Public Acknowledgment Of Christ

"I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.  That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel..." (Rom. 1:14-16, NIV). 

We don't want to be God's secret agents or Clairol Christians where only our hairdresser knows for sure whether we are believers.  We are called to openly confess Christ before men with no embarrassment or shame.  The extreme of flaunting our faith is just as wrong as to hide it and keep it a secret though.  True faith expresses itself; the world has nothing against those who privatize their faith and keep it to themselves, but we have a mission to fulfill!  We must not be apologetic or timid in our witness either; there should be no doubt where we stand, and that is not on the sidelines either.

You can never tell where lukewarm believers stand.  We are in the world but not of it (cf. John 15:19).  Sometimes it takes more faith to stand alone like Daniel did to defy the king's edict.  Doing the right thing is not the popular thing to do, nor the easy thing to do. We must be Christ's ambassadors in the world, though we are not of it.

If they harassed Christ and taunted Him, how much more us who have an imperfect witness.  Our testimony is so important that Christ said that if we don't confess Him before men, neither will He confess us before the Father (cf. Matt. 10:32-33).  We represent the gospel in shoe leather to the world and to some people, it's the only gospel they'll know or experience.  A life lived to His glory does a lot to honor our Savior.  Those who are hypocrites and don't live out their faith are doing more harm than good to the cause of Christ.  We want to be vessels of honor, not of dishonor.  In other words, we don't want to be what Christians ought not to be as the example of learning what to avoid.

Baptism is the initiation into the local body and represents our commitment to follow on to know the Lord in discipleship. The first act of obedience after baptism should be to fulfill the Great Commission and do our part.   If Christ got baptized, how much more do we need it!  Standing up for Jesus entails a lot more than preaching in season and out of season, it means when it's inconvenient and it might cost us something or be a sacrifice.  Yes, we might lose friends, but those are the kind we don't need!  Let the offense of the gospel be the only true stumbling block to the infidel's coming to know the Lord, not our personal offensiveness.

Like Paul, we need to pray for open doors and the skill to preach the Word efficaciously (cf. Eph. 6:19).  We don't just use a machine-gun type approach aiming our guns at everyone with the same ammo!  We must adapt our message to whom we're a witness to, and be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.  God will indeed give us opportunities if we are prepared with the fish bait for the catch of a lifetime--a soul for Christ.  We must be savvy about these God-given chances and opportunities, because they may not come again, and if we miss them, hopefully, we will learn from our negligence and naivete.  We are all slow learners when it comes to following Christ's perfect witnessing example and high standards--He really raised the bar and we must learn from our experience sometimes.

Remember, you may be the only person that can reach out to that person in your orbit or circle of influence and God has entrusted you with the message of reconciliation. It's not a matter of scalp counting or thinking that the more conversions we muster, the better witness we are (God's not so obsessed with the numbers game as a correlation to success or faithfulness); quality is just as important and to whom much is given, much is required--we must be faithful stewards:

To what God has blessed us with--our talents, gifts, opportunities, ambitions, energy, vacations, vocations, relationships, physical abilities, free time or down time, time itself, skills, areas of expertise, education and training, knowledge, wisdom, responsibilities, social life, acquaintances, contacts, real estate, possessions, resources, money, portfolios, belongings, reputation,  friends, co-workers, servants, bosses, and even relatives that we are blessed with and will give account for.  What God is looking for is a bold witness who will speak up at any opportunity and open door presented without shame or timidity--He will open doors to those ready and willing.     Soli Deo Gloria!

As A Matter Of Fact

'The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" (Isaiah 11:2, HCSB).  

DEFINITIONS FROM DAVID A. NOEBEL:  KNOWLEDGE IS JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF.  FACTS ARE INDISPUTABLY KNOWN TO BE TRUE OR THINGS KNOWN TO EXIST IN REALITY, DEPICTING AND CONFORMING TO IT.    PRAGMATISM IS THE BELIEF THAT PROPOSTIONS DO NOT MIRROR REALITY AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE TREATED AS TOOLS AND JUDGED ONLY BY THEIR PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES [IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S TRUE, BUT ONLY RESULTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED].  TRUTH, ACCORDING TO THE CORRESPONDENCE THEORY OF TRUTH IS THAT WHICH CORRESPONDS WITH REALITY.  

NB:  CARL SAGAN SAYS EVOLUTION "IS FACT, NOT THEORY."  HE UNDERSTANDS NEITHER FACTS, SCIENCE, NOR THEORY.  EVOLUTION IS UNPROVEN AND UNPROVABLE!  ANY EVIDENCE IS HARD TO COME BY AND THERE IS ZERO FOSSIL EVIDENCE TO BACK UP THE THEORY OF MACRO-EVOLUTION--NO AUTHENTIC MISSING LINKS OR TRANSITIONAL FORMS, WHICH WAS A WORKING HYPOTHESIS, CHAMPIONED AS THEORY, AND NOW TOUTED AS FACT!  SCIENCE DEPENDS UPON EXPERIMENTS, MEASUREMENT, REPEATABILITY, AND OBSERVATION--NOTE THAT NO ONE WAS THERE!  

ONE-TIME EVENTS IN HISTORY ARE NONREPEATABLE AND NOT WITHIN THE REALM OF SCIENTIFIC SPECULATION.  IT IS VITAL TO KNOW THAT CHRISTIANITY DEALS IN FACTS AND EVIDENCE, AND IF IT'S DEHISTORICIZED IT'S FULLY DISCREDITED AND NOTHING BUT NOBLE ETHICS AND "PIE-IN-THE-SKY" DREAMS.  

Knowing all the trivia in the world will do you no good morally, spiritually, or practically--by definition trivia is useless info.  The only time it comes in handy is as a parlor game or on a game show as a contestant, or in the audience watching it for diversion or past-time or just to have fun things to know.  People who remember trivia tend to be disorganized for the most part because they don't organize what's useful for life; others just remember everything and know it fortuitously.  The point is that knowledge in itself is not an end in itself, it must be applied and put to work to be any benefit. Just like there's pure science and applied science.   If a trivia nut keeps telling you his "facts" facetiously tell him: "You don't say?" "Is that a fact?" 

