Category: Identifying and Countering Deception

Why I Am No Longer a Roman Catholic: Part 3 – Sola Scriptura

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sola scriptura

 

 

 

 

How did I go from being a devout Catholic to being what some call an evangelical non-denominational Protestant? It all revolves around what the reformers called “sola scriptura.”

After my new birth experience, I had no desire to leave the Roman Catholic Church. Since I grew up in that church, I knew a lot about it. I had followed its teachings and traditions for most of my life. I had seen it transition from using Latin during the Mass (which I had to memorize as an altar boy) to the use of the common language of the people. I had witnessed other changes after the Second Vatican Council, many of which seemed to be moving in a good direction. In fact, my involvement in the church increased over the next two or three years after my new birth experience. I helped to lead music at what were called guitar Masses, an attempt to blend the music of the Seventies with the traditional Mass. I taught children in the Catholic version of Sunday School. So then, what happened that led me to depart from the church I had known and served for most of my life?

Putting the Bible in the hands of common people fueled the movement called the Protestant Reformation more than anything else.

The Catholic Church had long kept that book in the hands of the Church hierarchy and veiled in the Latin language. When it became available to the masses thanks to the courage of translators, who sometimes gave their lives to perform this service, and the wonderful timing of the introduction of the printing press, people began to read the Bible for themselves. They saw huge discrepancies between what the Bible teaches and Church doctrine and practice. This is what happened to me as well.

One of the rallying cries of the Protestant Reformation was “sola scriptura.” This Latin phrase contains three major ideas: 1) The scriptures have the deciding authority in the church and believer’s life, 2) the scriptures are sufficient for salvation, and 3) the scriptures are clear enough to be understood by the average person.

The Roman Catholic Church taught that the authority of the bishops and Pope (the magisterium) could overrule the Scriptures. Only the bishops and Pope could properly interpret the Bible; therefore, their decisions regarding what it meant overruled what anyone else might think. They introduced extrabibical doctrines and practices, such as the Mass, the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption of Mary, purgatory, holy days of obligation, and indulgences. Until the invention of the printing press, most common people were not able to read the Bible in their own language, putting them at the mercy of church teachers, who sometimes hid, twisted, or flatly contradicted the meaning.

Sola scriptura means that people can read and understand the Bible without going through the mediation of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Bible teaches that we are saved simply by believing what it teaches, especially regarding faith in our Lord Jesus, which is called the gospel. Over the centuries, the Roman Catholic Church introduced several other “necessary” ingredients, which kept people dependent on the church as the mediator between them and God. This “adding” to the gospel is clearly condemned in the Bible.

Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it. Deuteronomy 12:32 (NASB95)

Sola scriptura means that people no longer need the church to relate to God. He is directly accessible to all of us.

Even though some scriptures are difficult to understand, even for trained interpreters, the general meaning and teaching of the Bible can be understood by the average person, even a child. People no longer have to depend on a church hierarchy to understand the Bible. The Holy Spirit can teach them.

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT) —

One of the marks of a born-again believer is a hunger to read, study, understand, and obey the teachings of the Bible.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32 (NLT) —

One of the major hurdles that every believer faces is whether the Word of God will have unquestioned authority in his or her life. I personally faced this test not long after becoming a born-again Christian. At the beginning of my discipleship journey, all I really knew was that Jesus is real. He is the resurrected Son of God, who died for my sins and is my Lord. I still had a lot of confusion about some things because I did not know much of what the Bible said. But I kept reading and studying it. I remember wrestling with the decision of whether to submit completely to its instruction and commands. Maybe for some this would be a “no brainer,” but, for a former Catholic, it is a big deal. In a sense, I had to overcome what some call brainwashing, the systematic teaching of a falsehood – that the church has more authority in my life than the Bible.

If I were to accept the Bible as my greatest authority, I must reject some of the Church’s teachings and its rule in my life. Yes, this was a big deal because Catholics teach that they are the one true church, which alone provides the path to God! It would require me to “put all my eggs in the one basket” of trusting simply in what the Bible teaches and what Jesus did for me when he died and rose again. It would mean that I would no longer depend on the Roman Catholic Church for anything. It was a very big step, one that some are not willing to take.

Jesus warned the Jewish hierarchy of his day, the equivalent of the Roman Catholic magisterium, that they were guilty of nullifying the clear teaching of God’s Word in favor of their religious traditions. (Mark 7:13) He warned them that the scriptures cannot be altered. (John 10:35) Jesus is the divine Logos, the eternal word of God. (John 1:1, 14)

To invalidate the Bible in favor of religious tradition is the worst sort of idolatry.

God wants us to trust completely in his promises found in the Bible, which are sufficient to save us.

Abraham is a clear example of this. God told him that he would have innumerable descendants when he was a childless old man. He took God at his word, and Bible says that God justified him, which means he put him into a right relationship with him. (Genesis 15:6) Simple faith is what saves us, faith in the gospel announcement that Jesus died for our sins and rose again as Lord of Lords. (Galatians 2:16)

Jesus taught, even rejoiced in the fact, that God reveals his Word to common people.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. Matthew 11:25–26 (NASB95)

Jesus broke the power of the hierarchy to control access to God’s truth in his day, he did it again during the Reformation, and he is still working to set people free.

He warned the Jewish leaders that he knew what they were doing.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. Matthew 23:13 (NLT) —

After studying the Bible and praying, I, like many others over the centuries, began to see clearly how the Roman Catholic Church had established traditions and doctrines that run contrary to God’s Word. To remain in that Church would require me to turn my back on the authority of the Bible in favor of the authority of Church tradition and the Pope, something I could do no longer. As Martin Luther famously said when he stood trial before the Church, “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”

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Why I Am No Longer a Roman Catholic: Part 2 – Grace vs. Legalism

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In the introduction to this series, I described my new birth experience and the realization that my new relationship with God through Christ had little or nothing to do with what I had been taught or seen modeled in the Catholic Church. This does not mean that there is no truth in the Catholic Church or that no godly people are part of that church. Quite the contrary! I learned about God, sin, and judgment there. I learned about God’s demand upon us to live according to his laws. I also met people whom I now realize likely were true born-again believers. There are true believers in every church, but unfortunately there are those who are merely following the tenets of man-made religion in every church, too. Jesus called them “tares” or weeds growing among the true wheat. Even in churches which preach the true gospel, counterfeit believers are present. Most likely, they do not even know that they are false brethren. Deception runs deep, and self-deception is the worst of all.

