- This was a difficult passage to find the “interpretive key” for.
How Legalism Starts: He made up a rule that made him feel better.
- 1 Samuel 14:24.
How Those Around Him Responded: They feared the rule, so they tried to live by it.
- 1 Samuel 14:26-28.
- v. 26 - There was honey that they wanted to eat.
- v. 26 - No one ate it because they feared the rule. (It was not because they agreed with it or thought it was a good idea.)
- vv. 27-28 - They even try to enforce the rule on someone else who dares disobey. (Actually, of course, he just didn’t know about it.)
The Consequences Of The Rule:
1. The victory was lessened.
- 1 Samuel 14:28 (“faint”), 30 (“greater slaughter”), 31 (“faint”).
2. It created a focus that led to the people actually violating a command of God.
- 1 Samuel 14:32-33.
- Leviticus 17:10; Leviticus 19:26.
3. Holy things were treated casually.
- 1 Samuel 14:35.
- Saul builds an altar, not out of love or devotion to God, but in order to get the job done. His rule has created a hunger and now an altar is just a way to get everything back in line.
4. The penalties didn’t fit the “crime.”
- 1 Samuel 14:43.
- One taste of honey, without knowledge of Saul’s edict and without creating any delay in prosecuting the battle, equals death? Talk about a loss of perspective.
- Some examples of how this happens with legalism today:
- It’s interesting that we see the same type of results all these years later. Here are some examples from various churches.
A. How you look - men should not have long hair.
1. The victory was lessened.
- We push non-conformists out of church.
2. It created a focus that led to the people actually violating a command of God.
- Rather than loving people, some are gossiped about because they have a hair style that is unacceptable (although, ironically, it’s the way Jesus wore His hair).
3. Holy things were treated casually.
- Rather than emphasizing that it’s what’s inside that counts, outward conformity as the sign of Christian faith is clearly pushed.
4. The penalties didn’t fit the “crime.”
- People are pushed out of church.
B. How you worship - never raise a hand in worship.
1. The victory was lessened.
- Fewer people in church.
2. It created a focus that led to the people actually violating a command of God.
- Services become about order instead of giving your heart to God.
3. Holy things were treated casually.
- Worship is cast aside.
4. The penalties didn’t fit the “crime.”
- People raising hands discover quickly that they aren’t welcome.
C. How you vote - good Christians vote Republican.
1. The victory was lessened.
- Those Christians who disagree are given no voice.
2. It created a focus that led to the people actually violating a command of God.
- Some Christian organizations support the repeal of the estate tax (a Republican issue) while remaining silent of the treatment of the poor (a Biblical issue).
3. Holy things were treated casually.
- The name of God is invoked publicly for things that He never said.
4. The penalties didn’t fit the “crime.”
- Those who oppose or question those policy priorities are demonized and their fitness to lead questioned (for example, Dobson slamming the policy guy at the National Association of Evangelicals who spoke out on the environment).
D. How often you attend - attending church three times a week makes you a good Christian.
1. The victory was lessened.
- People who have jobs or commitments that prevent them from attending are made to feel like lesser Christians.
2. It created a focus that led to the people actually violating a command of God.
- Rather than “how much your heart conforms to Christ” being the standard, instead “how much your butt conforms to the pew” is the standard.
3. Holy things were treated casually.
- Righteousness is redefined and dumbed down.
4. The penalties didn’t fit the “crime.”
- Others in the church are made to feel like less of a believer.
- There are lots of legalistic issues that we could talk about: what you wear to church, certain versions of the Bible, dancing, watching R-rated movies, women wearing slacks, cigarettes, having a quiet time, defining church success by the size of the congregation, only wanting respectable people in our church.
Avoiding The Trap: Spiritually, rigid rules ruin results.
- 1 Samuel 14:45.
- Why does God let the lot fall on Jonathan (vv. 41-42)? God is either (a) respecting Saul’s role as king by going along with what He says, or (b) opening up a situation that will reveal to Saul how ridiculous his rule is.
- I believe it is the latter of the two options. I believe God does this knowing that the stark injustice and stupidity of Saul’s actions will raise the voices of the people.
- I think that the lack of a contrary word from God after the people bring Jonathan’s deliverance is a strong proof in that direction. (After all, in v. 37, God had failed to answer Saul until the problem was resolved (which I think was Saul’s sin, not Jonathan’s sin).
- Additionally, the fact that God had worked so mightily through Jonathan that day indicates God’s approval of him.
- Further, the rejection of Saul as king by God in chapter 13 is another proof.
- Compare the results of Jonathan and Saul:
- In v. 45, we see that Jonathan brought “great deliverance” and had “worked with God this day.” Clearly, God was with him.
- In v. 44, we see Saul ready to murder his own son for a petty violation of a foolish rule that was broken in ignorance.
- Legalism leads away from life. Legalism brings lousy results.
- What are the end results of the way I’m “doing faith?”
- We need to pay attention to the state of our spiritual life, specifically the results we’re getting. Galatians 5:22-23 tell us of the fruit of the Spirit. Are we experiencing that in our lives? If not, perhaps we’re following someone’s rules instead of Jesus.
- Do we have joy in abundance? Do we have love flowing? Do we have an abiding peace?
- Paul talks at great length about our freedom and liberty in Christ. Yet we are all too willing to revert to legalism because of the pride and sense of superiority it creates in our heart. It feels good to be the insiders. It feels good to be in the know.
- We need to embrace our freedom in Christ and be willing to let others pursue their freedom in Christ. I don’t have to agree with everything you think or do. We don’t need everyone in the church to be cookie-cutter images of each other.
- We have so many legalistic Christians today, as has been true for 2,000 years. People interested in protecting their territory. People eager to set up their rules of “proper Christian behavior.”
- And the results of such a life speak for themselves: no joy, spiritual pride, little love for the lost.
- We need to follow Jesus’ teachings and His example and be very cautious about anything other than that that would make a claim to authority in our lives.