The only knowledge that matters is that which can accomplish God's will and can be put to use productively; it is no wonder that knowledge is increasing exponentially, but our wisdom or knowing how to use it is falling proportionately--we're getting worse off! (Daniel 12:4, NIV, says, "... Many will go here and there to increase knowledge [or "and knowledge shall be increased" in KJV] .")   Knowledge need not be 100 percent certain to be called knowledge. 

Knowledge must affect your life to be of value!  We must put our knowledge to work for us.  The whole purpose of knowledge is edification, enlightenment, and inspiration or motivation for good deeds. The trouble is that we all possess trivia and even genuine, useful knowledge and don't know how to make it useful--we aren't faithful to what we do know as a rule; however, if we pass on what God has shown us He will give more light.

This can be seen also in those that study for purely academic reasons or as literature, reading the storyline and seeing the Bible as a lesson to learn much like fairy tales or myths.  Anybody can read about David and Goliath and conclude that you shouldn't let bullies boss you around or be discouraged by them--it doesn't take a spiritual mind at all!  And so, included in a trivial pursuit of Bible knowledge is to focus on the mundane and things of secular interest, such as historical facts and references.

Knowledge in itself puffs up according to 1  Cor. 8:1 and the goal should be to express it and make a loving use of it--love is the fulfillment of the law!  Gal. 5:6 says that "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" in the NIV.  The problem with knowledge is basically that some use it to impress others and to get proud of it for its own sake.  We all must beware of information glut whereby we know too much for our own good--not being able to apply it--and our knowledge gets ahead of us because we lose orientation and focus on our marching orders and the Great Commission; we must keep the main thing the main thing and not major on minors!

One problem in the church is the "nod-to-God crowd" doing their "duty."  They go to church in a perfunctory manner as a routine or to fulfill social obligations or to keep the conscience clean, not to apply what they hear as cheerful hearers but not cheerful doers of the Word.  These people tend to just go through the motions and have memorized the dance of the pious, knowing all the lingo of the church and are really socially engaged, as if churchgoing were a social event.  These believers are really lukewarm and need to invite Christ into their hearts so that they have more than head knowledge.  Christ must dwell in the heart to save and this is expressed in love to God and others, even enemies.  They may even apply the message to others being blind of their own depravity and spiritual need.

Now, don't mistake the hunger for the Word or the seeking of the Truth as abnormally vain or useless.  The healthy, growing believer has a genuine love for the Truth (cf. 2 Thess. 2:10) and loves the Word of God, and he will lose this passion if he doesn't apply what he knows--this is why we must pace our intake and not overload or get intoxicated with the Word only to forget it without application.  The Bible may become passe or one can get Bible fatigue as it loses its zing or pizazz, but walking close to the Lord will keep one close to the Word as it makes you hungry for more as it feeds you.  And being callous or indifferent to spiritual matters is a warning sign and the only cure is to own up to what you know and get back to the basics of love in action.

Some believers are just too distracted by the cares of this world or have too shallow of a mind to think divine meditations.  One must heed the words of Jesus in John 13:17 where He said, "Now that you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."  The Pharisees knew the Scriptures in their head but failed to understand their spiritual meaning ("You know not the Scriptures neither the power of God," in Matt. 22:29).  What they were experts at is applying it to others!  We must apply ourselves to the Word and the Word to ourselves (cf. Job 5:37).  Never discount knowledge, wisdom, and understanding as gifts of God, but to whom much is given, much is required (cf. Luke 12:48).

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge" (2 Pet. 1:5, NIV).

Faith comes via the spiritual miracle and gift of preaching!  We must go a step further: turn our creeds into deeds and practice what we preach.  Christianity is not just a creed to believe but knowing a person and putting that creed into action!  Everyone needs to be convicted of sin and inspired to godly endeavor in the body, not just the immature ones!  We have never "graduated" in church when we don't need other members of the body, especially teaching and preaching.  Disciples are "learners" by definition and have enrolled in the school of Christ for the long haul.

We must never become complacent and think we know it all and have no need of preaching.  Some have been called to teach, prophesy, and preach, while others to submit to their God-given authority in so doing.  Those who don't get convicted or inspired are in danger of being out of touch spiritually, and if they don't apply it, they can lose it, even backslide or fall temporarily into apostasy.  There are no Lone Ranger believers who can say they can worship God in the cornfield or on the mass media or even social media because there are no spiritual hermits or loners in the body.

Knowledge is not meant to be an intellectual thing where smart or intelligent people have the advantage--the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart.  A point in fact:  Nobody can absorb it all, everyone must be selective--you cannot be effective without being selective.  Some people try to do too much or learn too much--books can become burdensome if one doesn't learn to organize his studies and realize what God wants for him to know and apply--he must know how God uses him.  That's where knowing our place in the body and our spiritual gift comes into play so that we don't attempt too much and accomplish nothing.

Knowledge is vital, but it's not everything!  God's "people perish for lack of knowledge" (cf. Hos. 4:1, 6,14).   We must never lose our focus and perspective or discernment.  We cannot escape knowledge because that is not an option for the believer, it leads to spiritual suicide!  How can Protestants dissent, disagree and protest if they are ignorant?  The Bible tells us that the righteous are hungry for the truth, but the fool feeds on trash in Prov. 15:14, and we have all heard the computer slogan garbage in, garbage out.  And so knowledge is the byproduct of a walk with Christ:  "... [B]earing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God," in Col. 1:10; "But grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." in 2 Pet. 3:18, NIV.

The only test of genuine knowledge in action or faith is obedience to the Word.  NB: Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes."  Obedience is the only measure of faith and the second part of the Great Commission, to teach them to obey all that Christ taught--i.e., being disciples or students of the Word ("Study to shew thyself approved unto God...," in 2 Tim. 2:15, KJV or "be diligent to present yourself ..." in NKJV).

And we must have pure motives for attaining knowledge (we must not stop there and fail to complete our mission)--it's the means to the end, not an end in itself, and not just to have all the answers or to outsmart and pull rank on the preacher or prof either in order to boost our own ego. Two major issues of growth stunting in the church are apathy and ignorance--they don't know, and much worse, they don't care!  To begin learning we must admit our ignorance according to Socrates.

