"Legalism by any other name would stink as bad"

In my new position as a public school employee, I was required a week or so ago to accompany 300+ sixth graders to an assembly program that had been approved by our predominantly Christian administration. Before I continue, I need to say the following: I highly respect our administrators and appreciate their strong Christian stance and presence in our school system. I understand what they are hoping to do, and I honor that commitment, especially since it is somewhat of a risk.

As we entered the auditorium, team members from the organization presenting the assembly were lined up on the way to the door, wearing matching t-shirts and big smiles, and giving high fives to each and every child. Although I didn't recognize all of them, I did notice that several local churches were represented in the line-up of team members. Before we even reached the doors, the pounding popular music could be heard. Excitement built. The students were definitely being stimulated. Metabolisms were racing.

Inside, the bass was so intense that my internal organs were vibrating to the beat. Some students were chosen to dance at the front of the auditorium, further inciting the other students to participate.

It didn't take me too long to figure out what was about to happen. I had heard about these types of assemblies, but as a long term home schooling mom, I had never actually encountered one. These assemblies are designed to inspire students to better behavior, and as a bonus they get an invitation to an event in the evening that supposedly presents the gospel clearly--which is not allowed during the actual assembly during school hours on school property. ( Because we have freedom from religion in this country, dontcha know...but that's a post for another time.)

As I recall, candy-coated with lots of loud popular music and games and silliness, there was a segment on how important it is to listen to the right voices in your life. This was, perhaps, the most truthful and helpful part of the entire assembly--it was also the shortest.

There was a segment on hate speech and bullying. Central to this segment was a video in which mouths of numerous people were seen and heard speaking denigrating words. A dynamic and engaging fellow in his early thirties (but dressed like and acting like he was in his late teens) gave a sermonette on how he used to be annoying and hateful, but now he sees how bad that was and he isn't that way any more because he learned that being nice is better. A young woman who was born with severe deformities and handicaps was paraded out and talked about how bad it felt to be treated hatefully because she was different, and how every one should be nice to people like her.

Then there was a segment on saying no to drugs and alcohol. The young man bounced out into the audience again to tell how he once decided to go to a party where there would be drugs and alcohol, and how he was strong enough to resist and demand to be taken home instead of staying and participating.

Lastly, there was a moment when a few students were called down front and given certificates saying "we believe in you" as an encouragement to the students to "dream big dreams".

The frustrating thing about the entire experience of attending the assembly was seeing so much effort, so many good intentions, so much money, planning and hope invested in a totally useless, yea, even harmful message being perpetrated on students. All I could think of during the entire presentation was the fact that here was one of the worst examples of oppressive legalism I had ever witnessed. And it was perpetrated by Christians...not really surprising, since Christians have been the perpetrators of legalism for centuries. But in this case, each of the Christians involved would be horrified and offended if they were confronted with their crime.

Perhaps you may be wondering what in the world I'm talking about. After all, students need to behave, need to act lovingly, need to avoid drugs and alcohol, need to have dreams and need someone to believe they can accomplish their dreams, right? And candy-coating that message with a lot of fun and games might motivate them more, right?

While this is all true, the fact that it was legalism is also true. Legalism and a hefty dose of moralism.

The message of the entire program was this: BE NICE. Just BE NICE. Quit being MEAN. Don't do this. Don't do that. Using these words, doing these actions is shameful. SHAME ON YOU. BE NICE. Here are the rules about what is NICE. Rule, rule, rule, rule. Don't taste, don't handle, don't touch…

Sound familiar?

20       If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21       “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22       (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23       These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Col 2:20–23). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

This event was spawned, orchestrated, and carried out because of a faulty understanding of the gospel.

Allow me to remind you that my understanding of the gospel is based in a Reformed perspective of the bible, the gospel, and the doctrines of grace. In particular as related to this post, I firmly believe that God saved me before time began. I did nothing to deserve it. I did nothing to achieve it. I can do nothing to lose it. Before God resurrected my spirit, it was as dead as a cemetery full of dead bodies. I couldn't do anything right, I didn't have any idea that there was anything wrong with me, and even if I had, I would have been as helpless to do anything about it as my husband was the day we held his funeral. I can tell you that the experience of bending over him in his coffin to place a kiss on his forehead convinced me how final death is: it didn't even feel like the same forehead--it was hard, cold, and unresponsive. He could not choose anything.

My inclination to anything good was just that dead the day before God resurrected my spirit.

That's how we all are. That's how a large majority of those 300+ sixth graders were the day of that assembly.

Allow me also to remind you of one of Jesus' main themes during his life on earth. He HATED legalism.  He HATED those who perpetrated legalism on others. Here are some scriptures highlighting this theme in scripture:

2       “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3       so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4       They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Mt 23:2–4). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Why am I saying that this program is equal to the legalism and heavy burdens of the Pharisees? Because just like the Pharisees, this program presented all the rules--rules upon rules upon rules about how to JUST BE NICE PEOPLE--without presenting the heart of the gospel. The students were given no reference point. How are they to JUST BE NICE when they are spiritually dead? Why should they be nice? Isn't just being a kid being nice? How are they to care about being nice people when their current nature is in enslaved rebellion toward the only One Who can give them the power to be nice?

BE NICE BECAUSE I SAID SO doesn't cut it. BE NICE BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE A BETTER WORLD is ineffective because every student believes that getting what they want makes a better world. BE NICE BECAUSE IT'S NOT NICE TO BE MEAN makes no impression, because being mean is all they know.

I fear that there's an idea out there that if Christians can get people to act right, then it won't be so hard to convince them to become Christians.

I fear that Christians have an idea that if they just get everybody to behave better, they'll like it so much they will stop resisting salvation.

At the very least, I fear that there is an idea among Christians that if people will just stop acting sinfully, the world will be such a much nicer place and that everyone will see that acting nice is a good idea.

I fear that the organization that presented the assembly as well as the administration of our school system are all infected with the ideas I fear listed above.

This was a sad day, in my opinion, for those students who were subjected to that presentation. Although they didn't realize it, and although they had fun, they failed to hear the real answer to the problems. They were simply told to grab themselves by the bootstraps, pull themselves up, and make themselves into nice people because nice people are nice.

(Oh, but you'll say, don't forget that the organization presented the gospel at the evening event. That makes everything ok. But it doesn't. It doesn't make it ok because 99% of the students will not show up for the evening event. It doesn't make it ok, because if your idea of the gospel is that you pray a prayer and then you follow a bunch of rules to make God happy because He died for you, that's not the saving gospel. It doesn't make it ok because drawing students in with a bunch of worldly music and fun is the wrong perspective to put on the gospel. It doesn't make it ok for a dozen other reasons.)

Rank, hopeless legalism.

I left the assembly aching. My ears ached. My liver ached. And my heart ached for all those students upon whom had been placed an even heavier burden.