Legalism

[Prosperity]

What constitutes legalism? Would anyone care to take a stab at this one?

 

[riverpastor]

A simple definition from Merriam-Webster:

Main Entry: le·gal·ism
Pronunciation: 'lE-g&-"li-z&m
Function: noun
1 : strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code

I would add that it is any form of outward, external rules, regulations or laws attempting to change the inner man of the heart.

 

[Prosperity]

What is the difference between legalism and obedience?

 

[Christina M]

Obeying is doing it because your heart is right and your wanting to do it is a by-product of your love.


Legalism is doing it because you think you should or because you believe you must to get a reward.

 

[riverpastor]

Legalism places your faith in your works.
The root of obedience is faith in God.

Even NT scriptures, when applied in legalistic fashion, can produce death in the hearer.

Only Holy Spirit can write commandments on your heart.
Can He use scripture? By all means.

Is it possible that we can apply the scriptures to our lives without Holy Spirit writing them on the tablets of our heart?

 

[Trish1947]

When I hear anyone say, "you must" or your not saved. To my understanding the only one that used those words was Jesus. You must be born again. Everything else after that, is done out of His love being manifested in our heart by the Holy Spirit. I believe some people can turn the scriptures into a works based Gospel.

 

[riverpastor]

I think one of the questions that need to be asked in an issue of legalism versus obedience is:

What happens if I don't?

Legalism is enforced by man, not God.
"Do it this way or else."

It seems "free will" could also cause us not to be obedient to the Holy Spirit.

If He speaks to you to do something, and you don't do it, what happens then as well?
Certainly you'll forfeit the outcome of what He has told you. And you become a recipient of the disobedience. Easily said, we reap from the flesh destruction when we follow the flesh and not the Spirit.

I see it is a natural consequence.



Legalism pushes, God leads through our obedience.

 

[Trish1947]

Riverpastor....Legalism pushes, God leads through our obedience.

I was thinking RP, that it was the other way around, that our obediance is obtained by His leading. We can't be obediant unless we understand His leading. If we don't know the leading of the Holy Spirit, then isn't there more of a chance of making it legalism? Why I say this is, what the Lord might be dealing with in a persons heart, is not necessarily what He working on in anothers heart. But He has promised if we be obediant to His leading, we will be obediant in what He's telling us to do. Am I making any since? I feel like I'm not making any since at all. LOL.

 

[Andrew]

Legalism simply contradicts our freedom in Christ.

Legalism likes to pick at the nitty gritty 'details' and make them laws, missing the whole spirit of it.

eg Water baptism. Say I study the topic, I look at the details and I come up with 'laws' like "you must do it at the Jordan river in Israel." "Only full submersion in a natural pool of water is acceptable" or else you are wrong.

That's legalism.

Firstly, the scriptures never say that you must do it this way or that way.

Secondly, the Holy Spirit in us leads us differently (but never contradicting scripture).

eg. A very sick and dying person in hospital who desires to be water baptised may be led by the Spirit to just receive it by sprinkling. That is the grace and 'flexibility' of the Spirit.

But the legalistic person says, "I'm sorry. You MUST take a trip to Israel and be submerged in the Jordan river."

"But I don't even have the strength to get up?"

"Sorry those are the rules."

 

[riverpastor]

I'm sorry Trish...

to clarify:
Legalism pushes, God leads (and we follow in obedience).

Obedience to legalism only leads us further into bondage.
Obedience to the Spirit only leads to freedom and life.

 

[Trish1947]

I'm sorry Trish...

to clarify:
Legalism pushes, God leads (and we follow in obedience).

Obedience to legalism only leads us further into bondage.
Obedience to the Spirit only leads to freedom and life.

I gotcha RP..thanks for claifying that for me.

 

[Andrew]

BTW HAPPY BIRTHDAY Trish!

 

[riverpastor]

Yes, Happy Birthday, dear one!

 

[Prosperity]

I will get back to this tomorrow.

 

[LittleRocketBoy]

You can make anything "legalistic" if you want to.
Make a rule. Poof... you are legalistic.
But in the NT concept "legalism" is the thought that you have to obey the OT law (including the rituals and observances) to be savd.
I have actually had people say that requiring faith is legalism.
That is a stretch and outside of the NT concept.

"those who come to God must believe..." is not a legalism. It is a fact of life and existance.

 

[Prosperity]

You can make anything "legalistic" if you want to.
Make a rule. Poof... you are legalistic.
But in the NT concept "legalism" is the thought that you have to obey the OT law (including the rituals and observances) to be savd.
I have actually had people say that requiring faith is legalism.
That is a stretch and outside of the NT concept.

"those who come to God must believe..." is not a legalism. It is a fact of life and existance

Great answer!

I believe that most people confuse obedience to the Command and instruction of Jesus as legalism, when in fact Jesus was only provoking people to love and do good works, with the intent that the obedient will be blessed far beyond the sacrifice that they may have to make to do as Jesus instructed. The Sadducees and Pharisees did not respond well when Jesus introduced them to His New Commandments.

Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

As with the Sadducees and Pharisees, many Christians do not respond well when a brother tries to provoke them to love and good works.

It seems that people continually confuse obedience with legalism.

Jesus gave many commands and instruction, which Christians simply take as optional and when anyone tries to point to the command as a requirement, many Christians cry legalism.

Jesus said to keep his commandments.

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

So we clearly see that Jesus gave commandments and the importance of keeping His commandments.

The word Commandment is a noun which is an authoritative indication to be obeyed: synonomous with behest, bidding, charge, command, dictate, direction, directive, injunction, instruction (often used in plural), mandate, order.

 

[Trish1947]

When Jesus told the women that was caught in adultry, that she was forgiven, and "neither do I condemn thee", but to go and sin no more. Are we to look on this as an option? I would call it the best council a person could receive. Sin still has it repercussions. If she went back to that life, no doubt she would be stoned to death, or worse. Even Jesus said that a worse thing can come upon you. Jesus giving us instruction on how to live an overcoming life, is not legalism.

 

[riverpastor]

great post, Trish!

 

[riverpastor]

It seems that people continually confuse obedience with legalism.

I agree with you here, Prosperity.

 

[KingZzub]

Legalism is the assumption that you can use the law as a means of salvation or as a means to spirituality, when both are by grace.

Cheers,
|ZZ|