line between legalism and Spirit-filled living

onlybygrace84 said:

So I am doing an online course through Global University for my School of Ministry and came across this and thought it was interesting and I'd ask for answers here from those who have more experience in things of the Spirit than myself.

How do you differentiate between obeying the commands of Christ on your own (in the flesh/legalism) and obeying the commands by the Spirit?

The class said that it is a very fine line, but how do you know the difference? I mean it seems to me that pride, hard heartedness, and lack of compassion are things that only the Holy Spirit can help a person overcome. Is there any discernable fruit in a life that is submissive to the Spirit over those who do it on their own?

Asking this for my own education and practical application and also for someone else who may want to know.

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I’m not sure that this is quite the answer that you are after, but we need to remind ourselves that our spiritual walk consists of a never ending list of obstacles that we overcome, day by day, week by week…year by year. There may be seasons where we seem to be going well and all of a sudden some specific circumstances can arise where we are confronted by our perilous humanity and it can take some time for us to come to grips with our behaviour, attitude and understanding of how and where we are falling short.

It would be nice to think that we can achieve a degree of maturity where we can simply coast along in the Spirit but of course the Spirit will always be pointing out where we are falling short and this of course occurs up until we meet with the Lord.

Again, I’m not sure that I addressed your question other than to say that our flesh will always contend with the Spirit while we are here on earth.

onlybygrace84 said:

How do you differentiate between obeying the commands of Christ on your own (in the flesh/legalism) and obeying the commands by the Spirit?

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Does the difference make a difference? I mean, the process of sanctification is a God/me tandem effort (Phil. 2:12-13). Obedience is obedience, and total obedience can only come with God's help. So long as you're following the Word, I don't see why you'd care to differentiate between the two (assuming there even *is* a differentiation to make).

onlybygrace84 said:

Well Jesus denounced the Pharisees even while saying they were very righteous (Matthew 5:20). So there must be a difference between obeying the commands in your own power and obeying the Spirit's power. The one command that Jesus, and even the Apostles stressed above all others was love each other, even your neighbor, as He had loved us. Is it possible to love someone as Christ loves us without the Spirit's assistance?

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I understand Matt. 5:20 precisely the opposite that you do. It says, "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." In other words, if your righteousness is only equal to that of the Pharisees, you'll not enter the Kingdom. If you'll not enter the Kingdom I don't see how you can be righteous.

I agree with you that it's not possible to love someone as Christ loves us without the Spirit's assistance. This is consistent with what I said earlier. If you're living the Word it's a God/you team. The Spirit is filling you and you're living in obedience through His power. I really don't see a distinction.

Walking in the flesh says "I have to do this command", but walking in the Spirit says "I desire to do this command".

Faulty said:

Walking in the flesh says "I have to do this command", but walking in the Spirit says "I desire to do this command".

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Or maybe, "I will do this command, whether I desire to or not"?

dysert said:

Or maybe, "I will do this command, whether I desire to or not"?

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That would be legalism.

That's a mindset of a soldier, not a disciple.

Though most see Galatians as a justification epistle, it's actually more about sanctification, as Judaistic forces sought to add law, to go on to maturiy, to "go to a higher level". A pivotal important verse he used to frame his ongoing argument is this key verse.

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

The implications are that they were seeking to take over using legalism, instead of letting the same Holy Spirit that saved them, keep them set apart, that Spirit that they received by faith, not law. Thanks, Source.

The two can be compared to a child doing something for you because they have to - or a child that does it out of love - which would you prefer to receive.

I've been raised with so much legalism that it really turns me off in any religion. I have been a christian all my life, but only discovered a real relationship about 20 yers ago - there is no comparison.

Before I was controled by guilt of not living up to what I should - with a true relationship, guilt does not control you - love does. There is no comparison.

Anything that is done by faith takes at least these two things to be faith.

1. Gods word saying it is ours.

2. The witness of the Holy Spirit with our spirit.

If a person acts on something without word or if they act on something with word only and no Holy Spirit witness, they are not in faith but in foolishness, presumption or even both.

I would say that would also qualify to be called "in the flesh".

There is a world of difference between the two. The letter still kills, and the spirit still gives life.

If you're looking for a sign of which is which, I would suggest peace at perhaps the greatest. This peace passes understanding and circumstances, which is to say that it is spiritual not rooted in the natural.

I spent a long time beating my head against the Sermon on the Mount, until I realized it was all of grace and all by the Spirit. When I saw that the precepts the Lord was teaching had to be spiritually discerned, I entered my rest in Him, knowing that only He could do this in me. I put away confidence in the flesh and began to trust Christ alone for everything (Php 3.3).

James details how intimately God's peace is associated with His wisdom:


This leads directly to the fruit of the Spirit:


If you're doing works of obedience in your own strength, you are going to burn out. But Jesus invites us to rest in Him and be refreshed.

To me it's always been something like this.

Did you wake up in the morning asking for guidance? I also think that will legalism comes feelings. Are you doing something because it Christ says to do it, or because you FEEL that it's right. I'm not saying that felling aren't important but you ahve to be careful with them.

paul1149 said:

There is a world of difference between the two. The letter still kills, and the spirit still gives life.

If you're looking for a sign of which is which, I would suggest peace at perhaps the greatest. This peace passes understanding and circumstances, which is to say that it is spiritual not rooted in the natural.

I spent a long time beating my head against the Sermon on the Mount, until I realized it was all of grace and all by the Spirit. When I saw that the precepts the Lord was teaching had to be spiritually discerned, I entered my rest in Him, knowing that only He could do this in me. I put away confidence in the flesh and began to trust Christ alone for everything (Php 3.3).

James details how intimately God's peace is associated with His wisdom:

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Jam 3.17-18
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This leads directly to the fruit of the Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. -Gal 5:22-23
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If you're doing works of obedience in your own strength, you are going to burn out. But Jesus invites us to rest in Him and be refreshed.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Mt 11.28-30
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Amen and Amen!