In sum, there's a vast difference between knowing about the Bible and knowing the Bible, which can only be done if one knows the Author when God is our teacher, whereby we grow in the grace and true knowledge of the Lord, which is a humbling experience.

Words to the wise shall be sufficient:  In Scripture, Moses, Dr. Luke, and Paul were men of great learning.  Just like the British scientist (who founded the scientific method) and philosopher, Sir Francis Bacon, is credited with the 1597 maxim, "Knowledge is power," there is the skilled use of it--that's where wisdom comes in:  Scripture says, "The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength [i.e., increase their strength]" (Prov. 24:5, NIV).  Knowledge is necessary for spiritual growth, but not sufficient--IT'S ONLY PART OF THE EQUATION; it must be lived out in love. We don't believe in knowledge for its own sake! 

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing because some know enough to be dangerous!  NB:  Knowledge per se is no measure of spiritual status or growth, it must be commensurate with love in action.  

CAVEAT:  WE MUST BEWARE OF HAVING A ZEAL FOR GOD, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO KNOWLEDGE AS PAUL WARNED IN ROM. 10:2 AND SOLOMON IN PROV. 19:2.   By all means:  "The beginning of wisdom [the right use of knowledge] is this: Get wisdom.  Though it cost you all you have, get understanding" (Prov. 4:7, NIV).    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Cult-like Followers Of Political Parties

"... Hate what is evil; cling to what is good" (Rom. 12:9, NIV). 
"To fear the LORD is to hate evil..." (Proverbs 8:13, NIV).
"When we are not governed by God, we will be ruled by tyrants." --William Penn
"Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice for the oppressed of my people ... What will you do on the day of reckoning...?" (Isa. 10:1-3, NIV). 
"... But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil" (1 Peter 3:12, NIV).

DISCLAIMER:  THIS POST SERVES AS AN INDICTMENT ON ALL PARTY LOYALISTS OF WHICHEVER PERSUASION, WHO PUT PARTY AND POLITICS ABOVE PRINCIPLE, WHICH IS ONE OF MAHATMA GANDHI'S SEVEN DEADLY SOCIAL SINS.  

CAVEAT:  "WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF THE RISE OF TRIBALISM AND IDENTITY POLITICS; BEWARE!"

Personally, I do not think  Jesus would join any party because he would be nonconformist, untraditional, anti-establishment, and counter-cultural and no party would even want him.  The Bible warns against compromising with the devil--give no opportunity to the devil, in other words (cf. Eph. 4:27; 5:11)!  Don't give an inch, he'll take a mile!  Our nation has been deceived and beguiled by the devil's strategy to divide and conquer in the manifestation of identity politics or an "us versus them" orientation and scheme of thought.  What does God hate, but to sow discord among brothers? The devil is a great divider, not a unifier who builds bridges--because he doesn't stand for the truth and there is no truth in him.  Blessed are the peacemakers, not peacekeepers or the peaceable!

Our nation hungers for leadership and has fallen for an authority figure who can push his weight around and bully and insult his way to power like a demagogue--note that God is no bully and His authority is persuasive, not abrasive.  Note that we don't need a ruler, but a leader.  Whoever heard of returning insult for insult, only worse politics such as taking revenge on political opponents?  It seems that people "identify" with our president and these are the so-called "forgotten" or disenfranchised voters, who long to just be heard by anyone. But power does tend to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely per Lord Acton, and those in power misuse it to their own detriment as well as those they influence--it only reveals the real you.

Our nation is guilty of spiritual idolatry--worshiping political power per se and our leaders themselves, where only God should be given such superlative status.  They deify their party by adhering to principles such as "my party, right or wrong."  God will not ask us what party we belonged to at the Judgment Seat. When you get to the point where you are no longer critical, where it's due, you have gone beyond respecting to fearing or worshiping your leader--we must maintain our discernment and see good as well as evil.  We ought always to pray for our leaders, even if it is for them to repent and see the light; we ought not to pray that God blesses evil or evildoing!   God is not mocked, whatever we sow as a nation, we'll reap according to Gal. 6:7!  Our God is the moral center of the universe as the final Judge and will also judge the nations at the appropriate and opportune time.

Our nation set up the world order of the free world after WWII and our president is dismantling it because it doesn't serve his interests.  It is only one example of why a Congress is derelict of duty to pose restraint and to be a check and balance as an equal branch of government.  It is obvious that some have no regard for ethics, principle, and morals other than their own agenda or issue.    The point is that when you close your mind to principle there's no telling what you'll approve of and sanction.
Christians should be appalled at the refugee border crisis. We must restore liberty and justice for ALL.  When we castigate one category of humans as not worthy of their dignity and rights, we have gone the way of Fascism and are on the road to a holocaust like the Nazis.  

Philosophically what some have done is force their agenda on a secular society by force as if legislating Christianity made people believers.  You can't outlaw all sins.  Is this not unlike shariah law where Muslims legislate their religion on non-Muslims?  They will tell you that it's all worth it after all because we will get conservative jurists (even if incompetent) on the Supreme Court--in other words, the ends justify the means or pragmatism, is a legitimate worldview and methodology, which would be an activist court, so denounced by conservatives.  This is anti-Christian!  Wisdom is doing the right thing in the right way and even having pure motives.  We must never forget that Christ's kingdom is not of this world!

The devil celebrates the times he can aid Christians if they will give him what he wants--power!  This is the way the Antichrist will ascend too, by the aid and sanction of the religious authorities.  We don't want the tyranny of an individual who is authoritarian and has a lust for power.  We must never worship political power and think God is a member of our party because He cannot be labeled or put in a box.   We must not be negligent of being the watchdog and worshiping at the shrine of political power, as we deem our turf and job security as Job One, being intimidated, not speaking truth to power!  And unwilling to stand up and be counted for what's the right thing to do.

Parties do not abandon good people, but leave them!  There are still Christians in our parties but they have become numb and desensitized to evil and need a spiritual wake-up call.  It no longer can claim the moral high ground and has lost its moral authority by all its compromising and loyalty to a person instead of the rule of law.  That's what democracy stands for in the final analysis: the ultimate rule of law and that law is based on natural law and divine law, not the law of whims or expediency.   Many times we should be saying, "There oughta be a law," but have overlooked the evils in our country for the sake of being loyal to a party--but that kind of blind loyalty, obeisance, or homage belongs only to God--who is no respecter of persons. Too many confess the creed: My party right or wrong! 

