Die Hard Legalism: Putting it to Death.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
(Romans 1:16-17 ESV)

Innately, we deviate towards legalism. Our human tendency is to pick ourselves up by "our own bootstraps" and "earn" our admittance into heaven. Even a cursory study of the world's religions will reveal a singular commonality: they are all works-based. Whether you call it the five pillars, four noble truths, or circumcision, they all are bent on having individuals fulfill their need for earning a better "next life." Human pride and boasting is vaunted as people blindly aim towards an unknown standard. Righteousness is desperately sought, but it is sadly never attained.

Kids have tons of legalism. When kids get in trouble, the response is almost always, "I'll try better next time." In other words, "I'll atone for myself." Kids often ascribe their worth to their deeds: whether it be performance in school or obedience to parents. Christian parents must wean their children off of legalism and feed them on grace.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ radically shines in the midst of religions that feed off the darkness of humanity's desperate attempts at self-verification. It firmly establishes that no one is righteous. Chapter 3 of Romans goes on to show that the point of the Law is to prove and show one's sinfulness, and thereby awaken one's need for a Savior.

What will you say in a few years when you stand before a wrathful God who is about to incinerate you with His holiness? Will you parade your resume of good deeds before Him? That, after all, is the innate human tendency. The route, however, will cause you to be consumed by the holy wrath of God. All of humanity's righteousness is like a filthy rag in His sight.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith."

What does that verse mean? It means that the righteousness of God that we desperately need is revealed to us in the Gospel. Furthermore, the words "as it is written" give us the key to understanding that "the righteous shall live by faith" means that "the righteous will only be righteous by the righteousness of God, and the righteousness of God is ours through faith." Think of a fireman. He wears a fire-proof coat and the flames don't singe him. Now, think of Judgment Day. Instead of our own righteousness, we put on the righteousness of Jesus Christ which was given to us by faith. With that righteousness enveloping us, the flames of God's wrath will not singe us and we will safely pass from judgment into eternal bliss.

Hallelujah!