How to Spot a Legalist

[Tinky]

Legalists are tricky creatures. They slither in the side doors of churches, sign up to lead Bible studies and fill the minds of once joyous believers with rules and requirements of what it "really means" to become a Christian. Ask them how a person is saved and they'll say, "By grace of course" and then they'll roll out a scroll across the floor full of checklists to prove your salvation and prerequisites you must abide by in order to receive this "free gift" of grace.

The Apostle Paul had strong words for the legalists of his time. These legalistic Judaizers wanted the Gentiles to accept God's grace through faith but be required to get circumcised and to keep the law of Moses as well. Paul bluntly wrote about them in Galatians 5:12, "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!"

Wow.

Today nobody (as far as I know) is seeking to add circumcision to the free gift of God's grace as a requirement for salvation. No, currently, a far more subtle and sinister movement is creeping into the church. 21st Century Pharisees have replaced circumcision and keeping of the law with a more accepted evangelicalized list of do's and don'ts. These pious sounding party poopers are getting Christians to doubt their salvation, get discouraged in their salvation and trying to prove, keep and/or earn their salvation. They are robbing believers of the joy that was once theirs in Christ and replacing it with the heavy yoke of legalism (Acts 15:5-11.)

With this in mind here are 10 ways to spot a legalist in your church:

1) They cheapen grace by focusing on what we must do rather than on what Christ has done.

2) They'll say non-sensical things like, "Salvation is free but it will cost you everything you have."

3) They are "fruit inspectors" and hypothesize how much spiritual fruit a person must produce in order to truly be saved.

4) They focus on things like turning, trying and crying instead of faith alone in Christ alone for salvation.

5) Their "gospel" could never be falsely accused of being a license to sin (like Paul's was in Romans 3:8!)

6) They scare others with assertions that, if you preach too much grace, people will run amok.

7) They conveniently avoid or mis-exegete large portions of gospel-centric New Testament books like Galatians, Romans and John.

8) They blend justification passages with sanctification passages and then try to get us to drink a heresy smoothie.

9) They bake the same works-based righteousness cake that Mormons and Muslims do but cover it with evangelical frosting.

10) They use the phrase, "You mean to tell me…" a lot. Then they create worst case salvation scenarios of those who claim to be Christians but abuse the grace of God. "You mean to tell me that someone can be saved and still….?"

But grace that cannot be abused is no grace at all. Grace that is not free is no grace at all.

Grace that is not received by simple faith is no grace at all.

I like the way Paul put it in Romans 11:6, "And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." It's either by grace or by works. It can't be by both.

But here's the crazy thing about grace, once you receive it through faith it begins to transform you. Jesus changes your "wanter" and you become a new creation. Sure we can abuse it and, if we're honest, often do. But when we let grace do it's work it "teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:12.) God's grace is not a license to sin but a reason to serve Jesus with reckless abandon…not because we have to, but because we get to.

If we resist, he persists.

If we fail, he forgives.

If we lose our faith, he remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13.)

That makes me want to serve Him all the more. Sorry legalists, but grace is a better fuel. As for you agitators, I wish you would go the whole way and…cut it out.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-to-spot-a-legalist-92015/

[Sevenseas]

You're brave. Put your helmet on

Legalists are tricky creatures. They slither in the side doors of churches, sign up to lead Bible studies and fill the minds of once joyous believers with rules and requirements of what it "really means" to become a Christian. Ask them how a person is saved and they'll say, "By grace of course" and then they'll roll out a scroll across the floor full of checklists to prove your salvation and prerequisites you must abide by in order to receive this "free gift" of grace.

Amen

[Tinky]

You're brave. Put your helmet on

[Guest ninhao]

But here's the crazy thing about grace, once you receive it through faith it begins to transform you. Jesus changes your "wanter" and you become a new creation. Sure we can abuse it and, if we're honest, often do. But when we let grace do it's work it "teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:12.) God's grace is not a license to sin but a reason to serve Jesus with reckless abandon…not because we have to, but because we get to.

If we resist, he persists.

If we fail, he forgives.

If we lose our faith, he remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13.)

That makes me want to serve Him all the more. Sorry legalists, but grace is a better fuel. As for you agitators, I wish you would go the whole way and…cut it out.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-to-spot-a-legalist-92015/

Tinky I hope you are not suggesting following God's commands is a bad thing.

Joh 14:15 KJV If ye love me, keep my commandments.

This is a usual retort from someone who stresses performance above grace. One thing I have noticed also is a person who is very legal minded in relation to the Gospel is one who will disregard logic and empathy, while trying people for disobedience to God's rules by misapplying scriptures. Following the letter is more important than the spirit behind the law. Straining out gnats while swallowing Camels etc.

