People want the law. It's natural for us. It just seems, to our reasoning, that we need it. We think it might be good for us. We think it's a good medicine. Legalism seems like a pill we should take, but the law is a big pill. In fact, it's too big for us to swallow. "Oh well," our logic comes up with the solution, "I know. I'll cut it up into smaller pieces. Pieces that will still be good for me, but pieces I'm able to take."
So, religious people sliced and diced the law up in their pill cutter-like brains and came up with sections that they labeled "civil law," "ceremonial law" and "moral law." God gave the law. All 613 commandments. It was people who cut it up.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗽.
Even the most legalistic people though think that they don't have to take the ceremonial lump. To them, all they need is the moral part. It only has ten commandments, after all.
Oh, maybe they sort through the bigger pieces they sliced off and pick out some other small bits they can take off of one of the big chunks. Some think that they should still abide by the dietary laws, and they decide that they shouldn't eat "unclean foods." Some think they should still honor feast days. Some cut off a little of the regulations for daily living as something they can swallow.
The pill of the law brings with it some negative side effects. It causes bitterness and divisiveness and pride. People on the pill of the law can be angry and out of their mouths comes vitriol and disgust, especially to those that disagree with their doctrine. I’m left wondering … where is the fruit of the Spirit demonstrated here? Where at least is Christian love and compassion?
Praise God we believers are free and no longer burdened like those under the law.
The weight of their own guilt and condemnation causes them to be disgruntled, angry, hostile, and unable to show the love that believers ought to demonstrate. You see? If you're going to take the pill, you need the entire dose... not smaller, more palitable, easier to take sections. If you even miss one crumb of it, you are completely in the wrong and will experience the negative side effects.
In reflecting on the concept of the law as a 'pill' too big to swallow, I've noticed this analogy resonates deeply with the struggles many believers face. In Christian life, there is often a temptation to selectively obey parts of the law while dismissing others that seem difficult or irrelevant. This selective approach can stem from a desire to avoid the burdensome aspects of legalism, which the article aptly describes as causing bitterness, divisiveness, and pride. From personal experience, I have seen communities fracture over arguments about which laws are still applicable today, ranging from dietary restrictions to observing feast days. These debates often lead to judgment and discord rather than mutual love and support. The OCR content’s emphasis on side effects such as sectarianism and the inability to demonstrate Christian love perfectly highlights the spiritual cost of dividing the law for convenience. What has helped me grow is embracing the law's entirety as intended, recognizing that God’s commandments are interconnected and meant to guide holistic living, not just isolated behaviors. Instead of viewing the law as a burden, seeing it as a comprehensive path designed for our good has brought a greater sense of peace and freedom—echoing the article's hopeful conclusion that believers are free from the law’s condemnation. It’s also crucial to balance this with grace, understanding that no one can perfectly uphold all commandments. This perspective fosters compassion and patience within the community instead of pride and harsh judgment. The call to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, including love and compassion, challenges us to move beyond legalistic attitudes and model Christ's example utterly. Ultimately, fully 'taking the pill' of the law means recognizing its purpose to lead us toward spiritual maturity and freedom rather than division. When we avoid slicing the law into manageable parts, we open ourselves to deeper transformation and genuine Christian fellowship.
