and profession. The Jewish leaders of JESUS’ day were religious and legalistic or they would have know their long awaited and desired messiah; but prophesy had to be fulfilled so in their religious fervor they missed GOD’s true grace and salvation.

The same thing is happening today, the Ten Commandments, the Our Father prayer, the teaching and commandments of JESUS all have been made religious and legalistic by some groups. Some have misused them for their own gain and control over peoples’ lives, they are and have been used to control governments and nations.

The difference between legalism, religion and grace is how we personally relate to GOD, His Word and His Kingdom. GOD’s grace allows us to seek GOD and His Kingdom so that we can do His will in the earth as it is in Heaven without becoming religious or legalistic; having a personal relationship with the Living GOD helps to keep us from becoming religious and legalistic.

Peter, James, John and Jude all repeat the themes of JESUS’ teachings and commandments: we will be persecuted, we must preserve, we must be doing the works of GOD’s Kingdom in the earth, GOD is worthy of our worship and praise, GOD is worthy of our sacrifice and service, obedience is a call and a requirement. JESUS said things like, “If you keep My commandments…When you keep My commandments…”; but not as a legalistic or religious activity but as part of our personal relationship with the Living GOD. One of JESUS’ primary teachings was that GOD is our Father who loves us and has a plan for our life if we yield to obey Him.

This is what the Great Commission is about; if we keep JESUS’ two commandments (these cover everything He taught and exemplified for us) Love and Unity; then we will understand His call for our life and be able to use His gift to our life for His will and purpose because we have a personal relationship with the Living GOD. Those who try to keep His commandments and fulfill His call for the Church without a personal relationship with GOD are those “Christians” JESUS exposed in Matthew 7:21-23.