The official teaching of the Catholic Church is that we gain entrance into the church through the sacrament of baptism and maintain a relationship with God by keeping his commandments, church laws, and through the grace brought to us through the Mass and the seven sacraments. Living in a “state of grace” is fluid, and we are always in danger of losing it by committing what are called “mortal” sins. When this happens, the only way back into God’s good graces is through what is called “perfect contrition” (which is pretty much impossible to attain) or by confessing our sins to a priest and receiving absolution from him. One can never be completely sure of his or her final destiny, because that depends upon our being in a state of grace at the time of death. We were encouraged to “make” nine First Fridays (go to Mass and receive communion on nine consecutive first Fridays of the month) so that we could be assured that we would have the opportunity to make a good confession prior to death. This is called an indulgence, which is basically a promise or guarantee from God (through the authority of the church) based upon some good work we perform. But indulgences are only the tip of the legalistic iceberg. All of salvation is performance-based in the Catholic Church.

Jesus did not secure our salvation: he only made it possible for those who keep the rules.

All sorts of laws are in place that must be kept to maintain a right relationship with God, some based on the Ten Commandments and others on church tradition. This was also the case in Judaism at the time when Christ ministered, something our Lord condemned. (Matthew 15:6) When I was very young, the church forbade us to eat meat on Fridays. Later, this rule was abandoned. (I have often wondered if those who were burning in hell because of violating this commandment were set free when the church changed its mind. Smile.) We were required to attend Mass on Sundays and other “Holy Days of Obligation,” or become guilty of a serious sin. Later Saturday evening Masses were included to help people meet their Holy Day obligation. Because of the Catholic Church’s performance orientation to salvation, Catholics are on a perpetual treadmill of going to confession, trying hard to remain in a state of grace by not committing mortal sins, committing mortal sins, and going to confession again. One just hopes that he or she will not die before getting to confession! I remember realizing as a kid that God already knew whether I would die in a state of grace or not and wondering if my destiny was heaven or hell.

There was no way for me to have any assurance in my relationship with God, and that is no way to live.

When we grow up in such a system, we think it is normal and right. By default, human beings tend toward legalism because we understand that we are fallen beings who need to get back into a right standing with God. We just do not know how to get there. We think it is by earning our way back, but that is impossible. The only way is for us to be forgiven, not just temporarily, but once and for all. Is this even possible? The Bible says it is.

For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. Hebrews 7:26–27 (NASB95)

When I experienced the new birth and the Holy Spirit came to live inside me, I began to relate to God in a more biblical manner. The Bible promises that the Holy Spirit will guide us into God’s truth. (John 16:13) The main way he does this is by giving us understanding of the Bible. Prior to my coming to Christ, a young man shared the gospel with my psychology class. I must have talked to him afterward because later he came by to see me in my dorm room. I cannot remember his name, but I do remember what he told me. He took me to the First Letter of John and read to me the following verse.

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (NLT)

He shared with me that God wants us to know that we have eternal life through Christ. This was so different from what I had been taught and experienced in the Catholic Church. How can one know something that seems unknowable? The gospel is so marvelous that it seems unbelievable to someone steeped in legalism.

Now I understand there is a fundamental difference between the performance-based religion of Catholicism (and some other denominations) and the faith-based grace relationship provided through the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul clearly understood this difference and addressed it in his letter to the Galatians.

But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:17-21 (NLT)

When Jesus died on the cross, the Bible teaches that those who put their faith in him died, too. (Romans 6) This is a mystery, but nevertheless true. We died to sin’s power in our lives and to the power of the Law to condemn us. (Romans 7) The Law is what defines and points out our sins. God gave us the Law to show us how hopelessly lost we are. Its purpose is to lead us to Christ so that by faith we might receive a right standing with God. (Galatians 3:21-29)

No one can stand in his or her own righteousness. We must have our Lord’s right standing with God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I hope you will take the time to read and think deeply about these verses of scripture. We can never earn salvation: it is a gift – one that God never takes back. (Romans 6:23 and 11:29)

If we grew up under legalism, it is difficult to grasp how wonderful the gospel message is! Only the Holy Spirit can deliver us from the enslaving lies of legalism by leading us into the truth which will set us free.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31–32 (NASB95)

The precursors to Roman Catholicism were called the Judaizers. These supposed followers of Christ, being heavily steeped in Judaism, could not get their heads and hearts around the radical nature of the New Covenant. They tried to fit the “new wine” of the Gospel into the “old wine skin” of Judaism.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 “But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 “And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’ ” Luke 5:37–39 (NASB95)

It could not work then and will not work today to try to fit the unearned grace of the New Covenant into a legalistic container of man-made religion.

The Old Covenant was based on our keeping the Law, something we are unable to do. The New Covenant is something altogether different. It is based on Christ’s keeping the Law on our behalf. He earned for us what was otherwise unobtainable.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; 9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD. 10 “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 11 “AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. 12 “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.” 13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. Hebrews 8:7–13 (NASB95)

The Judaizers could not believe that it was enough to simply believe the Good News and trust in Christ; instead, Gentile believers had to adopt and follow the tenets of Judaism to be truly accepted by God. Circumcision became a rallying point. Uncircumcised believers were required to submit to this Old Covenant rite to be part of God’s covenant people. There arose a sharp division among the believers which had to be resolved by a council at Jerusalem. Thankfully those leaders came down on the side of the grace message.

Peter spoke convincingly.

So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 15:6-11 (NLT)

He understood that Christ had come precisely because God’s people had repeatedly failed to keep God’s covenant over the years.

The New Covenant was put into place because man is so hopelessly flawed by sin that he cannot possibly satisfy the demands of God’s righteousness.

For that reason, God sent his Son to keep the covenant for us; whereby, he became the Covenant. (Isaiah 42:6)

Our New Covenant relationship to the Father is based on Christ’s perfect performance rather than our ongoing failure.

Salvation is the product of Christ’s keeping the demands of God’s righteousness on our behalf. Through faith in Christ and his completed work, a new birth takes place in the human spirit whereby we are radically changed from the inside out. We become God’s children by an incarnation of Christ in each believer. The Holy Spirit takes up residence and joins himself to our spirits so that we are truly “one” with Christ, as our Lord promised would happen.

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! John 17:22-24 (NLT)

The Bible says that we cannot have it both ways: we must either relate to God on the basis of grace through faith or we must try to relate to him based on our performance of the Law (his righteous requirements).

Paul told the Galatians that if they submitted to the Law in the one point of circumcision, they in effect would be placing themselves back into a performance-based relationship with God, something doomed to failure and antagonistic to the Gospel.

Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:2–6 (NASB95)

There is something in the sinful heart of man that insists to trying to be “good enough” to earn our way into God’s blessing and favor.

