Ask Pastor Mike Fabarez

Speaker 1

Calling someone legalistic is downright offensive. Just what do people mean when they accuse you of legalism? Well, that's the topic we're examining today on Focal Point with Pastor Mike Fabarez.

You know, life has a frustrating way of throwing us challenging questions on a daily basis. And left to rattle around in our heads, those questions can leave us searching for answers. That's why we set aside time each week to wrestle with the difficult issues of faith and life.

Welcome to Focal Point and another edition of Ask Pastor Mike. Today you're invited to join executive director Jay Wharton and Pastor Mike inside his study for a conversation about a highly volatile term in some Christian circles. Jay.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Dave. Pastor MIKE In Christian circles, legalism seems to be a popular word. So we have a listener who's asking the question, what is legalism?

Speaker 3

Yeah, that's a great question, because that word is used basically in three different ways in most Christian conversation today. And unfortunately, the primary way it's used is not a biblical problem. I mean, most people will call someone a legalist, as the dictionary would say, if they have a strict conformity to the rules.

Now, of course, as Christians, we're supposed to live a holy life. We're supposed to allow grace in our lives to drive us to live and train us to live this holy, godly life. I think of so often throughout the Bible, we're called to keep the rules of God and care about those. So when someone calls you a legalist because you're not willing to cheat or steal or lie or compromise, I mean, they can call you a legalist all they want. That's certainly what a New Testament relationship with God is going to call you to do.

The other two usages, which are much less bandied about in normal conversation, would be one where the only reference you might even have, depending on your translation, to the word legalistic in the Bible would be Philippians chapter three, where Paul speaks of his life before Christ trying to have a legalistic righteousness that, as he explained in the Book of Romans, comes from his pointing to his resume, I like to say, his works of the law.

Speaker 4

So of course, if you're trying to.

Speaker 3

Earn your way into God's family. I think we could rightly label that legalism, though the Bible only uses that word in that way one time, at least in an English translation, there in Philippians chapter two. The problem is big, of course, in Romans chapter three, where people are trying to keep rules to be right with God. That's the kind of legalism we would all condemn and should condemn.

The third way I think people use it is when Jesus addresses the Pharisees, who had put a lot of human traditions on top of the laws of God, raising those human traditions to the level of God's commandments. That's a kind of legalism that I think we should all condemn as well. You know, if someone says you can't wear a bright colored shirt to church or something because that's against God's rules, well, whatever. I'm just choosing a silly example here, Jay, but I mean, I think the idea is when you take some human rule and make that equal to God's law.

So again, the second one—earning God's favor—of course we condemn it. The Bible condemns it. Creating human laws that we elevate to the place of God's law is clearly wrong, and we shouldn't do that. But the way it's often used to criticize real Christians is by saying, "Hey, you're trying to keep the rules here. I don't want to keep the rules. Why don't you run with me and break a few of these rules? You're a little too strict on God's codes of righteousness." That, I think, we should get used to. Peter said to get ready for people to criticize and malign you because you don't run into the same level of dissipation that they do.

Speaker 2

What do you think is going on in the hearts of people that are saying these things to other Christians?

Speaker 3

Well, they feel guilty. A lot of them, they feel guilty or they feel rebuked by a person's lifestyle.

Consider two people that are working at some company and they both claim Christ, and they have an opportunity to fudge on some numbers, to lie on some report, and they would have a bigger profit as a couple of salesmen or whatever it might be.

One Christian who claims Christ says, no, I can't do that because I'm a Christian. The other professing Christian would say, well, you're a legalist.

Speaker 4

Why does he say that in that case?

Speaker 3

Well, because he doesn't like someone who's going to cost him some kind of profit and even his life is a rebuke to the other. In other words, when someone does right, when I'm willing to do wrong, their resolve to do what is right becomes a rebuke to my life. And we don't like that.

So if I can throw a name at you that will help me feel like you're in the wrong and I'm in the right, well, I'll call you a legalist. And that's the dictionary definition in most modern dictionaries. That is, you're being too strict on the rules. You're trying to keep the rules too carefully.

I don't think that is a biblical problem. That's a problem of hanging out with people that have compromised ways to live the Christian life who are saying, I don't like it when you keep the rules. It makes me feel bad about not keeping the rules.

Speaker 2

If someone accuses you of being a legalist, what should our response be back to them? What is a proper way to respond?

