06/20/18 COUNTERFEITS ON EVERY HAND
ADDING to, and SUBTRACTING from God's word, (aka legalism and lawlessness)
EQUALS disaster for the perpetrators and the hearers.
LOVE: not Legalism or Lawlessness
If you know me, you know that I often address the false doctrines of sinning religion (lawlessness) and very seldom deal with the problems of legalism. Actually, early in my ministry (50 years ago) I was more often dealing with the lies of legalism, because that was the more popular aberrant misrepresentation of Christianity (along with Liberalism) in those days. Recent years have produced more lawlessness. The form of opposition raised against Biblical holiness depends on the religious leanings of a given community. Another supposed Christian movement today is the Emergent group (which is basically Liberalism with a mask). Of course, the rise of the false cults and the more recent threat of violent world religions are present day concerns as well.
Years ago I constantly ran into the false notion that HOLINESS was a matter of rules and regulations religion or supposedly speaking in tongues or snake handling (reptilian not spiritual), as well as the idea that HOLINESS is evidenced by dressing in uniformity or period garb, and laced with judgmental-ism. The word and the reality and the experience and the life of HOLINESS was taken over by false religion. This was Satan's way of turning people away from the full salvation of God. Satan is the master deceiver. Adding man-made rules to salvation closes the door to salvation and misrepresents what it means to be set free from sin, and fosters a self righteous attitude.
I have friends that are held captive by the darkness of both, legalism and lawlessness. I love my friends, but I am aghast at the dangers they face and they foist on other people.
I am sadly aware that my message of perfect love, pure heart, spiritual unity, holy living, and a victorious-joyous life is rejected because people have a false notion about HOLINESS.
It is hard enough fighting the good fight of faith against the powers that openly reject God's rule in our lives, but then it is aided and abetted by so-called "holiness folks" who add man-made rules and obstacles to a life of total surrender to Jesus.
I personally think if folks are going to err concerning the problem of external-ism and morality, it is better to do that which we believe is pleasing to God than to live in presumption of God and His grace. BUT THERE IS NO ROOM FOR EITHER LEGALISM OR LAWLESSNESS.
Between Legalism and Lawlessness is Love (perfect love for God and man). There is no reason to break the known law of God, but there is no excuse for requiring folks to conform to human standards rather than clear teaching of Scripture.
Revelation 22:18-19
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
