7 of Jesus' Liberating Teachings that Make Legalistic Christians Squirm

Do you ever wonder if being a Christian is mostly about following rules?  Have you been harshly judged by a churchgoer?  Are you afraid to tell people at church about some of your friends or hobbies?  Do you act one way around Christians and another way around other people?

You’re not alone.  Religious legalism can be found in Christian churches worldwide.  While it is essential not to condone sin by watering down the Gospel, it is just as bad to weigh down the Gospel by adding rules and regulations to Jesus’ message.  They both hinder people’s ability to know the real Jesus and can unintentionally cause some to misunderstand how to receive salvation through Christ alone.

[Related:  3 Essential Beliefs All Christian Churches Share]

The purpose of this article is to point out seven of Jesus' teachings that some Christians avoid or ignore because they get in the way of upholding expectations for themselves, their family, other churchgoers, and society in general.  My intention is not to condemn people that are being overbearing; on the contrary, my heart is filled with compassion because I believe that what is at the core of religious legalism is fear.  So, If you have found yourself believing and teaching man made rules, this article is for you too!  I hope you will read on.  

Whether you have been the recipient of harsh judgment or you are an enforcer of rigid external standards and regulations, my prayer is that you will grow closer to Jesus and find security and freedom in Him.

[Related:  I have been Hurt By Church, What do I do: A Pastor's Story]

1.  It's Not What Goes In Your Mouth that Corrupts You

Matthew 15:17-18  Whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled…But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.  (Context: Matthew 15:10-20)

Decades ago, I sat in a church listening to a stand-in speaker give a sermon with an overly-simplified message about being a "good Christian" that, in my opinion, encouraged a spirit a judgementalism toward "sinners" as well as Christians that have fallen away from their faith.  He taught that if you abstain from drinking, smoking, and partying, you are a good Christian; but if you don't, you are a bad Christian.  His message was complete with visual effects (scowl) and sound effects (tsk,tsk).

Don't get me wrong, sin is a thing.  It is so much a thing that it causes eternal separation from God.  But, the core of sinfulness does not boil down to the three external behaviors he fiercely shunned.  It has more to do with attitude and intent.  

If you take a step back and remember that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love people, and that Jesus’ commission to Christians is to spread the Good News of salvation through Christ, it is clearly seen that the core of sin is about loving self more than loving God and people.  

2.  Love Everyone

Matthew 5:44  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  (Context: Matthew 5:43-48)

In the gospels, we see that Jesus loved thieves, adulterers, extortionists, and murderers.  He loved Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, and even spent some of His final hours with Him during the Last Supper, all the while knowing that Judas would betray Him by helping Jesus’ enemies murder Him.  He loved the entire crowd that was demanding His execution.  And, in the midst of the greatest suffering anyone has endured, during His crucifixion, Jesus asked God, the Father, to forgive His executioners (Lk. 23:32-34).  He came to die for those very people!    

As Christians, we are called to love and to reconcile sinners to God by leading them to Jesus Christ.  This includes abortionists, people that may be a bad influence on our children, politicians and lobbyists striving to take away our religious liberties, homosexuals, and everyone who deliberately promotes the idea of living in opposition to God.  We are to condemn sin, for sure, but not spew hatred toward sinners.

God, the Father, sent Jesus to die for our sins, giving everyone an opportunity to choose to receive His gift of forgiveness and salvation (Jn. 3:16-18).

3.  Spend Time With People on Their Turf

Mark 2:15  And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.  (Context:  Mark 2:13-17) 

God commissions Christians to proclaim the gospel to everyone.  The reality is that many unbelievers have never been to church and have no interest in initiating conversation with Christians openly representing God.  These people can only be reached if Christians go to them in their own surroundings.  

Somehow, particular places and groups of people have been labeled by some Christians as off-limits due to the risk of defilement.  It is wise to be aware of your own areas of weakness so you can avoid places where people are engaging in behaviors toward which you have a propensity to sin.  But, it is also important not to let fear cause you to steer clear of spending time with people who are actively living in sin.

By bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to them rather than waiting for them to come to us, we can lovingly lead these very people to repentance and salvation.

[Related:  10 Compelling Ways You Can Be Ready to Share Jesus With Unbelievers]

4.  Hypocrisy & Burdensome Rules are Reprehensible

Matthew 23:4  They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.  (Context:  Matthew 23)  

Many of us have been expected to abide by standards that rule-givers don't follow.  This happens not just in churches but in every sector of society.  Most of us have heard the phrase, "do what I say, not what I do."  There is some wisdom in that statement because no leader is perfect; but when it is used to aid someone in barking out orders while absolving themselves of upholding the same standard, it is ungodly.  

