Against Legalism

      Legalism and rigid rule following is about as demonic in origin of a doctrine as can be introduced among Christians as is possible. Legalism is all about depending on one's own natural responses and behaviors to be "good." It's about trying to force your own physical, biological, and neurological devices, that is, your flesh to obey a moral code of some kind, which it can't do in the first place and of which Paul writes those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

     More insidious than this, and more subtle, it disengages us from the Spirit of Christ as it engages our own flesh, and amplifies the sin within us through the moral code until it is rampant and overflowing. It leaves the Christian vulnerable to attacks by their own fear, aggression, jealousies, sexual drives, as well as deceptions by quite literal demons and unclean spirits whispering lies and thoughts into your minds to exacerbate the problem and incite your flesh to riot even more, pushing you to more extreme presentations of sin such as substance abuse, violence, theft, adultery, and murder, and in the worst case scenario, leaves you open to oppression and control by them. Legalism and rule keeping appeals to the flesh, but leads only to one's own destruction. It is the direct opposite, and is in direct opposition to genuine discipleship to Jesus Christ. 

     The only way to protect yourself against these things, to protect your psyche, your soul, is to disengage from your own natural responses and behaviors, to disengage from your "flesh," and to ask and trust the Spirit of Christ to act and speak through you, producing the "fruit of the Spirit," aside and apart from any moral code the flesh might try to obey. It is the Spirit of Christ within us that such unclean spirits and demons tremble at. 

     It is His love manifest through us that makes rule keeping and legalism unnecessary, because what law or rule would love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, courtesy, and self-control break? Could you see the Spirit of Christ steal, murder, commit adultery, or do drugs through you? God forbid. If your practice consists of trying to keep rules, or God forbid the whole Torah (Paul dealt extensively on this), then you are only trying to do what Scripture says, and what the Apostles themselves recognized, could not be done, but would only lead to death, "For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 

     Demons and unclean spirits want you to make yourself vulnerable by law keeping and rigidly following rules and moral codes. They want to keep you powerless, because there is only power and protection for us by being under the control and possession of the Spirit of Christ, and it can't be both. Either you are enslaved to your own flesh, or you are enslaved to the Spirit of Christ. Either you are being controlled by your own natural drives, or you are being voluntarily controlled by the Spirit of Christ, and He will not force you to submit to Him. 

     Finally, it is legalism which calls into question someone's salvation through Christ as though breaking a rule or law could damn someone to where Christ's blood won't cover it, which is a complete and utter lie. It is legalism, and not walking in the Spirit or remaining in Him, which says you haven't done enough to earn your salvation. The only thing which damns is willful and knowing rejection of Jesus Christ for one's own perceived benefit. 

     Don't let yourself be deceived. Legalism and law keeping is not a Christian teaching. It is not what Christ taught. It is not what Paul taught. It will make you vulnerable to fleshly temptations and demonic attacks, and ultimately its goal is your death. Only by submission to the Spirit of Christ, and voluntary cooperation with Him, will you be delivered from all of this.