Legalism still going strong

I had an interesting thought tonight in my Ethics class. As we were discussing how we process decisions we talked about Legalism. Legalism is basically the thought of there is one rule that applies to all situations. It is universal in application. For example look at the portrayal of the Pharisees in the Gospels and more specifically the Good Samaritan. The Levite and Priest were following a rule: do not touch a dead person because you will be unclean therefore unable to perform your priestly duties. Good reason to stay clean I think we’d all agree. This rule applied to all situations with no exception, so they thought. Then a Samaritan comes along, who does not have this rule or claim over him, sees the perceived dead man, but checks to find out that he is actually alive. Had the others simply checked they would have helped the injured man. The rule required an exception.

What’s the irony I saw? Many Christians bash the Jewish leaders during the time of Jesus. Those leaders were so ignorant and cold hearted!!! Yet we do the same thing because we apply the same logic in our dealings with people not Christian. We have this “rule” and it applies in all spaces regardless of context. Homosexuality, politics, women in leadership, and everything else. It is easier to find a rule, apply it, and then be done with it. The Christian life lives in the messier side. The transformation comes not from the outside influences, but through the heart as we are transformed into the image of Christ. To have more kindness is to be more human. The Samaritan showed kindness, the fruits of the Spirit, therefore acted more human. Mercy was the point of the story. Mercy is required before the rule.

This is just a quick recap. I have a lot to process on this and figuring out application in the church and outside the church. We have to see the principle behind the rules and then apply according. My teacher said, “Beliefs are truths that I hold, but conviction are truths that hold me.” What was the basic conviction of the Good Samaritan? Help out someone in need. I would argue the Levite and Priest held the same conviction, but their belief that the man was dead trumped their conviction, thereby acting inhumane.