It is extremely humbling for us to admit that we are hopelessly sinful and in desperate need of someone to save us. Those who cannot find it in themselves to admit they need a Savior will reject the gospel of grace and continue to try to reach God through some form of a performance-based legalism.

Paul said that such people have “zeal without knowledge.”

I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:2–4 (NLT)

Once we are saved or brought into a right relationship with God through grace, we cannot maintain that relationship through our good performance.

Our inherent religious performance orientation is fueled by the pride and independence of the sinful heart. It seems that God must show us over and over again that we must rely solely upon what Christ did for us. There is no other way.

Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:11–14 (NASB95)

Martin Luther came to just such an insight as he pored over Paul’s letter to the Romans. God gave him a flash of revelation, and he saw clearly that “the just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) The gospel offers us the lifeline of relying upon Christ and what he accomplished through his death and resurrection rather than upon our own failed efforts. Religion is man’s attempt to bridge the gap between us and God on our own terms by our own efforts. Organized religion, whatever its persuasion, is a system of trying to accomplish this.

Organized religion asks its adherents to put their faith in the organization and its rules and methods in order to gain and maintain a right relationship with God. The gospel asks us to put our trust solely in a Person and what he already accomplished for us.

I found it necessary to leave Catholicism to preserve my newly found freedom in grace. Paul likewise walked away from his beloved Judaism, the legalistic performance-based religion he grew up believing. He chose Christ instead, realizing that Christ had fulfilled what Judaism was designed to introduce.

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. Philippians 3:7–9 (NLT)

He chose reality over the shadow. He was extremely adamant that there can be absolutely no co-existence between the true gospel of grace and the false gospel of performance. This is what Paul said.

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Galatians 1:6-9 (NLT)

Once we understand and experience the true grace of God, it is impossible to remain a part of any group that teaches something contrary.

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Why I Am No Longer a Roman Catholic: Part 1 – Introduction

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I was a Roman Catholic for the first eighteen years of my life. I served as an altar boy for many years and attended Catholic school from third grade through the eighth. I was baptized as an infant, received my first Holy Communion as a young boy, and was later confirmed. Our family was active in the church and attended regularly. It was only as an teenager that I began to ask a lot of questions and have significant doubts about God and the church.

Catholic teaching did not provide me with a clear path to having a personal relationship with God. The church stood between God and me with its rules and mediatorial priesthood. I could never be sure that I would one day go to heaven because that depended on dying in what was called a “state of grace,” which came and went depending on sins I would commit and subsequent absolution from a priest. I seriously tried to keep the rules, but the more I tried to live without sin, the more I realized how hopeless an endeavor that is. Later I read in the Bible that this frustration with trying to be good was exactly what God intended. The purpose of the law is to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:22), but I did not know that.

I attempted to please a God who was “out there” watching me, but whom I did not know personally and never offered to help me as far as I could tell. In my frustration I began to wonder if God even could be known. I called myself an agnostic and began looking for God and truth outside the church. When I went to college, I discovered Zen Buddhism and Transcendental Meditation, which were trendy at the time. I tried meditation, thinking that perhaps truth could be discovered that way, since Christianity, I thought, had let me down.

It was about this time that the girl I was dating, who is now my wife of more than fifty years, wrote to tell me that she had become a Bible believing “born again” Christian. This was strange news to a Catholic, especially coming from someone with the same background as mine. I found myself resisting her new beliefs and experience but could not sway her a bit. That made an impression on me.

After a couple of weeks of wrestling with these things, I decided to try an experiment. I prayed to Jesus, whose very existence I doubted, asking him, if he were real, to come into my life and reveal himself to me. I left it at that. I did not struggle with it anymore. I even temporarily forgot that I even said the prayer. Interestingly, however, upon looking back, I noticed that I was changing. I felt happier and was more willing to do considerate favors for people. In my rather obtuse spiritual condition at the time, I thought that perhaps my meditation was having a good effect. My girlfriend, Martha, came to visit, and we talked about Jesus some more, which got me to thinking about spiritual things again. After dropping her off at the women’s dorm where she was staying, I caught a ride back to my dorm. Being hungry, I decided to stop by a small room with vending machines, where I bought something to eat. I was all alone, as it was late at night. Thinking about everything Martha and I had discussed and wondering about my life, I suddenly remembered the prayer I made to the Jesus I doubted. At that very instant, God’s presence seemed to fill the room. Somehow, I instantly knew that Jesus is real. God moved me from unbelief to having a strong conviction that Jesus is everything the Bible says about him. Joy and peace filled my heart in a way I had never known. This was what I call my born-again experience. From that time on everything became new and different.

Later I read the following Bible verses and realized that God has been very gracious to me by opening my spiritual eyes and heart.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:5–8 (NLT)

The first thing I did was go to my nearby dorm, where several of my friends were still awake. I told them what had happened to me and let them know that Jesus is real and can be known. That was my first attempt at sharing the good news. I did not know very much, but I knew that. That night it was difficult for me to fall asleep. I was excited and wondering if I would still believe in the morning. Was this just a passing emotional high or a new permanent reality? The next morning, I woke up still believing, and here I am writing this article over fifty years later. That morning, I told Martha what had happened. She was surprised and overjoyed, as you might imagine. We later married and have served the Lord together ever since.

That night changed my life in a most fundamental way. I went from feeling and being lost and alone in the cosmos to knowing I am loved by its Creator and my Redeemer. I transitioned from doubt to having the assurance that God is real and loves me. Later I came to understand that his words found in the Bible are absolutely true and faithful. I know that I already have eternal life, and I want others to know about this amazing God who is willing and able to reveal himself to us!

No priests never even told me that I could know God in this way. Only one older gentleman named Allen Graham, who is now with the Lord and taught a class for teens, told me that God can be known. Unfortunately, even he did not share how that could happen. The Roman Catholic Church does not seem to be interested in helping people cultivate a personal relationship with God. Its focus on our relationship with the church and its rules and activities.

Eventually, as I became more and more familiar with the Bible, I realized that the Catholic Church long ago departed from the Scriptures in many areas. Instead of being a vehicle to bring people to experience the joyful freedom found in the gospel, it became an enslaving religious institution. Eventually I knew that I had to part ways.

I have not written this to condemn any family or friends who are still part of the Catholic Church. There are many born again lovers of Jesus who have chosen to remain in that church. However, I believe that I have a responsibility to share how Catholic doctrine departed from Bible truth for the benefit of those who are seeking answers. The apostle Paul wrote that if anyone or group preaches a different gospel, they are cursed or under God’s judgment. (Galatians 1:8-9) The Catholic syncretistic betrayal of the New Covenant cannot be ignored. I hope that these articles will make it clear why I believe so and help you in some way.

