Romans 6:1-4 (NKJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Jesus said, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30). Therefore, our walk with God was never meant to be burdensome and difficult but easy and light. However, many Christians feel the weight of trying to live the Christian life. Slowly, condemnation sets in, causing them to drift away from God. This is because they have begun to put their identity in what they do rather than in who they are in Christ, and their walk with God has become legalistic rather than rooted in grace—or in their identity in Christ.
All Christians have died with Christ when they received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. However, as we are used to Phileo love, which is conditional, we tend to look for the do’s and don’ts in the Bible so as not to disappoint God. We will attempt to use our own strength to gain God’s love and acceptance. However, not only will we fail miserably because of the weakness of the flesh, but we will also soon find ourselves becoming legalistic and judgemental towards other Christians.
Our relationship with God can begin to drift when we feel that we do not measure up to His expectations, exacerbated by the devil’s condemnation. When legalism rules our lives, it can also make us critical and harsh towards others. In this way, a legalistic lifestyle can lead us into sin against God.
Some might slip back into living as the old man, or allow the old man to return. In fact, some Christians might not even realise they can live as the new man. Therefore, it is crucial to renew our minds with the Word, so that we understand who we are and what we can do in Christ.
The Apostle Paul emphasised who we are in the new man, and that the old man no longer has power over us. We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light, and we are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness. Because of the new creation, we have been set free from our old way of life and can now live as the new man from the inside out.
To walk in this truth, we need to continually renew our minds. Christianity is not about striving to earn God’s approval, but about Jesus’ finished work of redemption and the abundant grace of God. As we grow in this understanding, our walk with God becomes what it was always meant to be—easy and light.
Reflection: In what ways has legalism—mixing grace with law—affected your relationship with God and how you relate to others? What might God be asking you to change?
Sermon Series： Legalism or Life in Christ
放下律法主义的重担
罗马书 6:1-4 这样，怎么说呢？我们可以仍在罪中，叫恩典显多吗？ 断乎不可！我们在罪上死了的人，岂可仍在罪中活着呢？ 岂不知我们这受洗归入基督耶稣的人，是受洗归入他的死吗？ 所以，我们借着洗礼归入死，和他一同埋葬，原是叫我们一举一动有新生的样式，像基督借着父的荣耀从死里复活一样。
耶稣说：“因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。”（马太福音 11:30）因此，我们与神同行本不应该是沉重艰难的，而应当是轻省容易的。然而，许多基督徒却常常感受到活出基督徒生命的重担。渐渐地，定罪感进入他们的心，使他们与神越来越疏远。这是因为他们开始把自己的身份建立在“所做的事”上，而不是建立在“自己在基督里是谁”上；他们与神的关系变得律法化，而不是扎根于恩典和在基督里的身份。
当我们接受耶稣基督作救主和生命的主时，我们都已经与基督同死。然而，由于我们习惯了带有条件的友情之爱（Phileo），我们往往会在圣经中不断寻找各种“该做”和“不该做”的规定，以免让神失望。于是，我们试图靠自己的力量去赢得神的爱与接纳。但由于肉体的软弱，我们不仅会屡屡失败，也很快会变得律法主义，并对其他基督徒产生论断和批评。
当我们觉得自己达不到神的要求时，再加上魔鬼不断地控告，我们与神的关系就容易逐渐疏远。当律法主义掌控我们的生命时，它也会使我们对别人变得苛刻、挑剔和缺乏恩慈。如此一来，律法主义的生活方式反而会使我们陷入得罪神的罪中。
有些信徒会不知不觉地退回到“旧人”的生活方式中，甚至容许旧人的生命重新掌权。事实上，有些基督徒甚至不知道自己能够活出“新人”的生命。因此，我们必须不断借着神的话语更新心意，使自己明白在基督里我们是谁，以及我们能够活出怎样的生命。
使徒保罗特别强调我们作为“新人”的身份，并指出旧人已经不再辖制我们。我们已经从黑暗的国度被迁入光明的国度；我们不再是罪的奴仆，而是义的奴仆。因着成为新造的人，我们已经从过去的生活方式中得释放，如今能够从里面到外面活出新人的生命。
要活在这个真理中，我们需要持续更新自己的思想。基督信仰不是努力挣扎去赚取神的认可，而是建立在耶稣已经完成的救赎工作，以及神丰盛的恩典之上。当我们越来越认识这个真理时，我们与神同行的生活就会恢复到祂原本的心意——轻省而自由。
默想：律法主义（将恩典与律法混合）曾如何影响你与神的关系，以及你与他人的相处方式？神此刻可能正在邀请你作出哪些改变？
讲章系列：律法主义，还是在基督里的生命？