Legalism

[freedfromsin]

Legalism, what is it? There seems to be some confusion as to what it is. What constitutes legalism? I believe that because of the lack of understanding of what legalism is that most who claim to be fundamentalists are actually moderates or liberals and do not know it.

[kari21]

To me, it's someone who is trying to earn and keep Gods favor by doing religious works and rituals.

[tsth]

I was thinking of legalism in terms of the flesh/man. It would be the equivalent of one who obeys the laws of the land, only because they HAVE to, to keep from going to jail, not because they truly WANT to, because they love their fellow man. In other words, if they didn't have the laws of the land, then what would they do? Would they then steal, kill, covet, etc., because no one was looking and it didn't matter? Probably.

Would you break the laws, (if you could)?

I think of the laws/commandments of God in the same manner, does one follow them, merely as laws/rules, due to the fear of going to prison/hell, or do they desire the commandments/laws of God, because Jesus is in them, and they love the commandments, because the commandments are also the act of love toward their brothers?

1Jo 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Legalism is the law without true love....that is why the Pharisee's were so many times labeled as hypocrites, because when nobody was looking, they broke the very laws they instructed the people to follow, plus they began to add "their own", rather than God's. They didn't obey, because they didn't "love", God's commands were burdensome to them.

1 John 5: 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tah]

I am afraid there are laws I would break if they were not laws..

A very favorite scripture I have is ..

Pro 30:7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

Pro 30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Pro 30:9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

I think of this Scripture often as life is full of needs..

That is just human nature to stray away when tempted by need or excess.

I love the song "Come, Thou Fount of every blessing"

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I

[Guest Biblicist]

To me, legalism is telling someone they are not a Christian because of their actions, it is the same as assuming someone is a Christian by their actions.

I know of two women, one is a Christian the other is a Jehovah's Witness.

There are times when the lady who is JW is a "better" Christian than the one who claims Christ.

[EricH]

Legalism is trusting in a set of do's and don'ts to earn or keep one's salvation

[Guest Greg Davies]

Legalism is trusting in a set of do's and don'ts to earn or keep one's salvation

Amen! I would add that it is also a mind set that creates a "holier that thou" attitude as in Pharisitical.

[Shortstop]

Legalism is an attempt to get a person to conform to your belief but the person who ministers that belief does so without mercy and grace....Look at the Pharisee's and Saudicee's you will have a great example of legalism...

[Axxman]

Legalism is a theological slur used against people that try and encourage others to follow Gods commands. Its a self-defense mechanism designed to take attention from the person in sin and cast it onto someone else.

[OopsMartin]

I was thinking of legalism in terms of the flesh/man. It would be the equivalent of one who obeys the laws of the land, only because they HAVE to, to keep from going to jail, not because they truly WANT to, because they love their fellow man. In other words, if they didn't have the laws of the land, then what would they do? Would they then steal, kill, covet, etc., because no one was looking and it didn't matter? Probably.

Would you break the laws, (if you could)?

I think of the laws/commandments of God in the same manner, does one follow them, merely as laws/rules, due to the fear of going to prison/hell, or do they desire the commandments/laws of God, because Jesus is in them, and they love the commandments, because the commandments are also the act of love toward their brothers?

1Jo 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Legalism is the law without true love....that is why the Pharisee's were so many times labeled as hypocrites, because when nobody was looking, they broke the very laws they instructed the people to follow, plus they began to add "their own", rather than God's. They didn't obey, because they didn't "love", God's commands were burdensome to them.

1 John 5: 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Good start. I think it is more than that though.

A true legalist is like a Pharisee who desires to earn righteousness and thus makes up new laws like the Mishnah, which were never God's laws, in order to be able to present a righteous appearance by obeying them. God's true laws are not harsh even though they may be difficult. They are not binding ones soul though they may be tough to reach perfection in. In fact because God's laws reveal the fallibility of humanity versus the holiness of God, we can never perfectly obey God's Laws without Christ. God's laws are about the soul, spirit and heart. It's not about automated actions. A true legalist prefers the automated actions that give an appearance of righteousness, rather than the struggle to change ones heart to be like Christ.