Is it Legal?

....Jesus said to them,"Is it legal to heal on the sabbath?"  Matthew 12:10

Recently I received a fine for speeding.  Yes, a camera caught me doing 55 kph in a 50 kph area.  I usually set the cruise control but obviously I forgot on this particular day.  It's only my second ticket in my 55 years of driving because I know that rules are for the safety of ourselves and others so I am generally a law-abiding person.  But everybody makes mistakes!

When Jesus healed the withered hand on the sabbath he did not make a mistake.  He was making a statement. A statement that he made a number of times which stirred up the religious leaders to such anger that they plotted to kill him.  Why would he deliberately break their laws when he clearly stated elsewhere that he came to fulfil the law? (Matthew 5:17).  He was making a point.  His point was that they had changed lawfulness into legalism.  I heard a preacher say recently that legalism is evil.  I didn't hear the second part of his reasoning because I missed the program but I can see here, in the story of the man with the withered hand, what he probably meant.  Legalism takes pride in rule-keeping, and we see clearly what the result of legalism did.  It persecuted and finally killed Jesus.

God gave the law for our good, for our guidance and the protection of ourselves and others.  It was a law based in love; love for God and love for others (Matthew 22:36-40) .  The priests and the Pharisees had added a multitude of other rules and regulations around God's Law which made it burdensome and it lacked love and compassion. We see that so clearly in this story.

Years ago we got caught up in a very legalistic church for some years.  The worst thing was that we got blinded to the truth of God's grace.  When we left that church we lost every friend we had in that church.  They would have nothing to do with us. That is a fruit of legalism.  We had not left our faith in Jesus, we moved straight into another church, but these people believed a lie that was founded in legalism and control.  I am glad to say that in later years we have happily resumed loving relationship with some who have left that church.

For those who seek to sincerely represent Jesus Christ and his message, the question must not be "Is it legal?" but rather "Is it loving?"  Love doesn't deny or compromise God's truth as we see from Jesus' life', it is not weak and wishy washy but neither is it hard and condemning.  It is vital that the Body of Christ portray the love of Christ correctly because the essence of the One we worship is love.  God IS love.

PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, help me to continually examine my heart to ensure that the love of God resides within me and overflows to those who need to know you.  Amen