Legalism Versus Love

We live in a world where competition is a master motive. When the news reach Russia in

1945 that the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Stalin ordered secret

scientists to find a way to catch up to the U.S. Andrei Sakharov was only 24 years old

then, but his brilliant mind was fired by the challenge of the competition. So much so

that he helped Russia leap frog ahead by developing the hydrogen bomb months before

the United States.

Then when Russia surprised the world with Sputnik, and beat the U. S. into space,

American scientists reacted with such a competitive spirit that they quickly thrust the U.

S. into the lead, and on to be the first to reach the moon. Is it really love, or is it

competition that makes the world go round? One of the reasons we look to the Olympics

with anticipation is because man is a competitive creature. Will Durant in The Lessons

of History writes, "So the first biological lesson of history is that life is competitive."

Even cooperation, he goes on to say, is a tool of competition. We cooperate with our

group, be it family, club, church, nation, or race, in order to strengthen our group in its

competition with others. It is human nature to want their group to be the best.

Everybody enjoys the opportunity of saying, we are number one, top dog, high man on

the totem, king of the hill, and champions.

I have been in enough church league sports to know that one of the things that being

saved doesn't change is the competitive spirit. Christians love competition as much as

anyone, and they love to come out on top as often as they can. Some of the largest

Sunday Schools in our country got that way by well organized contests where the

competitive spirit was used to motivate people to come and bring others. Christians are

challenged by competition. They love to win and set records. They love to win prizes,

and gain honor and status. All of this carries some risk, of course, for one can get so

caught up in competition that winning is everything, and other values are lost.

The story is told of three churches that sat on three of the four corners at one

intersection. It was a hot Sunday morning, and the windows were open in each church.

The Methodist began their service by singing Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown?

The Presbyterians then began to sing No Not One, No Not One. Finally, the Baptist

began with O That Will Be Glory For Me. It is like the Pastor of a small church which

was not growing. He thanked God that none of the other churches were growing either.

The competitive spirit can be dangerous and divisive as well as delightful.

Dr. Milburn describes how people use to act in the days of river travel. "If another

boat came in sight, you find yourself becoming anxious that she shall not pass you. If she

gains upon your craft, all your fears about the danger of racing are laid aside. And with

your fellow passengers, male and female, you are urging the captain to do his best....Side

by side the boats go thundering along, and so completely has the thought of winning

taken possession of you, that you would almost as soon be blown up as beaten." This is

the same competitive spirit that leads so many youth to be killed or injured in racing.

Competition can become so strong that it drives out all fear of danger, and this can be

good or bad depending on the situation.

The fact is, there is no escape from competition. You might just as well try to

eliminate the trivial from life as to try and eliminate competition. Jesus, in this great

sermon to His followers, uses the language of competition. He begins this sermon with

the beatitudes which are promises of prizes. Christian life can be tough, but it is worth it,

for there will be great rewards for those who take the risks and endure the rigors of it.

Then Jesus, like a coach before a big game, gives His team a pep talk to motivate them

to do their best. "There is a job to do, and you have got to do it. The salt has got to be

active, and the light has to shine. The opponents are tough, and Jesus says, you can't

afford fumbles and penalties. Don't neglect the least of the rules of the game. Go out

there and be great." Then in verse 20 He sets the standard for His team. He says,

"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees you will not enter

the kingdom of heaven." Paraphrased, He is saying, "Unless you guys play better than