Speaker 3

Well, I would point out the two biblical problems with legalism. The first would be, are you saying I'm trying to earn my place into salvation? Am I trying to earn God's favor? In most contexts, that's not at all what's in front of them in the conversation.

The second issue would be, am I elevating a tradition of man to the place of God's command? I guess that would be a legitimate cry of legalism if that's what I was doing. But clearly, that isn't usually the context for people calling you a legalist.

So when someone calls me a legalist, I just like to say, well, hey, are you trying to suggest I'm earning my way into God's family? I'm certainly not. Or are you saying that something I've just stood up for is a tradition of man and not a command of God? Again, I'm not going to ever try to say, hey, this human tradition needs to be kept as though it's God's law.

I try to point those out, and when they recognize I'm not doing either one of those, then I can point out to them what you call legalism. I'm calling the Christian life in obedience to Jesus.

Speaker 2

So a person who has truly repented and placed their trust in Christ, their response to God's written word and his laws should be what?

Speaker 3

Well, we ought to be careful to keep his rules. I mean, the law has two purposes, actually.

Three, if you go back to historical theology, trying to describe the uses of the law. One is to help us build laws for society and peaceful society.

One is to lead us to Christ to say, look at the law.

Speaker 4

I can't keep the law.

Speaker 3

I need grace, I need forgiveness. The third one is a guide for my Christian living. Christ tells us to do what is right. We're told throughout the Epistles that if we don't keep God's rules, then not only is our salvation in question, because how can you say you follow Christ and you're not following the law of God and the rules that God has affirmed, the ethical, moral rules of the Bible, but it would also warn you that there's consequences for not keeping the law.

I mean, I think of that passage in Thessalonians where Paul warns the Thessalonians about the problem of disregarding the sexual commands of the Bible and says, the Lord is the avenger in all these things. And I've warned you about this, you know, don't break these rules. So there's consequences. I think in Galatians 6, you reap what you sow. If you sow to the flesh, you reap from the flesh corruption.

So when we stand up for the rules of God and say, listen, as a Christian saved by grace, I want to keep the biblical rules because it pleases God, it's good for us, it's the right thing to do, you know, then I'm going to brush off the cry of legalism and say, you're using the word wrongly.

Speaker 2

And God has called us to keep his rules, our commandments throughout scripture, absolutely everywhere.

Speaker 3

I mean, how often do we see that we're supposed to be holy as God is holy in all of our behavior? Right? So we fail at that. I get that.

And we're going to sit there and confess our sins and tell God we're sorry when we fail.

But we certainly don't have a license because we're not earning our way into the family of God to then disregard the rules of God as irrelevant. They're not.

Speaker 2

Well, thank you, Pastor Mike. I trust today's conversation has helped explain the difference between keeping the rules to be justified and keeping the rules to be sanctified.

Let's look at this a little more closely with a message you gave called "Avoiding the Biggest Misunderstanding of All."

Speaker 4

Romans chapter two is an important text. Every cult, group, and every false religion rests squarely on the wrong interpretation of this passage. Every single one. And it's important for us to rightly understand it. So first, let's read it.

God will give to each person according to what he's done, a quotation from several places in the Old Testament. And then he clarifies: To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Can you see where that creates an understanding of God rewarding people with eternal life who do good and punishing people in hell who do bad?

Okay, what is Paul trying to say? One clear misunderstanding of the text is if I do good, God will reward me with eternal life. If I do bad, God is going...

Speaker 3

To punish me with wrath and anger.

Speaker 4

That's what the text says. Therefore I got to say. Now, wait a minute. Does that mean I can somehow garner God's salvation and get his eternal life if I do good? Well, take a look at Romans 3:20. Therefore, this is the conclusion of the argument in chapter three: no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law. Did you catch that? Can anybody get to heaven and have God pat them on the head and say, "You're righteous enough to get into this place"? You're righteous now because you kept the rules? The answer is no.

Then why all the rules? Here it comes. Through the law, we become conscious of sin. That's why the law is given. We'll talk about that when we get into chapter three. The law is bringing me to the place of conviction and hopefully repentance, which now sounds more familiar and more proper. That repentance and trust in Christ will now merit me imputed righteousness, and I get to go to heaven.

However, that's not what Romans chapter 2, verses 6 through 11 seems to be saying. But Romans chapter 3:20 is clear. Therefore, we can write something like this: we cannot earn our salvation. People, though, are going to point to Romans 2:6-11 and say, "Yes, you can." They will argue this with you, and you have to say, "Wait a minute, I know this is clear."