Pete

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How to Identify and Escape from a Satanic Attack: Part 4 – Debt, Sickness, and Death

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Any time we are engaged in doing something important for the Lord, Satan will attack us in various ways. We have already covered how he uses deception, accusation, and the combination of mockery, threats, and intimidation to try to derail us from pursuing God’s purposes. In this article, I will look at another satanic triad: debt, sickness, and death.

Jesus described the enemy of our souls very succinctly.

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (NLT)

In another place he added:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 (ESV)

Putting all this together, we can state the following:

  1. Satan is a murderer, liar, thief, and destroyer.
  2. God is a life-giver, a truth speaker, generous, and a builder of what is good.

How do we practically apply these simple truths?

  • Any person or government that seeks the welfare of its people represents God legitimately, but one that robs and tyrannizes its people is satanic. (This can be done through robbery through repressive taxation or other unjust or illegal operations.) (Romans 13:3-4)
  • A person or government that protects the sanctity of life and the unborn is from God, but one that encourages the murder of innocent citizens, including unborn children, is serving and representing the devil.
  • A government that tells the truth to its people is from God, but one that systematically lies is satanic. (This can include censorship of the truth, misinformation, and propaganda.)
  • A government that ministers justice to its citizens, protects the innocent, and punishes evil doers is from God. One that promotes lawlessness and a multi-tiered justice system to protect the rich and powerful but punish opposition is satanic.
  • A government that promotes peace and prosperity if from God, but one that promotes war and civil unrest at home or abroad is from the devil.

Quite simply, life, truth, prosperity and freedom come from God, which sounds a lot like our Declaration of Independence, but death, lies, debt, and slavery come from the evil one.

You must serve only the LORD your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. 26  There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives. Exodus 23:25-26 (NLT)

Health comes from God, but sickness and death come from sin and the devil. Blessings and prosperity come from God, but Satan wishes to curse and impoverish us. Children are a blessing from the Lord, but Satan wants us to be childless; hence, the emphasis on birth control, abortion, and population control. God wants us to be healthy and enjoy life, but Satan wants us sick and miserable; hence, the emphasis on medicines and vaccines that actually make us sicker and reduce childbirth and fertility. God wants us to be debt free, but Satan wants us crushed and impoverished by a mountain of debt; hence, his servants have spent our nation into a hopeless debt situation.

Is there any good news? Absolutely! The Bible tells us that Jesus came to set the captives free! He came to heal the sick, raise the dead, and pay back our hopeless debt!

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19  and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19 (NLT)

Jesus said that he came that we might have an “abundant” life here on earth and live forever in heaven! He came to reveal to us just how incredible God’s love is. He came to change us on the inside so we can become more and more like God, loving others, telling the truth, and helping others find their freedom in God, too.

How can we experience what Jesus came to give us? It’s really very simple. All we have to do is recognize that we need help and turn to Jesus. God wants us to acknowledge that we are incapable of living without him. He wants us to return to the Author of Life so he can be our all in all – our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Hope.

If we give Jesus our trust and allegiance, he will give us all that he is. We will discover that he really is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and we will escape from the tyranny of the devil.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

Why not make the exchange today? Give to God your sin and hopeless situation and receive all Jesus died to give to you. You might pray this simple prayer from your heart.

Prayer

Jesus, I am weary of being subject to the devil. I have had enough of his lying, stealing, and murder. Forgive me for being allied to him and for the things I have done, thought, and said that have evidenced my rebellion against you, Lord. I ask you to forgive me for trying to live independently from you, Lord. I give you my life, and I receive your forgiveness. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me to overflowing. Live your life through me. Empower and equip me to be a proper follower of Christ and his witness to others. Amen.

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How to Identify a Satanic Attack: Part 3 – Mockery, Threats, and Intimidation

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If deception and false accusations fail to succeed, the devil and his allies often resort to mockery, threats, and intimidation to discourage and instill fear to derail us from pursuing God’s purposes.

When Nehemiah endeavored to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, he encountered every form of satanic resistance and attack. The book of the Bible named after him is one of our best study guides for identifying and countering deception.

The Babylonians defeated Israel and tore down Jerusalem’s walls, making those still living in that area vulnerable to harassment from their enemies. This delighted those who hated Israel, but broke the heart of Nehemiah, a servant of the king of Persia. Nehemiah asked permission from King Artaxerxes to return and rebuild the wall, which was granted. Once this prodigious task was underway, the first thing Israel’s enemies did was mock their efforts with a small helping of false accusation added.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked. Nehemiah 2:19 (NLT)

The last thing these three men wanted to see was Israel’s return to any sort of prominence and strength. But Nehemiah refused to be intimidated. He replied:

...“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2:20 (NLT)

Because of Nehemiah’s firm leadership and the willingness of the workers tremendous progress was made very quickly. This provoked Israel’s enemies to step up their game.

Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2  saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” 3  Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” Nehemiah 4:1-3 (NLT)

The purpose of mockery is demoralization.

If the enemy can discourage us, we may stop ourselves, without his having to actively resist in any way. We must steel ourselves against the powerful weapon of being mocked and ridiculed. What others think about us is not our business.

Nehemiah recognized it as a formidable attack and responded appropriately, going directly to God.

Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5  Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.” Nehemiah 4:4-5 (NLT)

If mockery fails to accomplish its objective, God’s enemies will usually escalate their attack.

But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. 8  They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 9  But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. Nehemiah 4:7-9 (NLT)

The threat of physical violence is designed either to inflict harm or incapacitate us through fear and confusion.

If we have to defend ourselves, how can we get anything done? Another possible response to the threat of violence is to cease from doing what provokes the enemy’s anger. Nehemiah refused to be intimidated. In addition to prayer, he took action.

So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. 14  Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” 15  When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16  But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17  who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18  All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm. Nehemiah 4:13-18 (NLT)

When we are under satanic attack, as was Nehemiah, we must be prepared to encounter mockery, fear, and intimidation without letting those things deter us from doing God’s will.

Later Israel’s enemies lied and falsely accused the Jews of rebellion to the Persian government, but that tactic was overcome, too. In 52 days, the wall was completed, which was an amazing feat.

We are not trying to rebuild a physical wall. Instead, followers of Christ today are working to build and extend God’s kingdom here on earth through preaching the gospel and making disciples. Satan works overtime to keep us from obeying God in these two areas. It is my firm belief that the devil will tolerate many things that churches do, such as fellowship, pray, worship, and teach the Bible.

