How to Go From Legalism to Grace
“Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules? These rules … are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom; with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (Colossians 2:20-23 NIV).
The Appeal of Legalism
From a young age, I was a rule follower. I learned quickly that things went better for me when I obeyed. My obedience brought words of praise, warm smiles, and reassuring hugs for my efforts. When I became a Christian, I desired to obey God’s law working diligently to follow it like any good rule follower would. Soon, however, I became rule-focused instead of God-focused, and I developed a false sense of security in them. In essence, I had shifted from obedience to legalism.
The intent of the Law was never to put it before God because anything we put before God is an idol. However, I unwittingly allowed the Law to become the object of my worship instead of God. I had noble intentions in my desire to obey God’s Law. However, I slowly I began trusting in the rules more than I trusted in God. Rules gave me a sense of stability when things weren’t stable, a plan to follow when there wasn’t a plan. You see, in my struggle with an eating disorder, my rules dictated my life. A way for me to determine how I did that day whether something was good or bad, or if I was good or bad.
Reading these verses was an eye-opening moment. My self-imposed rules weren’t based on truth but worldly desires and human created ideals (many of which were my own). They seemed to offer wisdom, the answers I was looking for, but instead they caused great harm to my body, to my personhood, and to my soul. I realize now that I was essentially taking God out of the process and looking to my ability to rescue myself, instead of His. Likewise, my results weren’t freedom rather captivity and idolatry. It was a works-based methodology that left me constantly striving yet condemned for not meeting its insatiable standards. I needed a remedy. I needed grace.
The Gift of Grace
Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (NIV). A gift from God for me? Yes, and for you too. Unmerited grace by definition is given to one who doesn’t deserve it. Maybe you think you’ve fallen too far for God to save you, that you are a continuous failure, that you’ll never measure up. So, you cling to legalism, rigid rules, to somehow purify yourself or feel assurance that you’re “good.”
D.L. Moody says it this way, “The Law tells me how crooked I am. Grace comes along and straightens me out.” This is where I went wrong. I thought following the rules would straighten me out but that left no room for God’s grace to do its transformative work. No matter what you have done, God purified you and declared you free of sin when Jesus paid for your sin and mine on the cross (Romans 3:24). Your salvation is a free gift. All you have to do is accept it.
The truth is we cannot transform ourselves, our life, or our situations through legalism. Take this opportunity to confess to God any way you’ve clung to rules more than Him. Join me in relinquishing fears of letting go and trusting in the knowledge that what God has in store for us is better than whatever we can come up with on our own.