Thursday March 27, 2014

Read: Hebrews 8
Christians have a lot of good excuses and comebacks. When confronted with a challenge to their decision many Christians respond by saying, ‘God told me to...’. There’s no argument that can be advanced because I have no right to argue with God. Whether or not God told that person is undecided but that statement stops any further discussion. The other remark oft quoted is, ’That’s just legalism...’ When I challenge people to be regular in their church attendance or to attend extra-church activities I often hear some form of this reply. According to their logic, as soon as church attendance is encouraged, the encourager is disparagingly or negatively called a legalist.

Is this really the case? The New Covenant gives an interesting answer! Under the Old Covenant Israel turned from God time and time again. She refused to walk in obedience and fell into sin and idolatry over and over again. God prophesied a time (Jeremiah 31:31-34) and Hebrews looks at the fulfilment when God would write a new covenant with His people. This new covenant would not be external like the tablets of stone on which the old covenant was inscribed. This new covenant would be internal. God would write inside the heart/mind of each and every believer.

As the Lord spoke though Jeremiah

I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts.

As we consider this inner writing by the Spirit of God, we can begin to answer the question about legalism. A legalist is a person who seeks to buy favour with God by doing things or going through motions. It’s a question of the heart or of motives. But God, through His Holy Spirit writes His law on a believer’s heart/ mind. One would assume that if the law of God is in one’s heart and one’s mind then that person loves God and wants to serve and please by keeping or doing what God desires. This is as far from legalism as one could possibly get.

But not only has God given us His Word written on our hearts and minds, He’s also given us His Spirit so that we are empowered to live life as He pleases. We are commanded to live by the Spirit (Gal 5) and by the Spirit to put to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8). Striving to please God is not legalism. It’s love. It’s love in action. It’s the kind of love that drives a believer to be at church to love God, to serve God, to love others and to serve others week in week out without making excuses.

Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration: 

Confession: 

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Pray for the work of Shiloh Church ministries and pray especially that the orphans and widows supported will grow strong in their faith and will shine brightly the love of Jesus. Pray that Shiloh will have all they need to continue ministering to the poor and needy.
• Pray that your church would grow through conversions as each believer takes the Word of Life and shares it with friends, family and neighbours. Pray that there’ll be a missionary zeal among the congregation so that more and more people are reaching out with the gospel.