And it's only in the next chapter that he makes it crystal clear: you can't earn your salvation. A couple more texts. Here's a parallel book. Let's go to Galatians chapter two. The whole point in the books of Galatians and Romans, as we'll see, is that you can't earn your salvation. Galatians 2:21 states, "I do not set aside the grace of God." Now we know something about the fact that this salvation is supposed to be predicated on grace. He says, "For if righteousness could be..."

Speaker 3

Gained through the law.

Speaker 4

Check this out. Christ died for nothing. It was a waste. If there's any way that I can be right before God by keeping the rules, and one day he says, "Wow, you by persistence in doing good, have earned a place in my family," then the death of Christ was useless. It made no sense. That's a strong way to say it. Is that clear? Doesn't get clearer than that.

Look across the page. Chapter 3, Galatians 3. Let's get some context. Looking at verse 9. So those who have faith is Galatians 3:9. Those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse. Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law. The bottom line is you are in big trouble if you're relying on observing the law instead. Of course, the book of Romans and the book of Galatians are all about trusting what Christ has done, not what you can do.

The problem is, I can read Romans chapter 2, verses 6, 7, and 8 and say, "It seems like if I just persist in doing good, he will give me eternal life." Don't misunderstand it. We cannot earn our salvation. Whatever Romans 2 means, it doesn't mean that.

Okay, another clear text. Romans chapter 6:23. We all learned this as kids, I hope. Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death." That's what you get. But key word, "the gift of God is eternal life." In Christ Jesus our Lord. You get to be exempt from death as a gift. That speaks of grace. You don't earn it. You get the gift of eternal life, which is exactly what Romans 2, 6, and 7 is all about. You get the eternal life, and it comes in Christ Jesus, our Lord, the Messiah, the Savior, the King, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Now, the gift language started in chapter four, so turn back to Romans 4. We're talking about Abraham, verse one, Romans 4:1. "What then? Shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, what did he discover in this matter? If in fact Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. What does Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Now, when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but they're an obligation. That's what the employer is obligated to give him. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God, who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited to him as righteousness. Gift. A gift is something you don't earn. A gift is something that has to be earned by somebody else. What does Romans clearly teach? Our salvation is earned exclusively by God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He has taken care of the problem. He paid the price. He earned it. I can't earn it. He earned it for me. It is a gift. Gifts aren't earned. If it's earned by works, he says, then it's an obligation. It's not an obligation if it's a gift. If it's a gift, we know it's grace. And if it's grace, it's earned exclusively by someone else.

Jot these references down. I know you know them, but Titus, chapter three, verse five. Ephesians, chapter two, verses eight and nine. Don't miss those. Titus is so good. I got to read that one for you. "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior. So that having been justified by his grace, it was a gift, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

How do we get it? Not by earning it, but by embracing what God has already earned for us. "This is a trustworthy saying, and I want to stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good." Now, wait a minute. If I've been justified by God's grace, the good stuff comes after that. It doesn't come before it. Why? Because Christ earned it all for us. Whatever Romans chapter 2, verses 6 through 11 means, it doesn't mean that we participate in somehow earning our salvation. And it doesn't mean that we can earn our salvation. God. This is super clear in the text of Romans.

Okay, let's get another passage that we need to put in the mix, then. All this is going to come together, I promise. Because I'm thinking to myself, if I said, "Are you good or bad?" I know what you would say. I hope 95% of you would say, "Well, it would seem that if I said, your behavior, is it good or bad? You'd say, well, it's sometimes good and sometimes bad, right?" So maybe I get some of God's goodness and some of God's badness, especially in light of the verse nine that says there's trouble and distress for every human being who does evil. And I'm thinking, "Well, I do evil, right? So I've done wrong, I'm a sinner."

Well, if that's indiscriminate, it's to the Jew and to the Gentile. Maybe I get some of God's condemnation. Maybe a little bit, maybe not a lot, maybe some, maybe not all. Well, passages like this will clear it up. Romans, chapter 8, verse number 1. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Let's read it again. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." There's no condemnation for those in Christ. We don't get God's punishment because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law was powerless to do and that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful man to be made a sin offering. So he condemned sin in sinful man in order that the righteous requirement of the law may be fully met who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Now, how can that be? Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires. But those who live according to the Spirit have their mind set on what the Spirit desires.

