"Great peace have those who love Your law."
Psalm 119.165
Legalism is man's moralistic traditions or practices that are not commanded, nor logically deduced by model or principal in God's Word, but become darkly obligatory to obey through shame, and group pressure within the People of God. It is faux godliness pulling its adherents down to death (Matthew 23.27-28).
But it is never legalism to lovingly obey the moral Law of God found in the Old and New Covenant Scripture. It can be a form of works righteousness if an individual attempts to do so if one is unregenerate, or unconverted; but for those whose hearts has been circumcised (Col. 2.11) and transformed by God (Col 1.13-14), the commands of Christ are freedom. (It should be noted that the ritual, ceremonial OT laws which were types and shadows to be fulfilled by and in Jesus, are abrogated, and no longer active nor applicable to the New Covenant; see coming Part 2 for more clarification on that.)
As A.W. Pink states, "True liberty is not the power to live as we please but to live as we ought." (James 1:25). And that "ought" is found in the Scripture under the ethical commands of Yahweh our triune Creator. This again, of course, presupposes a person can joyfully obey God's precepts from his heart because he has been regenerated, or born anew, by the Spirit (see Romans 7.4, 8.2 / Eph 2.1-10)
Upon faith being gifted to us and bringing us from death to life (Col.2.13) we are no longer "under the law" by way of condemnation and death, but now are under the unmerited, and undeserved, favor of Christ (i.e. grace), and live under and through Jesus' righteousness as our covenant head. And because we have a new Master, home, and life, and the Holy Spirit's leading, we now see and comprehend the loveliness of the Creator's ways and want to follow and learn from Him; and so we do, through His majestic Law-word (Psalm 119.160).
Here then is where true freedom is found:
"The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." (Psalm 119.160)
"Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind."
(Ecclesiastes 12.13)
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and Earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men to do so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5.17-19)
“…since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law”. (Romans 3.30-3)
“…the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Romans 7.12)
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14.15)
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1st John 5.2-3)
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15.10)
"He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (James1.25)
"This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” (2nd John 1.6)
“All Scripture [in this passage Paul would mean the Old Testament] is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2nd Timothy 5.15-17)
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28.18-20)
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