Legalism versus being holy

Pilate said to Jesus, "What is truth?" (John 18:38) Funny, Jesus said before that that, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6) So if we can't receive truth, except by Jesus, and He is the Solid Rock, and all else is sinking sand, (Matthew 7) and He alone has these words of life; (John 6:68) then what are we doing by trying to receive truth through any other means? I was in a Bible study once, and no one there believed that the Bible was an authority of truth, everything was questionable. One thing I learned from that group is that there seemed to be no truth there, everyone believed differently than each other! This article is about the difference between being Holy and being legalistic. As a Christian we are supposed to know what sin is. By the power of the Holy Spirit we can. If we are not even sure what sin is, how can we be holy, or how can we even repent, turn away from sin, if we don't even know what sin is. If we are to be "Holy as He is holy" (1 Peter 1:16) then we must allow the Holy Spirit to teach us what being holy is. If we are raised in a strict home, that can be a holy place, or a place filled with legalism. Most people think that if a person is raised with a lot of standards, a lot of rules, like don't eat this, don't watch this, don't listen to these songs, don't dress in certain ways, most believe that would be a legalistic, or a strick house. Jesus was raised with such rules, as was Samson, Apostle Paul and John the Baptist. There is a big difference between holy and legalistic. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." (John 8:32) This is one way we can know if something is true, does it set us free. If you grow up in a holy house where there are high standards, if you leave that house and fulfill all your desires, do whatever you want, you may feel a measure of what you would call freedom. But has it really set you free, or has it bound you up? Has it broken relationships because you no longer have the same standards? Has it brought death to relationships, including your relationship to God? We are to be pure and holy as Jesus was pure and holy. (1 John 3) Of course the Bible is a main source of what is right and holy, but having a relationship with Jesus, and allowing the Holy Spirit to "teach us in all things" (John 14:26) is key in knowing what he wants for your life. Sin does two things: It separates us from God, and it hurts us, and possibly others around us. That's why God doesn't want us to sin, and that's why it's important to know what sin is. We have the Bible, and we have His Holy Spirit, which is the real convictor of sin. Without the Holy Spirit we actually can't know we're in sin. And without the Holy Spirit teaching us, the best we have is legalism. The worst way to try and have something holy is a mixture of both legalism and conviction of the Holy Spirit, and I think that's where a lot of us fail. To have a holy house, a holy church, something that is truly pure, it takes the constant presence and filling of the Holy spirit. It cannot be obtained by us, it can only be obtained, and maintained, by the power of the Holy Spirit. So if I am convicted that something is unholy, and teach my children this is unholy, and it isn't, that's majorly confusing and can be damaging to their relationship with God. If it is actually unholy, but our kids leave the house and don't think it's unholy, and then they fall into it, it will bind them up, and it can even cause them to rebel against God, and you, because they don't believe as the Holy Spirit convicted them to believe. If I get mad or impatient with my children, or people in general, then I know, even if it's a conviction of the Holy Spirit, that it is not the Holy Spirit that is implementing this thing I am trying to do by the flesh. We have to remember that it is God's "Kindness that leads us to repentance." (Romans 2:4) We must do all things in Love, and a good description of these things is in 1 Corinthians 13, starting with "love is patient and kind...takes into account no wrong." That's one of the hardest things for people to look past is if their parents, pastors or leaders get it wrong, and yet they are still expected to get it right! That's why there is a strictor judgement upon us who lead, because if we lead in sin, we will only produce death, not life, even if what we're saying is true. This is how we can tell if we are on the right track or not: Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Why our police are being attacked

When a nation turns it's back on God, and it's laws no longer reflect the laws of God, God can no longer bless that nation. Then those who govern that nation become a laughing stock, and will be mocked and ridiculed. Luke 16:15b "For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God." God can't honor a nation whose laws don't protect the unborn. A nation whose laws reflected the laws of God, but no longer do; adultery was illegal, abortion was, homosexuality was, but now in many states none of these is illegal, and in some, these once illegal acts are now being celebrated. Also Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." We have left the wisdom of God, for our own wisdom. Listen to the Word of God: James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. This whole world is becoming sensual, and we are losing all peace, because we have rejected God and His wisdom, and we have sought our own. God can't bless where He has been rejected, because He isn't there to bless. There are many promises of God, this is one of the best for us as a nation: 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Notice it says to not only pray, but to "turn from our wicked ways?" We have to do it God's way, we can't choose our own ways and expect God to bless it.