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By:Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Reflection based on Set Apart: A 6 Week Study of the Beatitudes

The Beatitudes usher us into grace-- where the focus is on the heart that produces behaviors. They lead us out of legalism-- where the focus is on our ability to produce right behavior.

I realize that it is hard to define legalism. God calls us to obedience. He has established laws that are meant to protect us. We do need to use Spirit-enabled discipline to choose between right and wrong. Legalism is something different from being committed to obedience.

There are some differences between our love-motivated obedience and legalism.  One difference between legalism and obedience is the focus. If you notice that your walk of obedience is a burden, if it is draining you and causing you anxiety, or if you are often worried about whether you are breaking a rule, put it before the Lord for Him to help you see if legalism has slipped in.

Another difference between obedience and legalism is the effect each produces in your life. If you are caught in legalism, you might find that your obedience to the laws of God gives you a sense of superiority. Do you find yourself looking down on others whom you perceive as less rule-following than you are? Or, does your focus on the rules give you a measuring stick against which to measure others, and decide who is and isn't measuring up? If your walk of obedience is leaving you with a judgmental and critical attitude, you are likely being hindered by legalism.

Yet another difference between obedience and legalism is that legalism will often put the most emphasis on outward behaviors and ignore inner attitudes. What did Jesus say to the world-class rule-followers, the religious elite of the day? " Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness" (Matthew 23:27-28).

We are not to ignore commands that have to do with behaviors because there is a loving and productive and protective purpose for those commands.   However, if we adhere to the outward forms of behavior and give no thought to the attitudes and positions of the heart, then we have missed the point all together.

Another difference between obedience and legalism is that some people use legalistic ultra-strict rule-following, even adding rules as they go, to compensate for the shame they themselves feel. Sometimes this shame is the wrongly-placed sense of shame. Sometimes it is shame over an inner compulsion that they struggle with. Instead of turning inward and allowing the deep healing of the Holy Spirit in that area, they turn the struggle outward and try to find more and more rules to follow and to impose on those around them. Each time they follow one of their rules, it temporarily relieves the guilt and shame of their inner struggle.  

Legalism keeps our eyes on ourselves instead of on Jesus. When the most zealous law-keepers of Jesus' day met Him, they were so blinded by their version of the law that they did not recognize the Living Law in front of them.  

Obedience goes beyond legalism. There was no rule for Jesus to follow that said, "Thou shalt feed 5,000 people with a loaf of bread and a few fishes." Obedience flows spontaneously from the one who has his ear pressed against the Father's heart to hear its every desire. To be satisfied with following the rules would cause you to miss the joy of obedience.

(Read more in my upcoming book Life Unhindered! Five Keys to Walking in Freedom, due out in April 2010.)

 A popular conference speaker, author, radio host and teacher, Jennifer is nationally recognized as an expert on the topic of prayer. Her desire to challenge people to live a praying life exudes onto the pages of her books and through the airwaves of her podcast, webcast and radio show. Jennifer believes a successful, powerful Christian life has its roots in a life of prayer. She challenges believers to grow past packaged, formula prayers and instead live in a continual state of openness to the power and provision of God.