DRAWING NEAR
April 17
Breaking the Bondage of Legalism
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt.
5:8).
By the time Jesus arrived, Israel was in a desperate condition
spiritually. The Jewish people were in bondage to the oppressive
legalism of the Pharisees, who had developed a system of laws that
were impossible to keep. Consequently, the people lacked security and
were longing for a savior to free them from guilt and frustration.
They knew God had promised a redeemer who would forgive their sins
and cleanse their hearts (Ezek. 36:25-27), but they weren't sure when
He was coming or how to identify Him when He arrived.
The enormous response to John the Baptist's ministry illustrates the
level of expectancy among the people. Matthew 3:5-6 says, "Jerusalem
was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the
Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as
they confessed their sins." The uppermost question in everyone's mind
seemed to be, "How can I enter the kingdom of heaven?"
Jesus Himself was asked that question by many people in different
ways. In Luke 10:25 a lawyer asks, "What shall I do to inherit
eternal life?" In Luke 18:18 a rich young ruler asks exactly the same
thing. In John 6:28 a multitude asks, "What shall we do, that we may
work the works of God?" Nicodemus, a prominent Jewish religious
leader, came to Jesus at night with the same question, but before he
could ask it, Jesus read his thoughts and said, "Unless one is born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).
As devoutly religious as those people might have been, they would
remain spiritually lost unless they placed their faith in Christ.
That's the only way to enter the kingdom.
Still today many people look for relief from sin and guilt. God can
use you to share Christ with some of them. Ask Him for that privilege
and be prepared when it comes.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Pray for those enslaved to legalistic religious systems. Be
sure there is no sin in your life to hinder God's work through
you.
For Further Study:
Read Galatians 3.
Why did Paul rebuke the Galatians? What was the purpose of the
Old Testament law?
Drawing Near, Copyright c 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NKJV)
25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean;
I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I
will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart
of flesh.
27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My
statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Galatians 3
3:1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not
obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed
among you as crucified?
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by
the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being
made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have you suffered so many things in vain; if indeed it was in
vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles
among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith?;
6 just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness."
7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of
Abraham.
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles
by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you
all the nations shall be blessed."
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse;
for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all
things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."
11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is
evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall
live by them."
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a
curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree"),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in
Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith.
15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's
covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not
say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed,"
who is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty
years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by
God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise;
but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of
transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For
if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly
righteousness would have been by the law.
22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept
for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we
might be justified by faith.
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
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In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
http://www.gty.org/Gospel/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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