What we have is a Congress of moral cowards!  Just because a party is in power doesn't mean they have God's seal of approval!  God may very well be punishing our nation, for He does so by giving unjust leaders. It is no sin to call a spade a spade and to fly your Christian colors or declare war on evil as you see it--woe to those who don't discern evil from good or who call evil good. We aren't called to be apologists for the president and defend immoral and unethical executive decisions--but stand up for what is the right thing to do as a higher allegiance to God.

When we are unequally yoked with the infidel we cannot blame God for the evil that results--we must take responsibility if we do something in God's name, known as hijacking the faith for our cause or agenda.  We need no working arrangement with the devil!  Don't give him free rein to usurp the domain of the church!  There is no middle ground or place for neutrality, we must assume our marching orders and stand up for Jesus, not standing on the sidelines or behind the scenes. 

One must ask, not "Where's God?" but "Where's the church?" as we are the moral compass and conscience of our nation heeding the commission for social justice--the church must preach the truth and equip the saints. Therefore, we can only expect anarchy or chaos in the political arena when we eradicate Christ from the public square and take God out of the equation. Indeed, that leads to a bleak outlook, but our faith is more than a creed, it necessitates action and practicing what we preach.

In the final analysis, we must realize we get the politicians we deserve because some politicos want a party to become a party of social revolutionaries and polarizing politics and think they have the God-given right to wreak havoc on the social order and political landscape or to upset the legal applecart to their fancy and whim--they wanted change and they will very well get it, but change for change sake is not good.

CAVEAT: "We cannot remain silent and concede everything away and lose by default," as C. S. Lewis articulated it.       Soli Deo Gloria!

How Shall We Then Live?

"And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8, ESV).
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people [Israel] whom he has chosen as his heritage!" (Psalm 33:12, ESV).  
"There is no accountability since God does not exist" (Psalm 10:4, HCSB). 
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people" (Prov. 14:34, NIV).
"To this, you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Peter 2:21, NIV).  

Christianity is composed of two things: orthodoxy or believing right, and orthopraxy or doing right.  Orthodoxy has to do with ethics or right conduct, answering the question, "how shall we then live?"

My title was also the title of a book by Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer, of L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland.  It is a big issue of how believers should apply their faith and fulfill their marching orders.  We are not meant to either flaunt it nor privatize it, though our faith offends no one if we do keep it to ourselves.  However, it's not a matter of personal preference to propagate our faith, or "shove it down other people's throats" as some call it--it's the Great Commission, mandated by our Lord Himself.

We are to live out our faith, and only those believers who desire to live it out and share their faith are obedient--the only way to keep it is to give it away!  We are, in essence, to live forthright, honest, exemplary lives as proof of our profession, which is the reality of our faith.  The faith we have is the faith we show!  We must never lose focus of our first order of business (Job One), that we are here to make a contribution and fulfill God's will, and must heed the spiritual wake-up calls to read the signs of the times.

As American citizens, we have the awesome task of being witnesses in the midst of people who've already heard (territory Paul would've balked at entering, to sow where someone else had been).  People already have preconceived notions of our faith and are prejudiced--we must be all the more ready to be "not ashamed" "in debt" and "ready" as Paul proclaimed in Romans 1.  The door is indeed often closed and we must pray for the open door or opportunity to live out our faith as examples.  Unfortunately, there's often just enough darkness not to see, and enough light to see, but only to the willing and obedient.  That's the rub:  man is by nature stubborn and in defiance of God's authority, especially in the political realm, which seems to be Satan's turf, and so it takes moral courage.

The biggest error is to think we can usher in the kingdom and that America is somehow God's chosen nation.  It's true that Governor William Bradford of Plymouth set out to "advance the kingdom of Christ," (cf. Jer. 29:7) but our nation has no right to usurp Israel's place in God's scheme of things and the overall plan for the ages.  This is the church age and the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, and we are here primarily to save souls, not the nation.

But if Christians do get their so-called act together and repent, pray, and stand up for the truth, God will bless our nation and rebuke the devil's intervention, and may perhaps relent of His divine wrath, punishment, and even curse--yes, God can and does curse nations, even Israel (cf. Deut. 28).  We can not call something crooked if we don't have an idea what straight is.  And we should never turn a deaf ear to the evil in the land and be too timid or inhibited to speak out about crimes against humanity or whatever form evil manifests.

But by and large, we can expect the blessing of God if we follow godly paths of righteousness in our nation; for the Word says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."  God is no respecter of persons and shows no partiality and will bless us for the sake of His people.  But we must also note that God has promised to bless those nations who bless Israel as God's chosen people, promising Abraham that He'll bless those who bless him.  We cannot maintain an anti-Semitic attitude or policy and expect God's approbation--this doesn't mean whether they are right or wrong politically or morally!

Believers are called to rise to the occasion and stand up and be counted for the Lord, and that means taking stands for the truth and being loyal to God and even courageous to the point of civil disobedience and public stands when the state's policies are immoral, unethical, or unscriptural.  We must maintain the highest standards of conduct and hold our government accountable and be equal to the challenge!   Who knows, as it is written in Esther 4:14, maybe we were born for such a time as this?

We must be careful not to idolize our party (i.e., "my party, right or wrong!"), identity, candidate, or policies to the point of demanding our highest allegiance and unwavering devotion.  God is not a member of a party since He cannot be limited or put in a box or labeled, and it is often the case that Christians deify their party or candidate at the expense of losing all sense of decency, morality, and even ethics.  Remember, only God deserves our homage and ultimate loyalty; we only pledge allegiance to a nation "under God."

We must learn to draw the line and know where the limits are.  Sometimes the law is in direct violation of divine principle, but we will never realize this if we are blinded by following party, person, or policy above God.   Augustine of Hippo said something very noteworthy for our time:  "An unjust law is no law at all."  Remember the words of Scottish Presbyterian minister and author Samuel Rutherford, in his book, Lex Rex, (i.e., the law is the king), that delineated limits to the power of the king or any government as being subject to the rule of law--and this goes back to biblical precedent, not just democratic--this book upset the political landscape and applecart.  In a similar vein, Will Durant, historian, said, "No society has been able to maintain morality without the aid of its religion."Also, Edmund Burke noted:  "'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil, is that good men do nothing."