However, when a local assembly makes the commitment to pursue obedience to the Great Commission, it can expect to encounter strong satanic resistance.

When this happens, a decision must be made whether that church will continue on course or abandon the quest to obey God. Nehemiah was willing to endure the mockery, lies, threats, and even physical attack in order to rebuild Jerusalem. Restoring Jerusalem was more valuable to him than his own life. But we are part of something much bigger – the kingdom of God, which will never be destroyed. Earthly kingdoms will come and go, but God’s kingdom never ends. May God work in his people to make us so committed to God’s kingdom purposes that we will not allow anything to deflect us from that pursuit!

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How to Identify a Satanic Attack: Part 2 – Accusation

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Accusations almost always accompany a satanic attack. One of the most revealing names given to Satan in the Bible is the “Accuser.”

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10 (NLT)

Satan began his assault on humanity by accusing God to Eve.

He claimed that God did not have her best interests in mind, could not be trusted, and should be disregarded. It worked. For some reason, even from the beginning when Adam and Eve were pristine creations, people gravitate toward “dirt.” We seem to more easily believe a lie than the truth. The closer an accusation comes to the truth, the more effective it tends to be. If Satan was not afraid to accuse God, he certainly will have no qualms about accusing us! According to the Bible, he accuses us day and night to God’s face.

All accusations are painful, but false ones are violations of God’s command not to bear false witness.

Lying in court is called perjury and carries a heavy penalty. Lodging false accusations against people is a sin that carries a heavy price tag because it has the potential to destroy lives. God’s justice will see to it that liars are punished.

A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish. Proverbs 19:9 (NASB95)

Modern politics greatly relies upon accusations, and it does not seem to matter if they are true or not. Guilt or innocence is not the issue. Mud is thrown in the hope that some of it will stick in the minds of the voting populace. Jesus said that Satan is a “thief” whose goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) False accusations are a tool to accomplish that end.

Being falsely accused is a difficult test.

Everything in us wants to set the record straight. It is a fundamental violation of our character, integrity, and reputation. Jesus endured this test without feeling the need to retaliate because he fully trusted in God’s ability and promise to vindicate him eventually.

But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken! Isaiah 54:17 (NLT)

Waiting for God’s vindication is difficult, but the reward will be worth it.

Considering the amount of accusation exhibited in the current political landscape, it is obvious that our nation is under a severe satanic assault.

Even though God promises to punish false witnesses, it does not stop people from falsely accusing political enemies. If we find ourselves so targeted, we must trust that God can and will vindicate us as he sees fit.

So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. 10  He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling. 2 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT)

Totalitarian states encourage their citizens to report their neighbors to the authorities if they appear to violate some government order. This opens the door to all sorts of abuse, with the accused having no recourse. 

Such an accusation is a betrayal and breaks down trust in a society. It is a tool the devil uses to demoralize a populace, steal our freedom, kill our joy, and destroy our lives.

When people accuse one another to the government, we can be sure the devil is hard at work. 

How Can We Defend Ourselves?

When Satan accuses us of being sinners, he usually has plenty of ammunition. Even Christians who have the Holy Spirit living inside fall into sin. Jesus came and died on the cross as God’s Lamb to deliver us from every form of condemnation. He took the accusations, guilt, and punishment for our sins, so that we can walk free of all three.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

The first defense against Satan’s condemnatory accusations is to accept what Christ did to free us. Now that we have been made righteous in Christ, Satan bears false witness when he condemns us to God. 

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34  Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. Romans 8:33-34 (NLT)

In the courtroom of heaven, God is the judge, the defense lawyer, and the jury. When Satan falsely accuses us, the case is thrown out of court immediately. This was settled over 2000 years ago. On an individual basis, we have been set free from the power of false accusation in the spiritual realm.

But what about the natural world in which we live? How can we defend ourselves and those we love against the accuser of the brethren?

We can pray that God will expose this activity of the devil and cause it to backfire.

We can also point out when false accusation is being employed by those around us. This is similar to exposing the activity of a gossip. It needs to be brought to the light. Lastly, we can make sure we do not engage in the same.

There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. James 2:13 (NLT)

False accusers show no mercy, and none will be shown to them. Let’s choose to be mercy people. Since we need mercy, let’s give it to others. This is a positive example of reaping what we sow.

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How to Identify a Satanic Attack: Deception

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A chief characteristic of a satanic attack is deception.

Satan undermines individuals, groups, and entire societies by suppressing truth and aggressively spreading lies. All totalitarian nations do this. They control the information flow so that only the propaganda they create gets to the people. The way to undermine such a state is to create alternate ways for the truth to be known.

The Bible says that Satan is the “father of lies” and that “there is no truth in him.” (John 8:44) He overthrew Adam and Eve by lying to them about God’s character and motives and the consequences of sin.

Any person or organization that lies as a matter of course is satanically affiliated and is motivated and empowered by hell. (James 3:6)

Over the past several years reporting by the mainstream media has been characterized by deception and misinformation. You connect the dots. Many realize what is happening, which is maddening. Others, who have lost their ability to judge truth from falsehood, have no clue that they are being duped.

“A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just because it’s accepted by a majority.” – Booker T. Washington

Since lying is satanic, those who give themselves over to lying become tools of the devil. The scariest thing that can happen to a person is for God to give him or her over to the evil from which they refuse to renounce. (Romans 1:24, 26, 28) If that happens, there may be no escape. Repentance is a gift from God, and if the Holy Spirit stops working in someone to influence them toward good, the evil present in them will gain mastery over them.

“Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7  You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” Genesis 4:6-7 (NLT)

Sin mastered Cain because he refused to repent from his hatred and bitterness, resulting in his murder of Abel. This is what happened to Pharaoh when he repeatedly went back on his word and “hardened his heart” against God. When we refuse to respond to the Spirit’s promptings to turn away from evil, the Bible says that God “hardens our hearts.” (Exodus 9:12) The Lord gives some people over to their sin. He stops actively working to turn them away from their habitual disobedience, thereby allowing them to become captives to Satan to do his will.

Paul wrote:

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25  Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26  Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NLT)

Abandoning truth leads to captivity by Satan. Large numbers of people in our government and the media have given themselves over to lying and have become active agents in a satanic attack on our country.

The purpose of satanic deception is to hide truth, undermine our faith in God, and generally demoralize us.

Pontius Pilate illustrated what demoralization looks like, when he responded to our Lord, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) The personification of truth stood before him, but he could not recognize him. He had become so demoralized by all the lying he saw taking place over the years that he apparently gave up on the very idea of truth. His cynicism blocked any possibility for him to recognize the identity of our Lord. Such can happen to anyone who lives in a society that routinely inundates its people with deception.

