By Pastor Dick Hanson.

Legalism! You’re a legalist!

If you have been an Adventist for very long, you have probably heard those words at one time or another. I have even heard them within our denomination by one SDA describing another. It is usually attached to a discussion, on one level or another, regarding the Ten Commandments and obedience to them. Or obedience in general.

But Jesus said, If you love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15 NKJV. This begs a question. Would Jesus ask us to do something that was legalism? He solidly rejected legalism during His time on earth. So, the answer to this question would be, No!

After Jesus had told the disciples He was going away, Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:5-6 NKJV.

So, keying on Jesus’ words, legalism is when a person attempts to approach the Father without Christ. Trying to find a way other than Christ, usually means relying on self as the hope. Paul says, For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus… 1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV.

When Jesus says that He is “the way, the truth and the life,” we have one of the most profound truths in all the Bible. It is ONLY through Christ that we can be saved. You might be saying, “everyone knows that.” Do they?

The Bible says we are all sinners (See Romans 3:23) and that the unaided outcome is death (Romans 6:23). We need help and legalism, in any form, is to be rejected. So how do we truly find our way without legalism intruding. Since Jesus is the WAY, He says, You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. John 5:39 NKJV. Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders of His day and their study of the OT.

It is in the Bible that we find our only true escape from our inevitable end. But apparently it is possible to study the Bible without benefit. It depends on the motive that we bring to our study. The very words of Jesus take on new meaning in the New Testament. So, since Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life the things He said (every word) and the things He did (every action) are irrefutable truths and actions. In future articles we will take a closer look at these things, since His words and actions have no legalism in them. He becomes our Model for how we live in 2026.

Let’s pray: Heavenly Father, it is with humble hearts that we approach You. Please draw us close to You and help us in our study of the Holy Scriptures to see a correct picture of the love you have given us in Christ. And then help us to live in a way that is pleasing to You and will help us to model what it means to be faithful in all things. In Christ Jesus we pray, AMEN.