Isaiah 28:12 to whom he said,
    “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose”—
    but they would not listen.

This is frankly a sad, depressing passage. This was spoken to people long ago, but there are those to whom it applies today. God does call for faithful obedience, just as Jesus said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.” (John 14:23) However, He is not a legalist, despite what you might think from reading Leviticus. God’s rules and regulations are all for our good, but at the same time, if we focus on the regulations rather than on the One who gives them, we miss the whole point. That’s the whole thing about legalism: the rule becomes more important than the purpose behind it. Rules aren’t bad. Rule-based structures and societies have stability and are generally desirable. However, you only have to look at sharia law to see that rules can be horribly restrictive and destructive. There have been Christian groups that have essentially applied sharia with Christian makeup. This passage is God’s strong condemnation of such practices. We are, as Augustine said, to love God and do as we please, because the more strong and pure the love is, the more total the obedience will be. God is perfectly righteous and holy, but He is not a legalist. He could not violate His own character by excusing, much less accepting, human sin, so He gave Himself, in His Son, to take the penalty for our sin. That is the polar opposite of legalism!

I have always tended to react against legalism, but I have had to grow in my appreciation for the rules and regulations in Scripture, and in my loving obedience to them. As a pastor, I have not come down on people even for things that I knew were destructive to them, but I have made it clear that those things were destructive, and have asked the Holy Spirit to bring inner conviction. I have certainly seen that external rules have negative consequences. Sometimes I think Japanese schools give training in rule-breaking, because they have so many petty rules! For that matter, it has been pointed out that the US legal code is so massive and antiquated that probably everyone in the country is in violation of something! Sadly, that has been used to target political enemies. A famous quote from the Soviet Union is, “Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.” That’s the blackest form of legalism, and I want no part in it. I need to be focused on my Lord in loving obedience, drawing others to the same position by my words and my example, so that we may be the children and servants He desires, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the group that came from Taiwan yesterday, and the good fellowship we had with them. Thank You for the awareness of Your control over all that is going on. As I said to my wife this morning, there’s a lot to think about! Keep me from over-thinking, becoming anxious. Help me rather fulfill each thing You have for me to do, whether big or small, on Your schedule for Your glory, not under fear but in joyful love, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!