False information leads to bad conclusions which produce destructive actions. It should be obvious that this is happening in society at large. Large numbers of people have swallowed lies regarding homosexuality, transgenderism, sex outside of marriage, abortion, and so on.

Believing lies often results in disobedience to God, bringing upon ourselves the negative consequences associated with sin.

Nobody ever “gets away with” sin. We always reap what we sow, eventually.

How Do We Defend Ourselves?

A key to fending off satanic deception is to be a lover of truth which necessitates that we read, study, and obey God’s Word in the Bible.

The antidote for the poison of deception is the truth. Armed with the truth, we can make our stand against the lies and schemes of the devil.

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. Ephesians 6:14 (NLT)

Jesus is the Truth. He stands opposed to Satan’s lies. His truth sets us free from the power of the lie.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT)

Once we embrace truth, it is like turning on the lights. The dark power of the lie simply goes away. It cannot survive exposure to the light.

God wants his people to boldly proclaim truth, which starts with sharing the gospel. It includes a wholesale acceptance of the Bible, all of it, as God’s written truth to us. God’s Word is truth. (John 17:17) But our responsibility extends beyond the confines of religion.

We are to stand for truth in every area. We must be declarers of truth wherever we discover that lies are being propagated.

In our day, this is nearly everywhere: government, education, medicine, the news media, television, the movies, and what is called “science”. Remember: Satan

...will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)
Steps to Freedom
  1. Confess that Jesus, who is the Truth, is the Lord. To follow Christ is to embrace truth.
  2. Read, think about, and put into practice the teachings of the Bible.
  3. Repent in any area where you have embraced deception.
  4. Become a truth teller.
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Legalism Plays the Blame Game

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Legalism plays the blame game and uses guilt to manipulate and motivate people. Psychologists recognize that we often deride and malign others in an attempt to bolster our own position or image. We also sometimes project on others the things of which we are guilty ourselves. This can be done malignantly to deceive or it can be simply a form of denial. We often fail to see in ourselves what we clearly see in others. We imagine that we are better than the person we judge, and feel comfortable accusing them, without realizing that, in so doing, we condemn ourselves.

Paul highlighted this sinful tendency in his letter to the church in Rome.

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. Romans 2:1 (NLT)

Our propensity to judge others for the things for which we are also guilty reveals that we have not seen or accepted the truth about our own sinfulness.

A root of legalism is that we think we are better than we are.

Jesus told a parable (Matthew 18:21-35) about a servant who owed his master an enormous debt for which he no means to repay it. Rather than consign his bankrupt servant to debtor’s prison, the master amazingly completely forgave the debt. Perhaps such magnanimity was an affront to the servant’s pride, who imagined still that he was capable of repaying the debt. The ungrateful and deceived servant immediately set about trying to do just that by collecting much smaller debts that others owed him. When a fellow servant was unable to come up with the money owed, the forgiven servant threw him into debtor’s prison. When the master heard about this, he became furious and had the previously forgiven man also placed in the same prison.

The first servant’s main problem was his pride which kept him from seeing that he was a pauper, who fully depended on his master’s mercy. He thought he was better than he was and certainly better than the one who owed him money. Demanding from others what we cannot produce ourselves is a sure sign of pride and legalism.

When this is our condition, we do not appreciate the mercy shown to us and refuse to give any to others.

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:3 (NLT)

We undercut the mercy shown to us when we refuse to give any to others.

By default, our sinful pride influences us all to gravitate toward legalism.

The false narrative of legalism is that we can improve ourselves and become acceptable to God, if we try hard enough.

Some of us have been engaged in a lifelong remediation project in the hope that one day, hopefully soon, we will finally arrive at our destination – the level of perfection we think is attainable. The Bible teaches that this is the surest way to frustration, anger, and depression. Pursuing perfection can totally demoralize us or turn us into mean spirited self-righteous judges.

The more we try to measure up to the demands of God’s righteousness using our own resources, the greater will be our failure.

Paul discovered this and wrote about it in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 7:14-25). Until we realize how bankrupt we are, we will feel comfortable accusing and condemning ourselves, our leaders, the church, and everyone else, and, by doing so, unwittingly ally ourselves with Satan, the Accuser. (Revelation 12:10) Misery loves company.

The Price We Pay

When we judge others in an accusatory and condemning way, we heap judgment upon ourselves.

And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3  Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Romans 2:2-3 (NLT)

Jesus also warned us about the flashback effect of improperly judging others.

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2  For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)

No one likes to be judged; yet, we often do it to others without regard for the negative consequences. Judging others restricts them and us. Judging others invites God’s judgment into our own lives. Judging others strips away our joy and peace.

When we improperly judge someone, we lose the ability to help or be helped by them.

When we judge and condemn those in authority, we may open the door for divine judgment to fall upon us. I am truly concerned about those who call themselves Christians and who seem to feel very comfortable railing at our president. (Acts 23:5).  If you are not familiar with the stories of those who decided it was fine to attack and criticize Moses, you should read those accounts, such as found in Numbers 16. It is sobering.

Examples
  • Sometimes I am surprised when church leaders say that the current broken state of society is the church’s fault. This presupposes that if we do everything right, everyone else will also do the right thing, which is totally false. Jesus did all the right things when it came to training his apostles: yet, one of them betrayed him. It certainly was not Jesus’ fault. God created Adam and Eve and gave them a perfect environment; nevertheless, at the first opportunity, they betrayed their Creator to follow Satan. Was that God’s fault? Of course not. Perfect parents, if there ever were such a thing, cannot guarantee that their children will turn out well.

Legalism’s false narrative is that if we can perform well enough, we can guarantee an outcome. The other side of the coin is that if we get a bad outcome, it was our fault.

If we accept the lie that the church is responsible to change the world through its performance, we fall into a legalistic trap that will lead to frustration, demoralization, or self-righteousness.

  • Some people teach that God always physically heals us when we ask him. They cite scriptures that bolster this position and insist that God is always true to his word. Therefore, they reason, if we do not receive our healing, the fault must lie with us. People are taught to deny that they are sick, since God has healed them already. They are encouraged to repeat over and over the verses that promise healing, in the hope that faith will grow and God will be persuaded by our persistence. I remember once when I heard that the family of a man dying from cancer would admit no one who did not hold the same belief about positively confessing healing. People who properly discerned that it was his time to die were not allowed to console and encourage him as he approached the threshold into eternity. I thank God for his promises. I thank him that Jesus paid the price for my healing. I believe that we should trust him to do just what he promised, but I also realize that it is in God’s discretion and timing how he dispenses his grace and gifts. Everyone dies eventually, and only God knows when it is our time. Jesus holds the keys of hell and death. When that moment arrives, nothing is going to stop it from happening. Likewise, before it is time for us to die, nothing can take us out by stealth.