Understanding the Grace contained in the Gospel is demonstrated when Jesus explained Sabbath violation to some Pharisees.

I also believe many "graceists" have pet legal leanings towards particular sins and even become legalistic about their ideologies.

[GoldenEagle]

But grace that cannot be abused is no grace at all. Grace that is not free is no grace at all.

Grace that is not received by simple faith is no grace at all.

Good thoughts Tinky.

[Steve_S]

Good thoughts Tinky.

I think the basic premise of the post is accurate with regards to legalism. But we need to define our goals with regards to things such as this. Is our goal to mock legalists or attack them as people or to bring them into the proper doctrine?

Statements such as this give me pause.

Legalists are tricky creatures. They slither in the side doors of churches, sign up to lead Bible studies and fill the minds of once joyous believers with rules and requirements of what it "really means" to become a Christian. Ask them how a person is saved and they'll say, "By grace of course" and then they'll roll out a scroll across the floor full of checklists to prove your salvation and prerequisites you must abide by in order to receive this "free gift" of grace.

The implication and tone here suggests that all people with legalistic tendencies are doing so in order to destroy fellow Christians' joy instead of just following what they think is proper doctrine. Should their doctrine be corrected? Absolutely. Should all legalists be lumped in together as people who "slither in the side doors of churches?" For my part, I certainly think not. We get on forums such as this and a lot of us have these well staked out positions that we've had for years and it becomes easy to think that everyone has well staked out positions that they've had for years and that they're willing to argue for hours over them without really listening to anything that anyone else has to say, because a lot of debates between people who have well staked out positions go that way. Pews are full of people who accept the doctrine of the people teaching them and that, just given a simple loving explanation of why that doctrine may be incorrect, are willing to drop it in lieu of the truth.

One thing I'm pretty sure of is that approaching someone with tones such as this in an attempt to correct bad doctrine is going to put someone on the defensive immediately and make it all the more difficult to show them the truth.

[Sevenseas]

Another thought...they usually have something in their eye.and can't see clearly......comes from trying to dig motes out of the eyes of others

umm Steve? Hey ~ some thoughts ~ I know Tinky can speak for herself, but she just quoted an article (which I'm sure you know) and I don't think that

article is saying hurt is done on purpose or that legalists do what they do out of a decision to injure....I think the article is saying that these things happen

as a result of legalism...not something intended

At least that is certainly how I understood it.........thanks

oh one more thought...I find legalism VERY slidy slopy and even double minded.......but I also think that the article appears to be a bit tongue in cheek

and exaggerated to get a point across

I don't think we need to tear it apart.....it's a great piece

[Steve_S]

Another thought...they usually have something in their eye.and can't see clearly......comes from trying to dig motes out of the eyes of others

umm Steve? Hey ~ some thoughts ~ I know Tinky can speak for herself, but she just quoted an article (which I'm sure you know) and I don't think that

article is saying hurt is done on purpose or that legalists do what they do out of a decision to injure....I think the article is saying that these things happen

as a result of legalism...not something intended

At least that is certainly how I understood it.........thanks

Language like "slithering into the side doors of churches" implies some sort of complicit act of subterfuge with ill intent to me, though I admit I could be wrong. At any rate, language such as that aimed at a broad spectrumed group doesn't seem very edifying, especially when that group involves believers that simply need correction.

[Sevenseas]

nah...I think the author was just trying to paint a picture.I do that myself

BTW? go ahead and try to correct a legalist. Let me know when you succeed. Really. The point is they are usually way too busy correcting YOU (everyone)

Ironic......it can sometimes amount to calling everyone a sinner but you

Anyway, anytime this subject is brought up...which seems to be an awful lot lately.thngs heat up real quick depending on who is on the boards..so enjoy liberty while it exists

Just my 2.5 cents

[Steve_S]

nah...I think the author was just trying to paint a picture.I do that myself

BTW? go ahead and try to correct a legalist. Let me know when you succeed. Really. The point is they are usually way too busy correcting YOU (everyone)

Ironic......it can sometimes amount to calling everyone a sinner but you

Anyway, anytime this subject is brought up...which seems to be an awful lot lately.thngs heat up real quick depending on who is on the boards..so enjoy liberty while it exists

Just my 2.5 cents

I have no problem with a complete and utter detailed theological destruction of a legalistic doctrine. My issue with regards to it is that approaching it with language such as that accomplishes nothing but creating strife. And I personally know former legalists who accepted correction, so the doctrine can certainly be corrected with loving guidance of the Holy Spirit.