Rooting out legalism in Bible engagement …
There’s an injunction in Galatians 6:1 to “watch yourself.” In the Message, Eugene Peterson interprets this command as “saving your critical comments for yourself.” Sometimes (and tragically), the Pharisee in me gets the better of me. Instead of watching myself, I see the speck in someone else’s eye. This got me thinking about rooting out legalism in how I engage with the Bible. So here are my thoughts about rooting out legalism in Bible engagement:
First, I should probably admit to a tendency to promote my personal Bible engagement standards. My standards are rules or expectations like, “Christians should have a ‘quiet time’ (prayer and Bible reading) every day.” While this personal standard may be okay for me, it’s not okay to press others to adopt it.
As a young Christian, I was free and easy about urging fellow Christians to have a quiet time. I didn’t appreciate that what I was doing was legalistic. Most legalists are legalists without realizing it.
Recognizing that the fog of legalism is ever-present helped me identify four legalistic Bible engagement inclinations that I need to guard against:
Self-righteousness.
If I read and reflect on God’s Word in a way that makes sure others are aware of my good behaviour, I’ve crossed the line into legalism. Performance-based Christianity should never be the goal of Bible engagement.
Human effort.
If my motive for reading and reflecting on God’s Word is to exert all my energy to make God happy or be a good Christian, I’ve got it all wrong. Bible engagement conducted in my own strength is antithetical.
Religious duty.
Another form of legalism is reading and reflecting on God’s Word to be devout or faithful. The spirit of legalism is also inherent in the fear that God might punish or reject me for not reading or reflecting on His Word. Religious duty is the enemy of Bible engagement.
Personal standards.
Telling others to “Read your Bible every day” is legalism. It’s not a command in the Bible, and I shouldn’t equate personal values with God’s. That is to identify that the measure of Bible engagement is in God’s hands, not mine.
That’s my Bible engagement shortlist for rooting out legalism. It reminds me that Bible engagement should never be obedience to a formula or special moral code. Bible engagement, correctly undertaken, breaks all bondage to legalism and sets me free. For true Bible engagement is a grace-filled, Christ-exalting, kingdom-championing process that liberates me to live fully and only all for Jesus.
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