Christians always reserve the right to peaceful protest and even defiance of evil law, and this is fully realized in the slogan of the Reformation:  I dissent, I disagree, I protest, attributed to Martin Luther.  In a crisis of evil, many ask, "Where's God?" but we should be asking, "Where's the church?"  We must never forget that we have dual citizenship, our home is in heaven and we are only passing through with our spiritual green cards on a mission.  God doesn't burden just one individual to change the world for Christ but will transform it through the corporate activity of the body of Christ and the church at large. One task of the church is to equip and help believers find their calling and gifting so this can be implemented. It's a shame when unbelievers lead the way and do what we should be doing by nature (cf. Romans 2:14-15).

NB:  God did something about evil--He made you!  Our mission to counter social injustice has not been rescinded.  Note the words of a famous Christian philosopher, dramatist, theologian, and journalist--known as the "prince of paradox":  "What's wrong with the world?  I am.  Yours truly, G. K. Chesterton."  The words of John Donne come to mind:  "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee." We must turn our creeds into deeds, thus proving our testimony by actions, which can speak louder than words--true faith always expresses itself! 

We must expose, openly declare, and wave our Christian colors and not permit evil win by default. We must also learn not to just bemoan evil, but to challenge ourselves to see the possibility of good beyond the gray clouds.  Evil always presents an opportunity for good, because that's why it exists as the counter and contrast of good, which we can then highlight and see clearly in juxtaposition.

In sum, Christians have a Second Great Commission, to heal and preserve society, and we must pay our dues, living up to our faith and being worthy of the name of Christ, touching the world for our Savior, all in order that no one will have anything bad to say about us, and we can win them over by our witness.      Soli Deo Gloria!
  

The Void In Man's Heart

Blaise Pascal posited there was a "vacuum in man's heart that only God can fill"; Augustine of Hippo wrote in Confessions, "Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee."  Man is on a great quest for shalom or peace of mind in manifold ways (with God, others, himself, etc.).  We all need fulfillment to feel we are important and are making a difference in the world, a mark, impression, or impact on others.  He has sought to find relief in religion, education, culture, entertainment, philosophy, a higher standard of living, political freedom, and materialism or success such as the American dream, but he is still empty, just as Dr. Carl Jung said that the "central neurosis of man is emptiness."  Man seeks to find fulfillment in many things to occupy his boredom, for "The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation," according to Henry David Thoreau.  There's the rub!

Pascal said quite paradoxically:  "If a man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?  If a man is made for God, why is he opposed to God?"  What a dilemma we're in!  We have been called Homo religious, or the religious being, our nature.  Just as we are hard-wired for work, we also are meant to worship God, and if we fail to, we will worship something even anything, but never nothing! The leading school of thought is nihilism growthwise among the intelligentsia, and they teach man has no ultimate meaning or purpose to exist--essentially faith in nothing supposedly.  But men are not capable of worshiping nothing; they will resort to worshiping something, even themselves in narcissism. 

But no man is religion or worship free, but finds substitutes for God in his life.  That is the essence of idolatry--worship of something or someone in God's place, as well as having a faulty understanding of God--either putting Him in a box or limiting Him in some other manner, all because God is a jealous God and demands worship in spirit and in truth.  We must beware lest our thoughts of God become too human!

Just like Christians are content and "happy customers" of Jesus, so the infidel seeks a life without God and will grasp at straws, though even as he clutches they disappear--to be happy apart from God in escapism.  The consequences of unbelief are a life lived in vain and a frantic search for happiness in things, or other relationships without God as the center.  We must believe in God to be happy and content, and if we don't believe in God, we will believe in anything and maybe even everything that comes our way, for God will send great delusion to believe the lie and we will become captive to the devil to do his will (cf. 2 Tim. 2:26), if perhaps God may not grant the grace of freedom.

That is why gullible and credulous people believe in anything out there like astrology, magic, UFOs, etc., because they don't believe in God and their faith is misdirected!  I mean really believe in Him with the heart in a personal relationship, not just acknowledging His existence or having a head belief.   The saying that GIGO is validated:  garbage in equals garbage out!   We need the anchor of Christ in our soul to shield us from Satan's lies and false doctrines of strange teachings (cf. Heb. 13:9).

You can't talk to some people about spiritual things because they have no interest.  Actually, if you can switch the topic to heavenly matters for only a few minutes you may save a soul!  Most have their mind on earthly matters, including believers, and are distracted or have their interests divided.  They seem to think that God is dead in the sense of not being relevant or necessary to explain reality.

But without God life makes no sense (you cannot answer life's ultimate questions and issues) and there is no purpose in living, no meaning in life and nothing to live for but to be an animal in heat, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain!  All because they are taught they are animals it isn't any wonder they want to live like them or the other way around--they believe their animals and end up acting like them as a consequence--we shouldn't be surprised.

It's been said by Dostoevsky that "if there is no God, all things are permissible."  Kant said that God must exist for ethics to be possible!  Does man just want to find out that all he can do is "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow he may die?" (cf. Isa. 22:13; 1 Cor. 15:32).  To state his contentment, on the other hand, Paul had learned to be content in all things (cf. Phil. 4:11) and  said quite glibly, "I am what I am by the grace of God." (cf. 1 Cor. 15:10.)     Soli Deo Gloria!

A Passion For The Truth

"The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness [trash]" (Prov. 15:14, KJV).  

"They hate the one who judges at the city gate, and they reject the one who speaks the truth," (cf. Amos 5:10). 

"Send Your light and Your truth, let them lead me," (cf. Psalm 43:3). 

"However, when he the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in all truth," (cf. John 16:13). 
"Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 2:25, NIV).
"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Heb. 5:14, NIV).
"[And] all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.  They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2 Thess. 2:10, NIV).  

