24 July 2016
Two-Minute Features | 31 July 2016 | 17 July 2016

The Holy Spirit Helps Us in Our Lives (TMF:460)

Friday, July 29, 2016
Peace to Live By: The Holy Spirit Helps Us in Our Lives (TMF:460) - Daniel Litton
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       Now that we’ve considered six negative things that legalism can and does cause in our lives, let’s look at some positive things to note in overcoming legalism. First and foremost, on the positive side, God has given us his Holy Spirit by whom we can live out the Christian life. Let’s reexamine what Jesus told us in John chapter 14. He said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:26-27, ESV). The Holy Spirit empowers us to understand God’s Word. He helps us understand what God wants us to learn. He brings to our remembrance the things we have read and learned in the Bible. He helps us live out the Christian life. God the Holy Spirit brings us peace, so that our hearts are not constantly troubled and so that we are not afraid no matter what we face in life. God’s Spirit is so critical for us to be successful and pleasing to God. We can say with the writer of Hebrews, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:6, ESV).

Legalism Begets a Lack of Consistency (TMF:459)

Thursday, July 28, 2016
Peace to Live By: Legalism Begets a Lack of Consistency (TMF:459) - Daniel Litton
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       A person might create a rule that he or she needs to read three chapters of the Bible each day. That’s a good goal, but we shouldn’t rigorously follow it without regard to reason. If the person feels like he or she can’t miss keeping this rule, then legalism has set in. It was a good practice, but don’t let the practice rule over you. Don’t become a slave to a rule you have created so that you end up doing the action just for the sake of keeping true to the rule. That’s legalism. Sixth, legalism begets a lack of consistency in behaviors. Let’s look at an example of what this might look like. There are some Christians who wont go to a restaurant on Sundays because they feel its causing people to work on Sundays—to not observe the Sabbath—all the while they have their electricity running in their homes. You do realize, don’t you, that having your electricity flowing on Sundays in your home is causing people to work? These rules and regulations don’t make any sense. It’s these types of behaviors that Jesus warned against. In this 7-day a week, 24-hour society, I think it safe to assume that people can observe their Sabbath on different days. This isn’t a collective society—for the most part—where everyone does the same things on the same days. It’s an individualistic society.

Legalism Creates Additions to God's Rules (TMF:458)

Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Peace to Live By: Legalism Creates Additions to God's Rules (TMF:458) - Daniel Litton
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       Fifth, legalism creates additions to God’s rules for us. The Pharisees created many rules and regulations that they had added to God’s Law outlined in the Old Testament. This caused a blur in the line between God’s righteous decrees and the laws of men. We shouldn’t be lawmakers in our lives, creating rules we must follow in order to be seemingly pleasing to God, or to make ourselves feel good. It’s not that having discipline in our lives isn’t important, but there is a difference between good discipline and legalistic, empty rules that must be followed. You don’t have to follow ‘your’ rule everyday in order to be correct in your behavior. A person might create a rule that he or she needs to read three chapters of the Bible each day. That’s a good goal, but we shouldn’t rigorously follow it without regard to reason. If the person feels like he or she can’t miss keeping this rule, then legalism has set in. It was a good practice, but don’t let the practice rule over you. Don’t become a slave to a rule you have created so that you end up doing the action just for the sake of keeping true to the rule. That’s legalism.

Fathers Begin Overbearing on Children (TMF:457)

Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Peace to Live By: Fathers Begin Overbearing on Children (TMF:457) - Daniel Litton
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       Fourth, let’s move to the realm of fatherhood. In is written in Colossians chapter 3, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (3:21, ESV). Being legalistic toward your children can cause the them to react in ways that are improper. A father should not critically, constantly correct his child in negative ways. Correction is necessary, but it should not be overbearing. Just think of how we would feel if God corrected us every time we did something wrong. That would like every five or so minutes, at least. Fathers being overbearing can cause negative emotions, emotions of discouragement, within the child. Developmental disorders could develop, from fear of the father’s overkill discipline and perceived rejection from the father. Phobias could develop as the child begins to fear other things in his or her life. The father-son relationship is really important in childhood development. Lack of a father or incorrect parenting can cause the child to be unconfident and unmotivated. I personally believe incorrect fatherhood to be a epidemic in this country. But at least it’s something that can be corrected through fathers trying harder and acting differently, and from other good male role models in the lives of fatherless children.

Legalism Causes Us to be Judgmental (TMF:456)

Monday, July 25, 2016
Peace to Live By: Legalism Causes Us to be Judgmental (TMF:456) - Daniel Litton
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       Third, legalism causes us to be judgmental toward others. We feel, because of the legalistic regulations we have created, that we are better Christians than others. Here again, pride creeps into the picture. But Jesus warned against this kind of behavior. He said in Luke chapter 6, ““Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned” (Luke 6:37, ESV). Legalism leads to inappropriate judging and condemnation of others. Jesus said to judge not in such a way that causes us to be judged. If we are guilty of something, we shouldn’t be judging others for doing the same thing. Fourth, let’s move to the realm of fatherhood. In is written in Colossians chapter 3, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (3:21, ESV). Being legalistic toward your children can cause the them to react in ways that are improper. A father should not critically, constantly correct his child in negative ways. Correction is necessary, but it should not be overbearing. Just think of how we would feel if God corrected us every time we did something wrong. That would like every five or so minutes, at least.