Legalism vs. Wisdom<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 Jesus said that the lamp of the body is the eye. When your eye is good your body will be full of light. When your eye is bad your body will be full of darkness. (Refer to Luke 11:34.) Our thoughts become words, our words become actions, our actions become habits. Who is shaping your thoughts? A daily diet of violence, lust, anger, and depression will fuel those very things in your life. One of the reasons why men and women struggle with lust or anger is because they feed those emotions continually throughout the day. It's difficult to avoid illicit sex and outbursts of anger while continually watching movies and TV programs that promote them. As a matter of fact, many cases of sexual violence can be traced directly back to pornography. What we embrace eventually embraces us. "The more we follow that which is good, the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil" (Matthew Henry).
Some may say that being cautious with what we view and listen to borders on legalism (e.g., performance-based religion). Although it can when taken to extremes, I disagree. Entertainment is not merely entertainment; depending on how it's used, it can be a very destructive influence. The Bible reveals that the devil is the prince of this world (Ephesians 2:2); therefore, you should pay close attention to what you watch and listen to-the force controlling it ultimately controls you. Romans 8:6 (NLT) states, "If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace."
Throughout the Bible we are commanded to remove anything that causes us to stumble-yes, anything. Again, this may sound as if it borders on legalism, but when Paul addressed legalism in the second chapter of Colossians, for example, he zeroed in on festivals and Sabbath days, and on consuming, or not consuming, certain foods. Nowhere do we read in the Bible where legalism refers to being cautious with what we allow to enter our minds. There is a clear difference between legalism and wisdom-legalism is of no value against the lust of the flesh; wisdom is. King David said, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes" (Psalm 101:2-3). Although he failed at times, David was saying that integrity and moral uprightness should be pursued, especially in the home. Being selective with what we watch and listen to has nothing to do with legalism; it has everything to do with spiritual integrity, wisdom, and moral purity. Colossians 3:17 declares that whatever you do in word or in deed, you should do to the glory of God.
On the flip side, far too many of us have forgotten about grace. As a result, legalism surfaces; legalism has been known to condemn all music, movies, and television programs. It can be defined as a self-righteous attitude that rates spirituality by how well a person follows rules. A legalist often has a sliding scale mentality-the more rules and regulations a person follows, the more spiritual he or she becomes. The legalist often forgets that we are saved because of what Christ did, not by what we do. He or she may have the tendency to view struggling Christians as counterfeits because they don't measure up to a certain standard. Most Christians will struggle with legalism from time-to-time, that's why it's important to discuss it, and avoid it.
(This excerpt was taken from What Works for Young Adults-Solid Choices In Unstable Times, © 2007 by El Paseo Publications  (www.elpaseopublications.com).)