Several adult influences in my early life were in constant battle with the legalist struggle. They were mentors for me, and not just in a spiritual way. I worked for them, hunted and fished with them, and developed a lot of strong character traits by their example. However when it came to their walk with God; they simple gave up. The failures were just too many to overcome. A victorious Satan blinded them from the true meaning of Grace and the joy of Salvation. These dear friends and family members fought, struggled, and fell – then fought, struggled, and fell some more. The cycle repeated its self over and over – until there was no hope left. No desire to continue the fight. These disheartened souls were no longer a factor in the “Battle for Lost Souls”; and to a degree that was a good thing – for they no longer carried the banner of the legalistic cause.
But looking back on their lives now, it’s sad for most have died and gone on to meet their fate. They never found a true joy in Christ. They suffered unnecessary heartache due to a self-imposed struggle. They didn’t understand that God’s gift of Salvation comes through Grace, and our works come as a manifestation of our joy in serving the Lord.
An ongoing struggle goes on in my mind concerning the fate of these souls. For certain, their growth in Christ was stymied by a legalistic environment. And the haunting question for me is: Can true Salvation be attained through a legalistic theology? I don’t know – but I pray they’re in God’s presence, today. If so, they now have a full understanding of Grace – under which they were preserved long ago.