The root of legalism

Many people, including Christians, prefer a list of rules for outward behavior rather than paying attention to the attitudes and motivations of the heart. It is easier to say, “No movies” than deal with an inner lust for watching sinful behavior (on screen or on television). It is easier to say, “Don’t beat my wife” than it is to deal with a seething anger that becomes a passive-aggressive neglect. It is easier to find some sort of determination to look good than it is to deal with a sinful heart. It is easier to be a hypocrite than go for the radical cure offered by Jesus Christ.

My devotions today are again about good and evil. God tells me that I must, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).

The word for evil is the same as yesterday’s verses. It can mean anything from that which is purely wicked, to hard labor or fatigue that tests faith which is not at all the way God does His work.

However, these verses use a different word for good. Yesterday’s word, agathos, is about that which has a good constitution or nature, is useful and perhaps gives opportunity for learning from experience. It is about the pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, and honorable things of life.

This word is kalos and is also translated as good, but sometimes as“better” or “honest” or “meet” (fitting). It means beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable. It is about being beautiful to look at, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well adapted to its ends. It describes that which is genuine, approved and precious. Sometimes it speaks of people and their position as in competent and able, or noble. Kalos means beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, praiseworthy, morally good, noble and honorable. It refers to good things that affect the mind agreeably, or in a comforting and confirming way.

These descriptions remind me of the folks who think that God does not want anyone to have any fun. One young girl told me she was interested in Jesus but was afraid of church rules that told her she could not dance or go to movies. I tried to explain that following Christ was not about rules, but a changed heart. She didn’t understand.

A changed heart means hating evil, all kinds of evil. I abhor the obvious wicked actions like child molestation and stealing, but after my study yesterday, now know why I also hate getting in a flap and being stressed out by my work. God hates those things too. He wants me to choose good, both agathos and kalos with their slight differences in meaning.

Sometimes good is obvious, just like evil is obvious, but sometimes in the economy and wisdom of God, good is hidden behind frustrating and difficult experiences. These are occasions where God wants me to learn something and if I give in to evil (such as resentment, anger or complaining) I will miss that opportunity.

In contrast, no one can dabble with sin and avoid falling into it, but temptation is only the bait. The real problem is the human heart. If I am enticed by some sort of evil, simply staying away from temptation does not fix the gunk in my heart. God’s way of curing it is through confession, forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9), but He also asks me to replace the enticement by pursuing good and clinging to it.

Of course I need to “delight in the law of the Lord” and “meditate on it day and night” (Psalm 1:2), but in fleeing my sinful desires, I also need to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).

The heart is the issue, but the heart once cleansed needs to go after the good and avoid the evil. Sometimes I don’t like doing the godly thing, but instead of doing it when my heart is not in it (rules and hypocrisy), I need to confess the problem of my heart also, not just my actions. God wants to change me right at the core. Letting Him do that is often painful and always humbling, but it strikes at the root of legalism and solves the problem of hypocrisy which goes with it.