Surrendering our lives and health to a loving and sovereign God is the surest way to peace and being able to discern what the Spirit is speaking to us about our situation.

We should beware of legalistic formulas that supposedly guarantee spiritual outcomes.

Instead we should make it our priority to grow in our trust in our all-powerful and loving God, who always has our best interests in mind. When we do this, we fully trust his promises but leave the outcome to him.

(You can read more about this important topic in my book, Seeing God’s Smile, which can be purchased on Amazon.)

Conclusion

Life is so much easier and more joyful when we admit that we are spiritual paupers who depend on the mercy of God and have no right or business condemning others. There is a proper form of judgment, which amounts to wise discernment, but never morphs into condemnation. It is important that we refrain from judging ourselves, too. We get enough of that from the devil and other people.

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Legalism Tries to Control Us

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Not only does legalism seek to measure our spiritual progress and standing, it also tries to control us. God gave us freedom when he created us, but we traded our liberty for bondage when we believed the devil’s lie in the garden. By pursuing what was presented as freedom from having to depend on God, we became trapped in bondage to sin and death. Jesus died and rose again to set us free, which we can experience if we are willing to surrender to his benevolent lordship. Freedom is found only in God.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (NASB95)

Freedom is based in truth; whereas, bondage is founded on a lie. 

The gift of grace provides freedom; whereas, legalism, which is founded on the lie that we can and must earn and maintain our right standing with God, always produces darkness and slavery to sin.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT)

At the government level, the bondage of sin influences those in authority to seek to control those under their oversight. Sin, left unrestrained, will always trend toward the darkness of totalitarianism.

Totalitarian governments prey upon the fears of the populace by offering security in return for the surrender of personal freedoms.

The goal of the individuals at the top of such governments is total power, wealth, and control. Since bondage and the desire to control originate in Satan and are a product of our sin, the end game of totalitarian governments is usually quite sinister, including seeking to destroy those who worship and serve the God who gives freedom. Totalitarian governments suppress truth and anything that would work towards setting people free on the inside, such as faith in God and free speech. Propaganda replaces the sharing of truth. Thought and speech are monitored to make sure everyone is participating in the lie. Totalitarian governments usually strip from their people any means of self-defense. Where freedom exists, people are able to worship, speak, and assemble as they see fit. They are also allowed to have the means to defend themselves.

Totalitarianism can exist in churches, too. The principles at work are the same as in government.

Unscrupulous church leadership may take advantage of the ignorance and fear of their people by offering them a path to obtain security with God at the price of surrendering to church control.

Keep the rules, kiss the ring, and you can go to heaven.

The Roman Catholic Church maintained such control over most of Europe during the Middle Ages. As with governments, their goal seemed to be the accumulation of power and wealth. To achieve this, the church developed elaborate schemes to hold the populace in bondage to it, rather than preaching the gospel of freedom. The church presented itself as the only gateway for people to reach God. They taught that the church held the key to obtaining and maintaining a right standing with God. Only the priests could provide the sacraments which were the means of staying in a right relationship with God – baptism, confirmation, holy communion, confession, matrimony, holy orders, and the last rites. Common people, called the laity, were taught that they had no direct access to God, making them dependent on the the mediation of the priesthood. All of this is contrary to the New Covenant.

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)

(I have written several articles exposing the errors of Roman Catholicism, in which I participated up until the time of my new birth experience as a 19 year old freshman at university. You can access them by clicking here.)

The Reformation set dynamite to the Roman Catholic Church’s totalitarian tyranny, opening the gates to the masses to approach God directly without the mediation of the church or the priesthood. Proclaiming the banner of Sola Scriptura, the reformers taught that the Word of God is the only standard for judging what is right and wrong and acceptable to God, replacing the Catholic Church’s insistence that church tradition and the infallibility of the papacy trumped the Bible.

In the brave new world of the Protestant movement, the freedom to worship according to the dictates of conscience was restored, at least partly, which also introduced a greater degree of personal accountability. Reformers took advantage of this freedom to explore and develop their own versions of what it meant to follow God, resulting in an explosion of new sects and denominations. But the Reformation did not deal with the inherent sinful desire in humanity to control others. Soon the larger Protestant groups sought to control over some of the new sects which they regarded with suspicion. This extended even to actively persecuting these groups.

Today, in America, where at the moment we still have freedom to worship as we see fit, we often find legalistic control at the denominational and local church levels. We are free to associate with whatever church we choose, but sometimes we may suffer for it. We may even find ourselves being controlled by the church of our choice.

Because of sin, legalism is our default setting. It takes constant vigilance to ward off the tentacles of encroaching legalism.

Here are some of the things to which we should be alert in our quest to maintain our freedom.

The Insistence of Our Acceptance of Non-essential Doctrines

An essential doctrine is one that is required for us to be called a Christian. If God does not require it for entrance into heaven, it is not essential here on earth either.

We should be wary of any church or leader that requires members to adhere to doctrines that fall into the non-essential category in order to be a part of a local church. 

Church leaders sometimes use their influence to pursue personal “pet” projects. For example, the United Methodist Church has aligned itself with the LGBTQ+ position, forcing its members to choose between adhering to traditional biblical morality and leave the church or stay with the denomination as it careens away from biblical truth. Those members who have no firm anchor in God’s Word will likely be swept away by the church’s improper use of its influence and power. If you are in a church that is more loyal to a popular societal position than to God’s truth, get out before you partake in its judgment.

The Exaltation of Leaders

Totalitarian regimes, even in the church, always have a privileged ruling class. Jesus taught that a qualifier for leadership in his kingdom is being a servant.

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

If you see that your church improperly exalts its leaders, it should serve as a red flag. It is always appropriate to honor our leaders (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 1 Timothy 5:17), but never to put them in a separate status above the rest of the church.

The Attempt to Control Personal Decisions

Our forefathers in America during the Great Awakening defined slavery in a broad sense as not being allowed to follow the dictates of our own conscience.

They were willing to fight and die to secure this freedom, but today we meekly acquiesce when the government routinely strips us of the ability to make personal decisions, such as during the coronavirus lock down. During what was called the Discipleship Movement a few decades ago, church members were told not to make some family decisions, such as buying new appliances or a car, without checking in first with whomever was in their discipleship “up line.”

