03/27/2009
Sometime back when we as a church (charismatic) opened our eyes to legalism and we started to destroy it radically. The only problem was we did not have (TRUE HOLINESS) truth to plant in its place.
When this is the case the enemy gains back the ground he had lost in a greater way than before.
Jesus said that when an unclean spirit is driven out of a man, it brings back with it seven more demons if the person’s vessel is left empty. Therefore the latter state of the man is far worse than the first.
Based on this scriptural principle, legalism has given (is giving) place to something far worse which is lawlessness. In a literal sense, the legalistic demon has brought back his brothers, which are lawless spirits.
So today, not only has lawlessness gained a lot of ground, legalism hides behind it. We see this in the way how those who cry out against legalism are usually lawless and are the most critical and judgmental. Also, since both these spirits are together at work; it makes it difficult to confront them.
If we are to progress forward spiritually as a church these strongholds must be exposed and confronted.
Exposing the lawless- religious spirit.
1) It lowers God’s standards found in the word and accuses anybody who expects it as Pharisaical.
God’s standards are above all else and should always be our destination. Today the church has grown comfortable in her own standards which greatly fall short of the Biblical standards. This fall mainly arose from confronting perfectionism without a proper balance.
While perfectionism was being confronted so that grace can be extended to those who fail, God’s standards weren’t put forth in place. As a result people started to grow comfortable in their failure and shortcomings not aiming to overcome them. Not only that those who pointed out to the error and the standards that need to be reached were unwisely deemed as legalistic.
If that is the case Jesus should be legalistic because He said “Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect”. He expected total dedication from those who wanted to follow Him and nothing less.
Grace needs to be extended to the repentant sinner. On the other hand the truth on where he needs to aim to shouldn’t be compromised and should be put forth plainly in love.
This demonic deception that is prevalent must be exposed and confronted. We have to put forth God’s standards and nothing less than that.
2) It justifies an unrepentant sinful lifestyle on the basis that none of us can be perfect and accuses people who speak against it as critical or judgmental.
Mercy should be extended to the unrepentant but never at the expense of truth. In the church today some don’t have any motivation to leave their sinful behavior or shortcomings. We are in this place because the church started to confront the lack of grace shown to the sinner but failed to put forth the truth that God is displeased with and hates sin and expects us to overcome it.
The idea that God’s love is unconditional without the truth on His hatred towards sin is perverted and at its worst demonic in origin. Sinful patterns can have severe consequences. The same God of love is a Holy God. Mercy must be balanced with truth however tilted the balance might be.
3) It lowers the Biblical procedures for discipline and accuses those who expect it as legalistic.
The Bible has set procedures for church discipline. The reason for the lack of this kind of discipline (esp. when it is stern) in general in the church today is due to a twisted understanding of the nature of God’s love. True God’s love will lead us in a hard pathway if that is what is needed for us to truly change or repent.
We’ve allowed our carnal minds and our unbridled desires to define God’s love and what it looks like. This has also determined the pathways we have taken in regards to discipline. In the name of love we have reduced the necessity of proper discipline, greatly contradicting Biblical standards. If we truly love people we would be ready to enforce strong discipline even if it places us in an uncomfortable or unpopular place.
4) It thrives on a false security that “no matter what one does God still loves them”.
The above statement in quotes is true only in a certain context. God gave us a free will and the choices we make determine whether we experience His love or not. If we make the wrong choices there can be consequences for those actions.
God loves the sinner on his way to hell. God even loves the sinner in hell. His love doesn’t change. If the sinner chooses a life apart from Christ he will face the consequences. However it doesn’t change the truth that God loved him and still loves him.
To those who are in Christ the same spiritual principle(the law of sowing and reaping) can be applied. While it is true that the cross rids us of all the consequences of sin (in context) if we use it as a platform to lead loose, godless lives we are deceived and mistaken. The scripture is filled with warnings against such.
The truth that our salvation came at a great price for our sins should in itself produce in us the love, devotion and fear of the Lord.
5) It accuses those who are discipled or follow spiritual disciplines as legalistic
The scripture is filled with absolutes and in order to attain them or stay in them discipline of different sorts is needed. By today’s standards many would consider Paul as legalistic as he buffeted his body to live right. Truth is attained many times through the help of religious disciplines. Requiring it from people as a necessity for their spiritual growth is also not wrong as long as it helps them. While faith is the basis for our works, if there are no works then does faith really exist?
When the church destroyed legalism it didn’t enforce proper religious disciplines. Therefore spiritual discipline of any kind today is viewed mostly as legalistic. As a result many are spiritually stunted with no real growth. Some of the few who are in pursuit are also discouraged as legalistic. We need to establish a proper balance in this area. Truth must be pursued at all costs (wisdom applied).
Also, today some attribute the convicting work of the Holy Spirit to a religious spirit. When sin is being confronted or when God is revealed in Holiness they are not able to take it. All of this is mainly due to the mess caused in confronting the religious spirit.
If we are wondering why we are not seeing much of the Spirit these days, could it be because we cant handle it when He convicts us of sin, talks on God’s righteous requirements and forewarns of the coming judgment? These are very basic to why He is here on this earth (John 16:8).
If we want the Spirit to be present amongst us, we must first start by lining up with His will and purposes. Let us expose the deceptions of this lawless-religious spirit, planting truth in place. Amen
