God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
A famous cigarette billboard pictures a curly-headed, bronze-faced, muscular macho with a cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth. The sign says, 'Where a man belongs.' That is a lie. Where a man belongs is at the bedside of his children, leading in devotion and prayer. Where a man belongs is leading his family to the house of God. Where a man belongs is up early and alone with God seeking vision and direction for the family.
Consequences of legalism:
1. Keeps people distanced and alienated from God. Afraid of God, the taskmaster. Afraid of God’s rejection. No assurance or security.
2. Guilt, condemnation (Rom. 8:1), accusation, disapproval (both objective and subjective).
3. Defeat, despair, frustration, futility. “It’s a losing battle. I can never do enough, be good enough, do it right and perfect as expected.” Burned out!
4. Self-destructive behavior; self-belittling, sense of worthlessness, low personal concept of oneself.
5. Hypocrisy. Play-acting; role-playing; lip-service (Matt. 15:8, 9). Contrived piety, perfunctory performance, pretense, ostentation.
6. Minimalization. What do I have to do to get by, to side-step the rules?
7. Impersonalization; shallow personal relationships because they relate to law rather that to Person of Jesus Christ and other persons.