It's obvious that the sign of a Christian is one who's found the truth and been set free by it (cf. John 8:32), but one who also has a passion for truth and THE TRUTH and discerns it; the unbeliever hasn't received a love of the truth, but is deceived by lies, and has not learned to discern good and evil as Heb. 5:14 states.  NB:  Evil is not an entity in itself, but the distortion and perversion of good and truth, or error mixed with the truth; just enough error to deceive and inoculate from the truth).  Paul says that hopefully the unbeliever will come to a knowledge of the truth and repent by the grace of God in 2 Tim. 2:25.

Unbelievers "reject the truth" (Rom. 2:8) and "suppress the truth" (cf. Romans 1:18) and love the lie, which they will believe because God sends "powerful delusion" that they cannot discern truth from lies, and in this way will fall for the Antichrist (cf. 2 Thess. 2:11).  Even believers are susceptible to believing liars and being deceived and are enticed or led astray, as Paul said that a great apostasy shall precede the coming of Christ, and many shall fall away giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1).

It is so important that we guard our souls with truth and be on guard against falsehood whatever the source.  Sound doctrine in the soul is such a defense mechanism known as the "belt of truth."    Spiritually we can be exposed to pseudo-spiritual writings that are extra-biblical and noncanonical, being rejected by the church fathers as passing the tests of orthodoxy.  They had very good reasons to pass over writings that the early church never accepted:  were they written by an apostle?  did they contradict other books in Scripture?  did they speak with God's authority or claim to be the Word of God? did they impact with the inspiration of God?  

Therefore: These criteria are known as apostolicity, orthodoxy, and pedigree of the canon. What's noteworthy is that none of the apocryphal writings were ever quoted by Jesus, any of His apostles, or the Church Fathers (the Apostolic Fathers)!  The Gnostic writings were known to be forgeries or false because they were written much later--as late as the second century and claimed apostolic authorship but were not.

Christians read these writings thinking they will find out something new but don't realize that they are not worthy of our attention.  Paul said that the things we should meditate and think about are those which are true, noble, worthy of honor, etc., in Phil. 4:9.  The point is that the Bible is sufficient to guide the believer and he needs no other spiritual ancient source to fill him in. If the writings don't claim sola Scriptura (the Scripture alone--as authority) or appeal to the Word they are bogus.  It's an insult to Scripture to give heed to these writings because God's Word is what is revealed.  

Remember when The Da Vinci Code was all the rage?  Curiosity seekers were drawn to this oddity of writing, thinking it was something new under the sun.  When they brought attention to the Gnostic gospels it was thought that this was something newly discovered, but the Church Fathers had rejected them as genuine, authentic, bona fide, authorized works of the Holy Spirit.

This is the ultimate question:  do you have a passion for the truth, or a curiosity for the lies of Satan and his deceivers, whether they be false teachers or demons?   One road leads to eternal life, another to apostasy and heresy.  It all goes back to the old expression GIGO or garbage in, garbage out. Don't forget we believe in the God of truth and that Scripture is truth (cf. John 17:17).  

These pseudepigraphical writings  (ancient tabloids) like  Assumption of Moses, Psalms of Solomon, Testament of Job, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Martyrdom of Isaiah, the Life of Adam and Eve, and other counterfeit writings are meant to deceive and lead to an error with strange teachings.  We are not to tempt God nor the Holy Spirit with our curiosity into Satan's domain!  We dare cannot ask God to "lead us not into temptation" and then expose ourselves to tabloid writings, and this gives the devil an opportunity to deceive.   It's interesting that Hebrews 13:9 warns against "strange teachings." 

In sum, "man shall not live on bread alone" (cf. Deut. 8:3).    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Upside And Downside Of Tradition

"A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart" (Prov. 21:2, NIV).
"All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD" (Prov. 16:2, NIV).

"[F]or the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts..." (cf. 1 Chron. 18:9). 

There are many theologians who attack tradition as being unnecessary and unbinding to the believer, especially those believers of the Romanist persuasion with their numerous ones. Tradition can become a teaching aid and learning experience.  John demurred to baptize Jesus but laid aside his understanding of things and trusted the Lord in obedience.  Only sinners needed to repent! Sometimes it's just a simple matter of obedience to authority to our spiritual leaders. The only danger occurs when tradition is contrary to Scripture, directly contravening a doctrine.  Often we defer to tradition for the sake of unity and coherence in the body.

Old traditions die hard!  Even Protestants, especially Lutherans, have traditions reminiscent of Catholicism.  The vestments of pastors go way back, and who would want to be the first to break that tradition?  Because traditions have their pitfalls too! We all observe holy days such as Christmas and Easter, birthdays, anniversaries, even Thanksgiving Day is traditional.

However, tradition must be concordant with the Word to be binding and otherwise, it is simply a matter of personal conscience--for we ought to have the freedom to have our own convictions before God.  By and large, tradition must bow to conviction!  Family Christmas celebrations come to mind as a common tradition, even routines that are observed. Christmas is not biblical per se nor mandated, but that doesn't make it unbiblical, because it conflicts with nothing in Scripture.  The problem comes when we put tradition on a par with the authority of the Word like they did at the Counter-Reformation (the Council of Trent, 1545-63).  We don't add tradition as a replacement of Scripture!

There are many gray areas that cannot be judged as ill-advised scripturally, but the believer is to make up his own mind and feel free from being judged.  The Jews at the time of Christ were burdened with the traditions of the elders and Pharisees, and the law had become a yoke they couldn't bear (cf. Acts 15:10) as a result. The point of Christianity is that it's not merely a religion of externals (do this or that), but of internals--the mental attitudes and thoughts are more important.  God looks at our motives and incentives.  We can become so bogged down in a tradition that we miss the boat with true spirituality. We are all creatures of habit seeking comfort zones!

Let's not get our eyes off Jesus as the true focus.  Even the devil can observe tradition and look somewhat Christian--as he can "appear as an angel of light" (cf. 2 Cor. 11:4).  Christianity is a matter of the heart and a spiritual matter at that. God sees the heart, while a man looks on the outward appearance.  We cannot judge what happens in the heart of a believer observing his tradition, and God only holds a man accountable for what he knows, has the opportunity to know, or should know, i.e., had the opportunity to know.  We ought to ask ourselves:  Do we know better or not?