Now, I'm seeing differences now. But we've already learned in the book we're all sinful people. But now I got people that are doing right. But wait a minute. Their past, they did wrong. Well, I know in verse number one, they're not getting any condemnation if you're in Christ for the mindset. Verse number six: "The mind of sinful man is death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." The sinful mind is hostile toward God. It doesn't submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are controlled by the Spirit, not by the flesh, but by the Spirit. If the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he doesn't belong to God.

So even if I'm controlled by the Spirit now, I can look back and see Romans, chapter two and three. I was a sinful person. And even as a redeemed person, I have periodic moments of sin. Do I still get God's wrath? Because it says really clearly there will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil. What's going on? Here's what I know. Christians will never incur God's eschatological wrath. Eschatological comes from the Greek word eschaton. As a matter of fact, you can't avoid that word. The more reading you do or you read fatter commentaries, you're going to hit this word eschatology. Eschaton means the end. End times. After our life is over, we're not going to incur God's wrath. In the end, Christians will never incur God's eschatological wrath. God is not going to pour that wrath out on us. Why? Because he already poured his wrath out. Romans chapter 8 says on his son he fully met the requirement. He was a sin offering. Therefore, there's no more wrath to be had there.

That's why all those Sunday school illustrations are good ones. If there is a fire on the plane and it's coming our way, and we live in Oklahoma, and the guy goes out, dad goes out and burns a big ring around his house, and the point is, where there's been burned stuff, firemen do this all the time. They set backfires, right? Then the fire is not going to burn because the wrath of God has already been at the cross. If I stand with Christ at the cross, I don't get burned. The wrath of God has already been there. And so it is that God, if you will, lit the backfire, surrounded us with it and said, "Get in here and you won't incur the wrath of God."

One more text. Romans chapter 2, verses 7 and 8. "To those who, by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor, immortality, he will give eternal life." Now forget the qualifier. Look at where they end up. Eternal life. Okay, I got one bucket over here. Eternal life, one destiny. "For those who are self-seeking, who reject the truth, follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first to the Jew and then the Gentile."

So look at the comparisons. Bottom of verse seven, eternal life. Bottom of verse eight, wrath and anger. Verse number nine, trouble and distress. Verse number ten, glory, honor, and peace. The point I'm trying to make, which I think is pretty clear in the middle of our text that's in question, is that there are two destinies, okay? Eternal life, God's wrath. We've established clearly in Romans chapter two, Romans chapter three, even referenced in Romans chapter six, that all people sin and they're headed toward God's wrath. The wages of sin is death. You don't get eternal life because we're sinful people. Who's sinful? Everyone's sinful. And everyone on this path of life is headed to God's wrath. Clearly established in the Book of Romans.

But the Book of Romans is also about how God sweeps in and changes this paradigm. Not for everyone, but he changes the paradigm for those of us who encounter God's grace. Let's put it this way: God's grace, somewhere along this timeline, pulls people out of this and turns these people toward eternal life. This is what Romans is all about—grace. It looks in detail at the turning point here and how this all happens. It references eternal life, God's wrath. But the focus is how does God's grace work? How is it operative in someone's life to lead them here now on a path that goes completely different direction?

The path changes, and the path changes, and God's grace is all about them trusting in the finished work of someone else. Okay? They repent and they put their faith in Christ. Wait a minute. I have never seen the word repentance so far in the book of Romans. And you won't either. Paul never uses the word metanoia, the Greek word that we normally translate repentance in the book. Buddy, it's all over the place. And here's the first place we have a clear statement that repentant people have eternal life and non-repentant people don't.

Let's pray. God, I pray that every person here has given up on trusting in their own human merit. And they, unlike a lot of aberrant messed up false churches, don’t think that somehow they can add to or earn your salvation or your merit or your eternal life, but that all of us, like the scripture tells us, are recognizing that salvation is pure grace.

Speaker 3

It is because you have paid the price.

Speaker 4

So God, I pray as John said so well, John the Baptist, let us prove our repentance by our deeds. Let us show that in our lives we have the evidence of your life transforming grace. God help us to love your word even more. I pray in Jesus name.

Speaker 3

Amen.

Speaker 1

You're listening to Focal Point with Pastor Mike Fabarez and a portion of the message titled "Avoiding the Biggest Misunderstanding of All." To hear the original unedited version, go to focalpointradio.org.

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Dave Drouy here inviting you back when Mike Fabarez continues with his intriguing look at Zechariah Monday on Focal Point. Today's program was produced and sponsored by Focal Point Ministries. Sam.