Legalism is a term that many seem to define easily in others but we need to be careful with our "free labels." Paul was a man of grace but he taught plainly in I Cor. 7:19, "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping the commandments of God." Even David of old stated, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long." (Psa. 119:97) The inspired words were spoken by a man that walked in the grace of God. (Yes, God's grace was active in the Old Testament!)
Not everything that many call legalism is legalism. Legalism is an unhealthy stress, an emphasis, on things that were not stressed. The Pharisees stressed hand washing before eating as a spiritual exercise before the Lord. That was legalism. Legalism has terrible consequences. Just as liberal thinking has terrible consequences that opens up doors to us with few restraints. Legalism taints God and makes Him look like something He is not! Legalism kills the heart devotion, a loving and warm relationship with the Lord and deprives us from the motivation to serve Him. Legalism makes people cold, calculated and rehearsed. Legalism brings God's love and kindness to those who show their worthiness by their self righteous acts. The glorious gospel shows God's kindness to those by His own gracious character despite our unworthiness.
The love of God and our Savior is filled with a longing to suffer for and redeem unholy and unworthy people while the god of legalism is pointed to those who are "good folks" with a few flaws, never knowing the depth of sin and rebellion. Legalism is where God is taken away and replaced by a code that must be followed to almost perfection. Yet on the other hand, liberalism is where there is no code but freedom to do as one pleases, what we feel is right. It too is just as destructive as legalism. One can't smile, sit down and openly talk with a code. A code can't make you feel wanted and in a relationship. It is cold, harsh, impersonal and condemning. You can't ask in legalism, you simply must follow. A code can't help you when you fail and the guilt is great in the heart and mind. You can't tell a code that you hurt and you're sorry for failing. A code is demanding and set in stone.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us." (Eph. 1:7-8) Legalism has great difficulty expressing the rich outpouring of grace that was lavished on us. Legalism can't speak of the riches of His grace, goodness, forbearance or the riches of His glory. Legalisms code holds all this back from us. Legalism speaks of doing, demanding or condemning at all cost and grace is only explained by definition.
On a final note, those of us devoted to the grace of God, maybe we feed the fires of legalism? We become so smug toward it that we walk away in our happy praise songs while our devotion to study and "handling accurately the word of truth" falls by the way. We are so hurried to 'unshackle' ourselves from legalism, we have little time to sit still to listen to God speak through His word while we fill our minds with someones writings and thoughts away from legalism. We want to talk about what our 'felt needs' are but have little time to sit and listen to God speak from His holy Scripture. Paul and those New Testament inspired writers knew that keeping the commandments of God was their top priority because His grace to them was all sufficient. And we must learn...those dyed-in-the-wool legalists are loved by God and Jesus Christ died for them too!
2 comments:
AMEN my brother! I was once that legalist with a "code" as you said. Thanks be to God for His mercy and grace.
I've heard too many people who've expressed a "grace of the gaps" type of salvation where they do all that they can and God's grace fills in the spots where they didn't quite make it. I think that those who focus too much on "the code" wind up being so preoccupied on that code that they miss larger picture of "keeping the commandments of God" if that makes sense. For example, one person I've known worries about singing the song Amazing Grace because it doesn't mention baptism. To me they're missing out on the larger picture of worshiping God and thanking Him for His amazing grace.
I think it is interesting to compare 1 Cor 7:19 where Paul is dealing with a church that lets anything go with Gal 5:6 where Paul is dealing with a congregation that is being legalistic. Legalists tend to focus on the 1 Cor passage and the anything goes folks focus on the Gal passage. Both are extremely powerful verses. It appears to me that if you have faith working through love you'll keep the commandments of God.
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