Sometimes churches have traditions known as rituals or liturgies, that they religiously obey during the worship service, which shows little imagination or creativity from the powers that be, and little has changed from the founding of the church--is there no room for improvement or advancement?  Has the church freeze-dried the format down pat so that there's little room for the Spirit to move? The church is to be semper reformanda or "always reforming." Even though the Bible does say that all things should be done decently and in order, but that doesn't preclude freedom of the Spirit and opening the door to allow Him access.

Jesus accused the Pharisees of being hypocrites, for they "[nullified] the word of God for the sake of [their] tradition" (cf. Matt. 15:6, NIV).  Jesus didn't follow the traditions of the elders to prove they weren't binding.  We need to keep the main thing the main thing!  We don't want to confine or bind the activity of God by our preconceived notions of what He can or cannot do.  Man is by nature a religious being (known as Homo Religiosus) and will revert to his default position of security in tradition when push comes to shove or when the chips are down his real faith shines through to shed light on his inner convictions.

When Protestants stipulate that tradition has no spiritual merit or value per se, this is vis-a-vis salvation. Tradition has no part and no authority in salvation or over Scripture, of which authority is sola Scriptura or Scripture alone. Tradition doesn't trump the Bible in authority, nor is it on par with it.  All in all, the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart, which only God can judge and see through its veneer.

We all observe tradition unbeknownst to us, often masked as routine, habit, or custom.  Jesus said a blessing and thanksgiving before meals and the tradition of saying grace was realized--note that this was not a command!  We say "Please!" and "Thank you!" out of courtesy, but this is just tradition too!   In sum, don't pooh-pooh tradition by virtue of it being merely tradition; i.e., don't knock it unless you don't observe any yourself!    Soli Deo Gloria!

In Defense Of Truth

"Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne." --James Russell Lowell
By definition, truth corresponds with reality (Correspondence theory of truth), or more directly that which God decrees or is concordant with Him.

"I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth" (1 John 2:21, NIV).

There comes a time in our testimony that we must stand up for the truth and be counted as a test of our faithfulness. Jesus is the epitome of truth and all truth is God's truth, Jesus revealed Himself as its ultimate source. The trouble with truth is that no one person has a monopoly on it and we all need each other to arrive at truth per se (not abstract, but personified in Christ)--no one's cornered the market. What's wrong with cults is that they have just enough truth to be dangerous; they have an element of truth and inoculate people from the real thing, because of having error mixed with the truth to deceive. There's no such thing as pure evil--it's just a perversion or distortion of truth and good.

People go by what rings true for them personally for basically four reasons: it's true because it's believable or they believe it; it's true because their fellowship or group believes it; it's true because they want to believe it, and it's true because they have a vested interest in it. This is due to our bias and everyone has a bias; there's no such thing as perfect objectivity outside God. We all need to examine our motives and check facts because our faith is fact-based and our God is fact-based.

We must not dodge the "no-truth-premise" by insisting that truth is relative. This is a "self-refuting statement" and cannot possibly be true or it contradicts itself--is that statement relative too? To the Postmodern, truth is but a "short-term contract." But Christians are hungry for the truth and love the truth; it's the rejection and hatred of truth that marks the unbeliever (cf. Rom. 2:8; 2 Thess. 2:10). One sure sign of a believer is his devotion to truth. Remember, Jesus promised the truth will set us free from this confusion (cf. John 8:32). There is Truth with a capital T! Truth, according to the Bible, is absolute, universal, and objective, meaning it applies to all, all the time, everywhere, and is true regardless of whether believed or not!

It is said that we cannot know the truth, and this would be true had not Jesus revealed it, the trouble is not in knowing the truth, but that we have rebelled from it and are seeking rationalization to justify ourselves. Differing worldviews all posit certain "truths" and make truth claims that only their truths are true--they are all unified that Christianity is a lie. "No lie is of the truth," according to 1 John 2:21. However, there is a reliable truth that we all can put faith in.

The catchphrase that something "may be true for you but not me" is also fallacious. Some people refuse to accept truth in essence because they think it gives others power over them, and they claim no one's in a position to know what's true for them. People claim that our Christian claims are irrelevant, but God's truth marches on and is vindicated. Why do they all despise our truth? We all act like there's truth because there is truth! All Christians ought to devote themselves to the pursuit of truth with a passion. We all ought to be known as lie detectors and purveyors of truth!

As Christians, we are ambassadors for truth because we belong to the truth" (cf. 1 John 3:19) for Christ came to bear witness of the truth, and grace and truth came through Him, being full of grace and truth (cf. John 1:7), and all who hear Him are of the truth. And the church is known as the "pillar and ground of truth (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15). When they insist that it's merely our interpretation, we insist that truth is absolute and universal and can be communicated. Zechariah 8:19 exhorts us: "... Therefore love truth and peace.'" Soli Deo Gloria!

Love Not The World

"He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin [for a season]" (Heb. 11:25, NIV). 
"We have met the enemy, and he is us!" (Pogo, Walt Kelly's cartoon character)
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4, NIV).
"These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings" (Col. 2:22, NIV).    

The title above is from a book by Watchman Nee, Love Not the World, who was a missionary in China during vehement Christian persecution which happened when the Mao regime was in power.  Loving the world is a trap and sideline from Satan that lures the unsuspecting believer away from God's way and his walk with Him, to get him off track. We can let the world squeeze us into its mold or worldview unawares.  John says not to love the world, nor the things of the world (cf. 1 John 2:15). Jesus said similarly, that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also!  Satan controls the world system--the entertainment industry, religion, the government, academia, the media, and he will give it over to whomever he desires--Christ refused it at His temptation in the wilderness.

When kids (and I'll focus on them) go off to college they are immersed in the devil's worldview, usually unprepared and unbeknownst to them, and many change their way of thinking pretty quick and become conformed to the image of the world, even losing their faith.  Satan is very subtle and uses mind games, engages in power trips and controls, psychological warfare, and authority figures to mold young impressionable minds in their formative years.  They become too busy for God in college and their priorities are turned topsy-turvy.  They eventually may become uninformed as to world affairs and tune it out in apathy and become ignorant--what's worse, they are unconcerned, disinterested, and nonchalant. They don't know and they don't care, nor care that they don't know!