Let me be clear that hypocrisy is not the same thing as imperfection.  We all err, but it is in the personal response to  wrongdoings that we see whether hypocrisy is present.  

5.  Be Humbly & Lovingly Restorative

Matthew 7:5  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.  (Context:  Matthew 7:1-5)

Our job is not to point the finger and say “shame on you” to someone caught in sin.  It is also not our role to turn a blind eye.  We all sin and we all need to be rescued from it because, if left unchecked, it will destroy our lives.  Out of love, correction can (and should) be given, but it must be done appropriately.  

Guidance on how to do this can be clearly seen in the story of Jesus confronting a woman caught in adultery and responding to the religious leaders that demanded she be stoned to death (John 8:1-11).  He told the Pharisees, “let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (vs. 7).  Faced with the reality of their own sin, each of them walked away.  After they were all gone, Jesus said to the woman, “neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (vs. 11).

By first recognizing our own sinfulness and the forgiveness we have through Jesus, we can gently approach one another to address a sin and help each other find restoration through the power of the Holy Spirit and the fellowship of the believers.

6.  Expose False Teachings In Churches

Matthew 16:12  Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  (Context:  Matthew 16:5-12)

Heretical teaching is anything that says you can receive forgiveness from sin and eternal life through something other than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The apostle Paul addressed this problem many times in his letters to several early churches.  The specific issues Paul focused on had to do with circumcision, food, gentiles, fasting, asceticism, and a few others.  To get a fuller picture of the seriousness of this problem, I encourage you to read these passages:  Acts 20:28-32; 1 Timothy 1:3-11;  Galatians 1:6-2:9.

Common topics that some churches today attach false teachings to include salvation, angels, the eucharist, prayer, speaking in tongues, and hell.  It is important that church teachings be verified in the Bible.  Sadly, many Christians do not spend time reading the Bible or checking if what their preacher is saying is biblical.  To protect yourself from believing unscriptual teachings and to keep from passing on heresies to others, it is necessary to study the Word (to the best of your ability), pray, and remain actively involved in a community of believers that search the Scriptures.

[Related:  4 Sects Mistaken as Christian & How they're Unsound]

7.  The Naked Gospel Ranks Above Traditions 

Matthew 15:3  He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?  (Context:  Matthew 15:1-9)

Sadly, there are many silly and useless disagreements found in some churches which become distractions from the transformative power of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  They are enough to make a person’s head spin...  Time-tested hymns or modern praise music.  Drums or organs.  Ethnic homogeneity or diversity.  Younglings or aged.  Formal or casual attire…

There certainly is value in some traditions.  The Bible even urges to, “stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thess. 2:15).  The question is, which traditions are good and which are not?  The answer is found in whether they draw people closer to God and help spread the Gospel or if they create obstacles in knowing and genuinely worshiping Him.  

The traditions Paul says to hold onto include taking communion (Lk. 22:14-20), saying the Lord’s prayer (Mt. 6:5-15), and voicing creeds found in the Bible (exs.: 1 Cor. 15:3-8, 1 Tim. 2:5-6, Phil. 2:6-11, 1 Tim. 3:16).  A good test for determining if a tradition is beneficial is to ask God to search your heart and show you if it points people to Jesus.  It is also important to see if the Bible says anything about your religious practices.  One passage that is especially helpful is in Paul’s letter to the Colossians where he addresses several ways the believers were placing traditions over devotion to God - Colossians 2:8-23.

The Bottom Line

Judging a person based on what is visible on the surface is always easier than seeing them through the lens of their heart.  This reality makes it easy for self-righteous people to present themselves as good by following all the "good boy" and "good girl" rules.  But, God sees the heart and reveals to all of us that the core of our sins reside in our attitudes of pride, envy, greed, malice, and other things that elevate ourselves above God and people.   

We are saved from sin through Christ alone who took on our sins and paid the penalty of death.  External rituals and "right" behaviors will not get anyone into heaven.  As Christians, it is our job to share the message that Jesus, out of His love for all people, died so that we can be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with God.  And then, through prayer and biblical teaching, we are to disciple new believers so they can experience inner growth and strength grounded in the love and power of God (Eph. 3:14-21).  It is only through this inner transformation that external practices change.  

You are saved by confessing that you have sinned and by believing in your heart that Jesus paid the price for your sin through His crucifixion and resurrection.  If you have never done this, don't let another moment go by.  Call out to Jesus and ask Him into your heart today! 

Do you want to know more about the Bible or what it means to be a Christian? 

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