Repudiating Legalism

[Willing-heart]

In the context of the church, Legalism is the elevation and keeping of manmade traditions, laws or rules to be on equal level as the commands of God. Some even put it above the word of God. In short, legalism is Satan’s theology.

Legalism and legalistic teaching can devastate a person. Those who have been brought up in legalism would probably struggle with it for a very long time. I was ecstatic when I came across the following quote by a great theologian named Howard Hendricks who said:

“I repudiated legalism intellectually and theologically in 1946, but in 1982 I’m still wrestling with it emotionally.”

There are some people who still think and judge other Christians by the clothes they wear, or the type of music they like to listen too, or the style of worship they prefer, or the length of their dress, hair and all the rest of it. None of these things matter because ultimately the church belongs to Christ Jesus and we are to love everyone and major on the major, not on the minor.

If there is one message that comes loud and clear from Romans 14, it is this. The apostle Paul is saying, “Believers in Jesus Christ, for God sake, major on the majors, focus on what is important to God and to His kingdom. Don’t waste time and energy on things that are not necessary for salvation. Stop your petty argument over things which are not about the gospel. Cease and decease from creating mountains out of molehills from things that have nothing to do with righteousness and holiness. Life is too short to waste on the superficial and the superfluous.”

When you keep your eyes on the big picture – the gospel of Jesus Christ; the salvation of the lost; living a holy and righteous life before God and pleasing to the Lord; the glory of God and His majesty; the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be more concerned about how you are going to give an account to Him on the life that you’re living than being concerned about someone else

To conclude, here’s the key principle: If the Lord convicts me of something (non-essential), then I am to uphold that conviction even if all other Christians do not. Why? Because the Lordship of Jesus Christ over my life is the most important thing for me.

In the essential, unity; in the non-essential, liberty; in all things, charity.

Repudiating Legalism

 

[ItIsFinished!]

A lot of truth in that OP friend.
Like I always tell everyone, keep your eyes upon Jesus!

God bless you and continue to God you.
⚘

 

[SarahsKnight]

It is indeed all about Jesus, and nothing or no one more.

I hate how people always believe that being against legalism or being once-saved-always-saved is us automatically trying to find "an excuse to sin". But that is a presumption.

All legalism will do is bind you, keep you walking a tightrope in fear of God believing that every wrong step you have taken will make Him hate you. It is not the good kind of fear He obviously desires from you according to Biblical standards, but a mistrust, a loathing, even. The kind of fear you would have of a tyrannical king. Thank God that He is not that King at all. In my personal experience, especially after struggling with Scrupulosity for a hellish eight months some years ago, I have discovered that even if other gods actually existed, I would cast my cares, hope, and trust upon no other god but He, for there is truly no better God around.

Once you come to obey the Gospel and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, died on a cross for your sins and raised again from the dead that you too may live again one day, you won't want to sin and do wickedness. Not because you fear punishment, the lash from the God you are told to love with all of your heart, but because your mind is more in line with His (although Heaven forbid I dare to ever suggest we could eventually become just like Him), and you realize it is wrong.

I know what it is like to pursue virtue and seem so perfectly nice and Christ-like but for the wrong reasons - being afraid of being sent to "hell" if I faltered at all in that. And I look back and realize, what good did it do? It was an outward virtue, but my heart still needed working on through my time of struggle. I might have looked like a "good Christian" to others at that time, but our own efforts mean nothing to God. Only He can provide the righteousness for us, through His Son, and once we come to understand that, that obeying laws in and of itself will not save us or make us "good", we will be able to perform true religion - charity, kindness, and love, among others - in His name and ultimately by His doing, not our own.

 

[Willing-heart]

It is indeed all about Jesus, and nothing or no one more.

I hate how people always believe that being against legalism or being once-saved-always-saved is us automatically trying to find "an excuse to sin". But that is a presumption.

All legalism will do is bind you, keep you walking a tightrope in fear of God believing that every wrong step you have taken will make Him hate you. It is not the good kind of fear He obviously desires from you according to Biblical standards, but a mistrust, a loathing, even. The kind of fear you would have of a tyrannical king. Thank God that He is not that King at all. In my personal experience, especially after struggling with Scrupulosity for a hellish eight months some years ago, I have discovered that even if other gods actually existed, I would cast my cares, hope, and trust upon no other god but He, for there is truly no better God around.

Once you come to obey the Gospel and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, died on a cross for your sins and raised again from the dead that you too may live again one day, you won't want to sin and do wickedness. Not because you fear punishment, the lash from the God you are told to love with all of your heart, but because your mind is more in line with His (although Heaven forbid I dare to ever suggest we could eventually become just like Him), and you realize it is wrong.

I know what it is like to pursue virtue and seem so perfectly nice and Christ-like but for the wrong reasons - being afraid of being sent to "hell" if I faltered at all in that. And I look back and realize, what good did it do? It was an outward virtue, but my heart still needed working on through my time of struggle. I might have looked like a "good Christian" to others at that time, but our own efforts mean nothing to God. Only He can provide the righteousness for us, through His Son, and once we come to understand that, that obeying laws in and of itself will not save us or make us "good", we will be able to perform true religion - charity, kindness, and love, among others - in His name and ultimately by His doing, not our own.

Very well said Sarah. Thanks for sharing your insight, and I thank God for the revelation He has given you to know the finished work of Christ your Saviour.

John Newton, the writer of the song Amazing Grace once said, “Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”

Lastly, I'll just add the following I've copied from a blog I wrote recently on what I believe it means to fear God, similarly to what you had to share.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” – Proverbs 9:10

What is the fear of the Lord? Does it mean that you need to be terrified of God all the time? No, that’s not what it means at all. The fear of the Lord in the scripture means that you do not grieve Him; that you reverence Him; that you are devoted to Him; that you dread sin and not rationalise it. Originally in God’s plan, fear was a gift from God. The gift of fear was given to us by the hand of God so that we might fear God. It does not mean to be terrified of God but to honour, revere and respect God. Fearing God means reverence to his majesty and sovereign power, Fearing God is seeking to please him above all else. Fearing God means deeply desiring to honour Him, and that you have a deep longing in your heart to obey him even if you stumble. I believe the following quote says it all on what it means to really fear the Lord:

“I know my friends and family, those who are close to me know this – If you press me, if you say ‘Michael what would be the one sentence you want us to have as an epitaph on your tombstone?’ It would be simply this, “He feared the Lord.” Beloved, that’s what I live for. I don’t care what other preachers say about fearing the Lord, to me it is wonderful, it is joyful, it is a blessing, it is comforting. I can make you a promise – When you fear the world and the people of the world, you will crave the gold of the world, but when you fear the Lord, you’re going to crave Jesus. If you fear the world, you will crave power, but when you fear the Lord, you will crave purity. When you fear the world, you will be a people pleaser, but when you fear the Lord, you will be the Heavenly Father’s pleaser. As for me, I want to please the Lord, more than anything else in this life.” – Dr. Michael Youssef.

The Cry of Wisdom.