Some time ago I posted somewhere on some issue that really is not relevant to the point I seek to make here. But one of the replies was pure legalism. My interlocuter said that we do not get to cherry pick which commands to obey as Christianity is not a smorgasbord.
I saw no point in replying to him in the forum is question, but I think a valid point is to be made.
It says in James 2:10 that he who breaks one commandment has broken them all. It thus follows that only the perfectly sinless obey the Law, by which I mean the Moral law, for everyone else, namely sinners like us, simply do not and have not ever obeyed the Law of God.
And if anyone tries to claim that he is sufficiently free of sin to actually do so, well that is to claim perfection where there is none possible, as I John 1:10 says any who says he has no sin is a liar
Indeed Paul the Apostle also said this was the impossible thing of the Law, and he tried hard enough to fail with specular agony. I also did and failed with years of real torment,
So, if a person does not obey the Law at all either he has cherry picked those commandments he actually attempts to try - and failed of course - , or he has failed manifestly in all and his consistent legalistic approach is useless.
Moreover I assert that even trying to hold the entire Law in conscious thought to attempt to obey any of it is impossible anyway, for the sheer strain is too much for any carnal mind.
As regards the question of legalism they ask should Christian keep the moral Law. This is a loaded question for the answer is apparently self evident. But to ask the proper question is to get a totally different answer.
This question is do any of us actually in point of fact obey the Law? The answer is NO.
This renders all our talk and all our efforts pointless.
There can only remain the personal relationship with the Spirit of Christ
I saw no point in replying to him in the forum is question, but I think a valid point is to be made.
It says in James 2:10 that he who breaks one commandment has broken them all. It thus follows that only the perfectly sinless obey the Law, by which I mean the Moral law, for everyone else, namely sinners like us, simply do not and have not ever obeyed the Law of God.
And if anyone tries to claim that he is sufficiently free of sin to actually do so, well that is to claim perfection where there is none possible, as I John 1:10 says any who says he has no sin is a liar
Indeed Paul the Apostle also said this was the impossible thing of the Law, and he tried hard enough to fail with specular agony. I also did and failed with years of real torment,
So, if a person does not obey the Law at all either he has cherry picked those commandments he actually attempts to try - and failed of course - , or he has failed manifestly in all and his consistent legalistic approach is useless.
Moreover I assert that even trying to hold the entire Law in conscious thought to attempt to obey any of it is impossible anyway, for the sheer strain is too much for any carnal mind.
As regards the question of legalism they ask should Christian keep the moral Law. This is a loaded question for the answer is apparently self evident. But to ask the proper question is to get a totally different answer.
This question is do any of us actually in point of fact obey the Law? The answer is NO.
This renders all our talk and all our efforts pointless.
There can only remain the personal relationship with the Spirit of Christ
