The second hill I had to overcome as a follower of Christ is the hill of legalism. (I am a recovering Pharisee!)
When I became a Christian on May 27, 1990 Jesus Christ completely changed me.
However, I bought entire the false mindset that Jesus saved me by grace but that he would continue to love me because of all the wonderful, good and pure things I did for him which led to a lifestyle of legalism.
I was the guy that told people that they couldn’t listen to secular music or that they would go to Hell. I burnt tapes, broke CDs and numerous other things in order to destroy the “devil’s music”. (I think God was ok with me destroying New Kids On The Block CD’s…but not the 80’s hair medal bands!)
I was the guy that told people that they couldn’t go see rated R movies because if they did that it would make God sad and that he was not pleased with them (thus making me miss Braveheart which I am incredibly bitter about-but that’s another story).
I was the guy that told people that they basically couldn’t have any fun and I was the guy that told people that you can’t drink a beer and love Jesus- there isn’t any possible way and I won’t be open to the idea that you can do that and still love God. (Although I didn’t have a problem with hitting a buffet and having a gut that prevented me from seeing my toes! Legalism is SO dangerous…you can see the sins of others…but your sins become covered in a form of arrogant self righteousness!)
My first conversion took place on May 27, 1990 when Jesus saved me from Hell but my second conversion “took place” when Jesus saved me from legalism.
The more and more I began to read the bible I saw and understood that my salvation is based on the grace of God and not the works of Perry. My salvation is a gift. He gave it to me. He gave it to me because of how good he is and not because of how good I was going to be.
Since meeting Christ I have not lived the perfect life, I have messed up many times but he had to bring me over the hill of legalism so that I can tell others that Jesus Christ will receive you as you are and continue to lead you into the person he wants you to be. One of the hardest facts I had to come face to face with was the fact that I don’t have to read my bible for Jesus to love me, I don’t have to go to church for Jesus to love me, I don’t have to serve others for Jesus to love me- He already loves me! The reason I do those things is because I love Jesus.
Realizing this allowed me live a life for him instead of living a life in fear thinking that any minute he was going to strike me dead because a secular song might have appeared on my radio while I was scanning the channels.
There is tremendous freedom in knowing God loves me because I am His child and not because of the works I perform!