Parents make decisions for little children, but making decisions for adults strips away their dignity and hinders their personal and spiritual growth.

Paul made it clear that we are never to seek such dominance over the faith of others.

But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm. 2 Corinthians 1:24 (NLT)

If you are in such a church, get out before you get used to being their slave.

The Attempt to Control Thought and Speech

Our society is currently being assaulted by the thought and speech police who run Big Tech. This censorship violates our First Amendment rights. We are being told what words we can use, what positions we can have, and with what political party we should align.

Sadly, the church has been known to participate in such tyranny by using its position as an arbiter of truth to influence its members to embrace a false narrative.

For example, some churches have embraced the lie that to identify sexual sin is tantamount to hate speech. However, if the Bible is true, we are asked by God to love those who embrace a sinful lifestyle and proclaim that their way of doing life is in direct opposition to the purposes and plan of the Creator and will ultimately end in their death and destruction. The gospel does not condemn us in our sin, but offers a way out. We condemn ourselves, however, if we refuse the offer. God’s judgment against sin stands. The only remedy is faith in Jesus and what he did to free us from the guilt and condemnation of sin.

The church operates in the dynamic tension between loving people who have been deceived and captured by sin while holding to the biblical position that all sin will be judged.

Jesus did this, and the Holy Spirit can help us to share the truth with love, too.

If we find ourselves in a church that tries to control thought and speech, we must flee and find somewhere that allows people to pursue God in accordance with our own conscience and understanding of God’s Word.

Healthy churches teach biblical truth and encourage their people to check it out for themselves.

And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. Acts 17:11 (NLT)
Conclusion

In writing this article, I have made the presupposition that the reader understands that freedom does not preclude the proper function of godly authority. The spiritual road we travel has two ditches to avoid: lawlessness and legalism. We live in a dynamic tension between freedom and a proper sort of control. True freedom is allowing God’s Spirit to control us.

He uses people to help us along the way, especially church leaders, who are responsible before God for the flock they oversee. They are charged with teaching God’s truth, encouraging the weak and faint- hearted, rebuking the headstrong when they plunge into sin and error, and even on occasion administering church discipline. 

We live in a dynamic tension between properly listening to those whom God placed in authority in our lives, without relinquishing personal freedom and responsibility before God for our thoughts and actions.

Likewise, church leaders must always evaluate how far their authority can be properly exercised without damaging their people’s relationship with God. As with government, less is usually better.

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Legalism Tries to Measure Us

deception

Legalism likes to hide in plain sight; so, in order to recognize it, we need to know where to look. One of the main characteristics of a legalistic mindset is the need to measure how we are doing spiritually. We look for ways to measure our righteousness against some established standard or against another person’s performance.

Those in the business world have developed standard ways to measure success. In some small businesses success might be measured in a variety of ways, including profitability, service to the community, producing a quality product, or customer satisfaction. When a company grows larger, it is often purchased by investors who simply want to obtain an acceptable return on investment, or ROI. When profitability is the only measurement of success, the things that made the company profitable in the first place or often sacrificed in the pursuit of a greater ROI.

We live in a time when a large segment of the church has adopted policies and methods from the business world with corresponding ways to measure success.

The modern church growth movement is largely responsible, but it is part of human nature to want to gauge how we are doing on our spiritual journey. Three Bs have been used by measurement-minded pastors for years: bodies, bucks, and buildings. Rate of growth, numbers in attendance, and new baptisms are sometimes factored into the body count. Many times, pastors try to leave their mark on congregations and build their resumes by being the instrument for pulling off a building project, often saddling the congregation with debt and the pressure to maintain a high level of attendance and giving.

Measuring success using worldly parameters pressures church leaders to present a version of church and the gospel that will draw and keep the largest number of people.

Jesus set the bar very high for his followers and often “thinned the herd” by reminding them of the high cost of discipleship. Churches that major on attendance often struggle between preaching God’s unadulterated truth and being seeker friendly enough to keep people coming back. The pressure to keep church income high enough to cover the cost of staff, programs, and facilities can put pressure on leaders to overlook the sins and offenses of large donors and to prefer the most prosperous segments of society in violation of Christ’s clear command not to do this. (Luke 14:13-14) Measuring success by financial gauges can also lead to an unhealthy emphasis on money that drives some people away from the church and the gospel.

When we grasp the extraordinary nature of the new covenant, it sets us free from any need to measure ourselves against any external standard of judgment.

The true gospel announces that salvation is by grace through faith alone.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB95)

Since our Lord Jesus perfectly kept the Law and died in our place as a law breaker, he accomplished everything needed for our salvation. There remains nothing to be added to it except our faith and  allegiance to Christ and his promises.

The legalistic mindset, however, even though it may begin with grace, always looks for some way to measure a person’s spiritual progress or status by adding adherence to some outward standard of behavior or submitting to some form of control. The early legalists were called Judaizers. They insisted that Gentile believers not only must declare allegiance to Christ but also had to be circumcised and keep other elements of the law of Moses. Paul decried this demand as an affront to what Christ had already accomplished through his death and resurrection. The proof that God did not require this addition to the gospel was that God gave the Holy Spirit to believing Gentiles who had never been circumcised. If God accepted them without keeping the Law, how could the church not?

Paul refused to allow legalists to define Christianity in terms of adherence to outward standards.

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20  My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21  I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:19-21 (NLT)

A simple way to identify legalism is to ask ourselves if some standard is being used to measure our devotion to Christ other than our inner faith and outward verbal confession of allegiance to him. (Romans 10:9-10)

Legalism can be as obvious as a church forbidding its members to smoke cigarettes or as subtle as influencing people toward a political stance. It can be as easy to discern as insisting that only a priest can forgive our sins or as hidden as making non-essential doctrines a litmus test for church membership. Anything that attempts to measure our performance, demands that we adhere to some outward standard of behavior not connected to morality, or seeks to control us through spiritual means smells of legalism.

Trusting in God’s grace means we set our focus on Christ himself rather than evaluate our own spiritual development.

Think about it: can we ever really know how we are progressing spiritually? Isn’t trying to do so a trap? Paul wrote about this.

As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4  My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5  So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 (NLT)

By now I hope you understand that this article is only for serious disciples. If you are looking for an excuse to give yourself over to some form of sin in the name of freedom from legalism, you are going down the wrong path and in serious danger. But if we are honestly pursuing Christ, we need to be encouraged to disregard every man made report card.

There is no effective way to measure how disciples are doing spiritually because God does not allow it. It is a insult to God to measure what Christ has already accomplished, as if it were not sufficient.

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