It’s always tempting to say that there is only one denomination that is legalistic, and that’s the SDA denomination. However while they are “par excellence”, they are not alone. And not only are there legalistic denominations, there are always individuals in an otherwise grace led congregation that is legalistic in outlook. For the example, the lady who decided it was not a good idea to have a cross in the church; instead we should have the ten commandments on display in very large letters, and in a very prominent place. Like near the altar. Where we would be sure to see it whenever we went out to the altar to receive communion.
Sigh.
When I was a kid, I had never heard of the law of Moses. I had heard of the ten commandments. It really wasn’t till I joined the SDA church that I started hearing about the law of Moses, and the impression I got was that it was made up by men and added onto the ten. The ten were the important parts, and they should be “kept”.
It wasn’t until some time after I left the SDA church that I found out what the law of Moses REALLY was and that this is what Jesus and the Jews “kept”, and not the ten commandments. I also realised that most SDAs and when it came down to it, most legalistic church people, and a lot of people who are saved by grace, had no knowledge of the law of Moses, except to think it was the 10C.
The 10C have never been the law of Moses. They are a very small but important part, the words of the covenant between God and the children of Israel. As such, neither they, nor the law of Moses were known to any of the Patriarchs before that time, nor were they known to any Gentile nation concurrent with or before the time of the children of Israel. They were solely given to the Israelites, as part of the covenant. No one else received them.
Noah, as part of His covenant with the Lord was given the Noahide laws. These were for worldwide use, and have never been rescinded. Some of these laws were the same as those of the Mosaic law, for example, do not murder, and most country’s laws have this same morality. The laws of any given country are not based on the ten commandments. No country has a sabbath law except Israel.
And here we are, a Christian church that has very large parts of it that has not left behind the covenant between God and Israel, even though it has been abolished and passed away (Hebrews 8:18). They say they have moved on to grace but while ever the ten commandments is a prominent part of their life they have not.
We need grace. We do not need law. Grace saves us, law condemns us. We need to heed Galatians 4:21-31 where it discusses Hagar and Sarah, the old and new covenants.
Unless our lives our rooted in Christ, and in His grace, we belong to legalism, the old covenant, to law and condemnation.
I hope all of you can leave behind the ten commandments and grasp hold of the hand of Christ, and repeat Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
In Christ alone.
Light of Christ 