Failed Christian Obedience, to the Shame of Christian Legalists
One of the most common flaws in pastoral ministry and Christian living is the presumption of obedience. Pastors observe the languishing devotion of Christians. Their natural inclination is to press for devotion by way of obedience, promising peace as one’s reward. “Peace, peace from obedience, but there is no peace!” The reason is that obedience is an unattainable Christian work.
“Do you love, Jesus? Then keep His commandments,” says the pastor to the congregation, while he himself fails to reach the elusive standard. The error, in calling for Christian obedience, is the failure to see Jesus, as the fulfillment of the law for righteousness. This is followed by the error in thinking that sanctification is a co-venture between God and the Christian, that somehow meets the standard of the law, or some imaginary earnestness.
First, Christians have right standing before God, all day, every day. There is now and never will be any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). These are the statements that set Christians free from the burden of the legalist. Legalism is the sinful default of the forgetful Christian. Why have you left your first trust? Who gave you that trust? Was it by fleshly obedience or by God’s Spirit?
Christians are uncomfortable with the sure work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification (Rom 15:16; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2). Sanctification is the will of God (1 Thess 4:3). Jesus prayed to the Father that He would sanctify His people with the truth (Jn 17:17). God’s Word is truth (Ps 119:160; Jn 1:14), and it is spoken by those who have it, that is, those filled with the Spirit of truth (Jn 16:13), who guides God’s people into all truth.
The Spirit of truth is the agent (2 Thess 2:13), who makes our worship and devotion a reality, for only with the Spirit are these acceptable to God (Jn 4:24; 15:26). The Spirit is the truth (1 Jn 5:6), even as Jesus Christ is the truth (Jn 14:6). Christians have been sealed in Christ (1 Cor 1:30), with the Holy Spirit of promise (Eph 1:13). What is that promise? That He who began a good work in you will perfect His work until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).
Obedience to the law was clearly impossible for the unbeliever. No man is justified before God by the works of the law (Rom 3:20). Justification only comes by the grace of God (Rom 3:24; Titus 3:7). This occurred when Jesus’ righteousness was imputed to the elect sinner, at the time of regeneration (1 Pet 3:18). Most Christians understand their need for Christ’s credentials, in order to stand before God.
Trusting Christ for justification is truly liberating for the sinner, but as a saint, does the Christian then return to the flesh, to trust in the law to make her holy and devoted? God forbid! May it never be!
The Spirit of Christ never ceases to work out the Christian’s sanctification (Phil 1:16; 2:13). Where the sinner asks, “What must I do to be saved?” The saint asks, “What must I do to grow in holiness?”
The holy one is Christ Jesus, our Lord. For the Christian to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), he must simply trust in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (2 Thess 2:13). The promise remains in good times and in bad. The Spirit baptizes the Christian with the Word and continually washes her, daily, with the Word (Eph 5:26).
Christian, be warned and very wary of those who panic, or who quest for power and control over other Christians. They panic in unbelief that the Spirit is willing and able to do the work of God, purifying each saint (Ps 57:2; 138:8; Is 26:12; Phil 2:13). They entangle Christians in their misplaced desire to see obedience from Christ’s sheep. This is reminiscent of the Judaisers, who gloried in the flesh of those they had convinced to be circumcised. Christians must put no confidence in the flesh (Phil 3:3). The Christian legalists lord over local churches, even denominations, pulling believers back under the law or other rules they have invented for Christian living.
Christian, avoid the blind guides who turn Christianity into a religion of moralism, achieved by obedience, purportedly made possible by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is the Spirit who causes us to be born again (1 Pet 1:3), who then causes us to walk in His statues (Ezek 36:27). It is the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11), at work in us (Phil 2:13) to sanctify us (2 Thess 2:13), who will finish His work (Phil 1:16), in the resurrection of the saints (Jn 5:29), with glorified bodies and souls (1 Cor 15:51–53), on the day of Christ Jesus (Mt 24:29–31). Obedience belongs to the Lord, as does our devotion, for it is His Spirit at work in us. Here is the believer’s rest, today, every day, and forever.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
January 2, 2022
