At the heart of legalism is the seduction in presenting truth that is not scriptural but rather personal preferences added to scripture to promote an arrogant, self righteous man made rule that makes the religious feel better about themselves. The protestant reformers held to five solas:

1. by faith alone

2. by grace alone

3. through Christ alone

4. glory to God alone

5. by scripture alone

These were the hallmarks of the early reformers and remain to this day the truth of God’s Word revealed to man. Sadly many churches and preachers have attempted through humanism and socialism to elevate dogma and preference to the place of scripture. This of course is what the early reformers fought against when the Roman Catholic Church taught that the Popes words were infallible and on par with the revealed truth of scripture. We must guard our pulpits from the kind of legalism that only serves to bind people in fear and condition them to a form of godliness. When a church places programs and principles above scripture then it’s in danger of building on bad foundations. We are in the infancy of a church plant in South Wales and I’m very aware of the dangers to become legalistic at the expense of throwing grace to one side. However there is balance as grace is not license to sin and to carry on living an unrighteous life and call on God to ease the conscience when it suits. The truth is grace transforms the believer that he/she now has a burning to desire to pursue Christ and become more like Him.

When Christ was confronted over healing on the Sabbath he was being confronted with a bunch of legalistic hypocrites. They were placing the law above the work of Christ, and at the heart of their legalism was idolatry. They worshiped themselves for keeping the Sabbath yet Jesus said to them that they were dirty and unclean on the inside. Its amazing how quick we are to judge others and place our lofty spiritually on them when we forget that we to are forgiven sinners!

The final authority on life and faith is not found in a Churches culture, programs or even the pastor but in scripture alone. God’s Word is not only infallible but its also inherent in its original writings it contains enough truth without us adding anything to it. We are saved by faith through grace not because we raised our hand or prayed a sinners prayer. It’s nothing to do with whether we attend a church or take communion or even if we have been baptised. The real issue is one of faith alone and grace alone. Salvation is not the work of man but it is the work of God in Christ. Christ alone is the means of salvation although many evangelicals can fall prey to the the love sick notion that God’s so loving even if people don’t know Christ he will show them grace and love. This is not based on scripture but pure emotion by loved up Christians who sit around camp fires with woolly jumpers singing cwmbya my Lord in the key of G! capo 2

Grace and love is readily available to all who repent of their sin and by faith in Christ through grace come to Him in complete surrender. John’s Gospel speaks of those who reject Christ now as already condemned (Jn 318) yet  Christ’s mission is not to condemn the world but to save the world (Jn 3:17) but men choose the pursuit of their own carnal lusts and desires and reject Christ.

The only reason salvation exists is to bring glory to God alone, He saves and He gets the glory!