Daily Devotional
Are You Sinking in Legalism?
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
Romans 3:27-28
April 11, 2023
Ponder This
The denial of grace is legalism. Many Christians are prone to legalism. One person might preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, a message that calls people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, that you are saved by grace through faith alone. But it does not take long for someone else to come to that new believer with a lot of rules, rituals, and laws to follow. If a new believer is insecure in the liberty he or she has in Jesus, that person will go back into the playpen of legalism because it is easier.
Don’t let anybody make a legalist out of you. You are not saved by keeping laws or by ritual. You’re not saved by anything other than the grace of God. A person who tries to be saved or sanctified by rules is like a person trying to get out of quicksand. The more he struggles, the more he sinks. Ten thousand rules will not make you one bit more like Jesus.
- When have you focused more on following legalistic rules than on the grace of God?
- How have you extended God’s grace to others recently?
Practice This
Make a list of the differences between legalism and grace. Do you approach people with legalism or grace? What needs to change?
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
