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Legalistic attempts to maintain a covenant relationship with God does not bring about anything valuable. There is neither power, nor good, nor ability, nor strength in legalism and legalistic standards. Whether or not we are Jews or Gentiles, male or female, bond or free, Catholic, Protestant or Non Denominational Christian, has any bearing upon the amount or quality of our faith in Christ.
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails** any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works [Greek: "energeo," meaning activated, energized, efficient, works effectively in, is mighty] by love.
What counts is our faith, which is energized, not by good works, not by legalistic or religious practices, but by one thing only: the LOVE of God. Our faith, our believing in God's Word and in Christ, is activated, energized, becomes effective, efficient and mighty, by our love of God, (that love which we have to God and for His people).
I Corinthians 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Love is so important to this equation that if I have faith to remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing. If I have legalistically high standards and base my life upon a carefully planned list of rules and religious activities, and have no faith activated by love, it is all for nothing. It avails nothing at all. There is no profit at all to any of those actions.
I do not like to work hard without reward, or for nothing, what about you? I do not want to waste my time on worthless pursuits.
Therefore, if I want to increase my faith, I must neither increase legalistic standards nor religious adherence to the law, nor continue to go 'through the motions' without heart, but instead, increase my love of God (as shown by loving God and loving others). Faith is activated by love. Faith is not contingent upon works. We all began in grace and we will not be made more perfect or more spiritually equipped by works.
I Thessalonians 4:9
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love [agapao] one another.
10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more.
We cannot love too much. Let us activate our faith in Christ by love, and increase our love more and more. Amen.
-Carol Kenreigh
**The word "avails" is the Greek word "ischuo, " meaning to have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively). In King James Version of the Bible, "ischuo" is translated "be able," "avail," "can do" (-not), "could," "be good," "might," "prevail," "be of strength," "be whole," +" much work."
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