With so many competing interests, God may seem boring in comparison--but this only happens to the immature, unseasoned, and uncommitted believers.  Much more, hormones are all the more active and they are growing up and discovering sex and show all the more interest in the opposite sexual persuasion.  Any unnatural desire though is lust and sinful--there is natural attractiveness.  Parties become frequent and easily accessed, challenging their morals and scruples. 

The odd thing is that they may still engage in refraining from certain taboos like not playing cards, dancing, going to movies, having long hair, drinking, doing drugs, gambling, smoking, listening to Rock music--an especially big no-no! (When I was young you had to watch the hemlines, the hairlines, and the movie lines) etc., but they must find out that refraining from activities is no guarantee or measure of spirituality.

The issue is that they lack a consistent walk with the Lord and don't even seek spiritual guidance, instead they fall through the cracks and get lost in the shuffle of growing up. They drift away, not so much as to rebel or fall away.  Kids don't learn the true value of success and what is really important to God.  God does promise to prosper us in what we do and kids have a worldly concept of success, thinking bigger is better and more is better, and forget that God is looking for our obedience and faithfulness, not our achievements or our success, which is His business. The Christian life isn't a performance, but the fruit of the Spirit and resultant faithfulness in one's gifting; NB: fruits are grown, but gifts are given.

When the kids get too entangled in the ways of the world, it chokes out the Word, and they become carnal and must be treated as infants in Christ, not knowing good and evil.  Christianity is about being free in Christ in order to bring Him glory.  "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36, NIV).  ("Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin,..." Acts 13:39, NIV).  If these kids knew the Christian worldview they wouldn't be sitting ducks and succumb to Satan's Anfectung or assault of evil in academia.

In conclusion, worldliness is not refraining from some religious taboo but whether we let it influence our outlook on life, or way of thinking, or even a belief system.  Remember: There's no compromising with the devil--show discernment!  "Don't provide an opportunity for the devil" (Eph. 4:27, CEB).  "Have nothing to do with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Eph. 5:11, NIV).  You can watch TV, but don't be overly influenced by their take on world events or the world-system, if opposed to Christ, i.e., have a Christian worldview. 

Let God open your eyes to see good and evil (cf. Heb. 5:15) everywhere because the "devil seeks whom he may devour"(cf. 1 Pet. 5:8) because we are in an enemy-occupied territory and must remember that "the battle is the Lord's" (cf. 2 Chron. 20:15).    James 1:27 describes the believer with "pure religion" or devotion as one who is "unspotted" or uncontaminated from the world (system).    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Problem Of Legalism

"These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings" (Col. 2:22, NIV).
"They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules" (Matt. 15:9, NIV). 

Martin Luther realized the threat of Antinomianism and debunked it in his book, Against the Antinomians.  On the one extreme, there's the question of the Antinomian (anti-lawism or showing a distaste for the law) or libertine, on the other hand, we have the legalists.  They both are too obsessed with what right and wrong behavior is, not heeding the warning to watch our thinking and to be mature in our thinking and not infants (cf. 1 Cor. 14:20).  We are to be "renewed in the spirit of [our] minds."

Antinomianism suggests that since we are forgiven, we can live as we please, not as we ought.  Their slogan is: "Freed from the law, Oh blessed condition; now I can sin all I want and still have remission."  We are never granted carte blanche to live as we please or to do what is wrong.  We must not be like Israel that did that which was right in their own eyes (cf. Judges 21:25).  Antinomianism is nothing but moral liberty in Christ gone amok or plain moral laxity.

It is true that our faith is more than a list of dos and don'ts, and we are not under the law, but we are not lawless!  What did Paul say in Romans 6, but that we should not go on sinning, now that we are forgiven?  "Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more" (cf. Rom. 5:20); God will save the chief of sinners like Paul and that no one is too bad to be saved.  Christians do sin once saved (cf. Gal. 2:17) and perfectionism (entire sanctification) is unattainable this side of glory (cf. Prov. 20:9; Psalm 119:96), but we are not servants to sin as our master, but to righteousness, and are set free from its dominion.

We are all slaves to the power we choose to obey (cf. Rom. 6:16; 2 Pet. 2:19).  The point of being a Christian is being set free from our bondage.  We don't have the right to live in the flesh, but the power to live in the Spirit.  That's why "the letter kills and the Spirit gives life"--we must learn to walk in the Spirit in fellowship with our God.  We don't want to mimic the Pharisees who practiced the letter of the Law, without observing the Spirit.  What they were especially guilty of, is going beyond that which is written, as Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 4:4. Legalism is sheer spiritual tyranny and those who impose it are on a power trip and are control freaks.

Spiritual believers need no law, for they observe the law of the Spirit of life in Christ, but unbelievers know no law!  We must never major on the minors and become obsessed with a minor point or sin while avoiding major ones (cf. Matt. 23:23 where Jesus pointed out the Pharisees had neglected the heavier matters of the Law like justice, mercy, and faithfulness, cf. Matt. 23:23).   We ought to always respect the weaker brother's conscience and not be offensive, flaunting our liberty--we all should keep our convictions on disputable or questionable matters to ourselves and not publicize them.  We all have a right to an opinion on gray areas!

Grace, however, is not a license to sin and the Law still holds a place in our lives to be a mirror of ourselves, driving us to the cross, showing us we can't keep it and become convicted. But "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (cf. 2 Cor. 3:17).  We ought not to misuse liberty and take advantage of it, which would be a presumptuous sin!  By sinning we demonstrate our slavery, we don't prove our freedom.  We are free from sin, not to sin!  We are not under the Law but not lawless.

In sum, it's no use giving us a rule book, we cannot follow it!  The problem with legalism is that no perfect set of rules can be made and even if they could, man could not abide by it, for even the yoke of the Law was too heavy a burden for Israel--no list could be comprehensive enough and cover all the bases--we live under the easy yoke of God's will and abiding in Christ as we walk in the Spirit and fellowship.  The highest law is of love, and this can only be fulfilled in Christ! But God's Law is perfect and able to convert the sinner (cf. Psalm 19:7).

It's no use making up rules; we cannot keep them!   In the final analysis, the only way to avoid both extremes is the antidote of the Truth in the serious study of the Word of God.       Soli Deo Gloria!