In the tradition of John Bunyan and his Pilgrim’s Progress, permit me to introduce you to Mr. Legalist.
In this case, Mr. Legalist is indeed a true Christian, but he’s a Christian constantly tempted by bondage. Mr. Legalist’s flesh (meaning his mind and heart, abetted by the rest of his body) tempts this man to fixate on a false righteousness apart from grace, apart from Christ; a righteousness earned according to Law. What Law? Not the Law of Moses. As a Western Christian, Mr. Legalist is educated enough by Scripture and culture not to think himself a Jew living under the former covenants. His Law is something else, something more nebulous and thus quite nefarious. Mr. Legalist’s Law is whatever standards or authorities exist before whom he thinks he must be right in order to be good. On one occasion, the standards might be other church folk. Other times they’re secular legal codes (quite literally, the law). Occasionally they’re a set of regulations pertinent to his work. They can even be something as simple as the set of rules in his housing association. All these authorities are likely good in a certain sphere, but Mr. Legalist exalts them and makes them a tool to earn his salvation. Mind you, he wouldn’t think of himself as doing such a rebellious thing, but truthfully, sadly, he’s quite guilty. Mr. Legalist labors to keep these standards, not driven by love, but by self-keeping self-preservation, with a healthy dose of anxious fear.
In order to accomplish this unattainable perfection, Mr. Legalist carries around in his head a full staff of legal professionals. His law court comes complete with judge, jury, a prosecutor who’s quite fearsome, a defense attorney who’s rather unimpressive, and a bailiff. This court is almost always in session, sometimes sitting even when Mr. Legalist sleeps. He tries to rule the court like God but fails…over-and-over again. He finds the players unruly. He labors to ensure the prosecutor is thorough, the judge exacting, the defense attorney competent, and the bailiff prompt. The court must function well so that if it convicts Mr. Legalist at any point, the result isn’t too disastrous, and if it exonerates him, the result is defensible.
Needless to say, Mr. Legalist’s internal court burdens him and even crushes him at times. As he grows in real holiness, real Christlikeness, he’ll realize as much. As time goes on and he grows in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, Mr. Legalist discovers that his mental judge is corrupt. The prosecutor is a scrupulous fraud. The defense attorney is worse than incompetent, and the bailiff is downright vicious. No wonder Mr. Legalist lives burdened with anxiety, given to self-centered fastidiousness, and tempted to extend his imperious regime into the lives of others around him. He doesn’t realize, not at first, the corrupt bondage in which he so often wallows.
Mr. Legalist also doesn’t realize, not at first, that he’s a proud man. That’s because his pride masquerades with an oddly self-deprecating disguise. He knows he can’t measure up to the Law he worships, and so his legalism sours into a strange species of noxious narcissistic victimhood or martyrdom. It’s all pride, all the idolatrous worship of self.
Mr. Legalist needs the Gospel. He needs freedom from oppressive laws by liberation into the Law of Love, the Law of Christ. He needs to learn the true nature of biblical law and biblical Gospel. He needs to experientially learn the depth of these words spoken by him who is both Savior and Judge: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV). Mr. Legalist needs to hear from the former Legalist Pharisee made apostle: “…yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified…I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose…For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 2:16, 20-21; 5:1, ESV). As he slowly changes, Mr. Legalist will cherish the experience of his fellow pilgrim, the one of whom John Bunyan wrote years ago: “…as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.”
Fellow Pilgrim, please help Mr. Legalist. You need not fear him becoming an antinomian Christian, a lawless man (though even he needs guarding against ungodly license). Rather, be gentle with him. Guard his conscience as a weaker brother while also not pandering to his sin and feeding his idolatry of self. Live the Gospel in front of him. Preach it to him. Press its truth home to him and help him learn wisdom instead of scrupulous fear. As he is refined by the indwelling Spirit, you will probably find Mr. Legalist to be a Christian gifted with a sharp mind and a man well-tuned to sound doctrine. Such is part of the glorious beauty of his capacities redeemed by Christ. The corrupt and prideful legal activity of his soul must end so that the godly scribe can thrive instead.
Fix Your Mind 