Legalism  by Tod M. Kennedy

   1. Definitions:

   1.1. English dictionary definition: Strict and literal adherence to
the law (American Heritage Dictionary, page 722).

   1.2. Biblical definition: Legalism is the belief that a person must
act a certain way so that God will bless, help, and prosper him.
Legalism tells why one does or does not do something. Legalistic people
work for God's blessing, they confuse cause and result, they
misunderstand grace. Legalism is wrong. Avoid it.

   1.3. The Bible teaches that believers are to think and act a certain
way because God has already blessed and continues to bless. The
believer is to live the plan of God out of genuine gratitude and
knowledge that God's plan is right, and with the understanding that he
is a product of God's grace. The believer is unable to contribute
anything to God through his own efforts.

   2. Characteristics of legalism:

   2.1. Legalism becomes a heavy yoke or load to live under (Mt 11.28).
A legalistic person has separated himself from the easy yoke and light
load of freedom in Christ (Mt 11.30; Gal 5.1-4).

   2.2. Legalism is against:

   2.2.1. Salvation by grace (Gal 1.6-9; 2.16).

   2.2.2. Spirituality by grace (Gal 3.2-5; 5.5).

   2.2.3. The freedom to live the CWL (Christian way of life) apart
from pressure imposed by self and others, by taboo lists, by checklists
of right things, by a religious community (Gal 4.8-11; 5.1-5).

   2.3. Legalistic people replace Bible doctrine and the spirit of
Bible doctrine with human standards (Mt 12.1-8; 15.1-3).

   2.4. Legalistic people attempt to force their lifestyle upon others
and thereby judge and interfere in the freedom of other believers (Jn
7.19-24; Rom 14.1-12; Gal 2.1-5).

   2.5. Pride, self righteousness, and a critical mental attitude
characterize legalists and perpetuate legalism (Mt 12.10; Lk 18.9-12;
Gal 2.3-5; 6.12-13). 3. Practical expressions of legalism show that
people are trying to earn salvation, spirituality, and God's blessing.

   3.1. Common legalistic practices in Bible times included: religious
ritual (Gal 4.10-11; Col 2.16), special days, months, seasons, years
(Gal 4.10-11; Col 2.16-18), circumcision (Gal 2.3-5; 5.2-4), taboo
lists (Col 2.20-22), hand washing before eating (Mt 15.1-20), special
rules for the Sabbath (Mt 12.1-1-5, 9-14), self righteousness (Lk
18.9-14), depending on personal heritage, ability, and conformity to a
regulatory system to please God (Phil 3.4-6).

   3.2. Current day expressions of legalism include:

   3.2.1. For salvation: Believe plus promise to change the life,
believe plus make Christ Lord, believe plus join the church, believe
plus give up habits (such as eating without washing the hands, smoking,
movies, Sunday comics), believe plus an emotional experience, believe
plus circumcision, believe plus keep church rules or the law of Moses.

   3.2.2. In the Christian way of life: Praying regularly, giving
money, Bible reading, denying certain enjoyments, following a cultural
list of wrongs, not committing certain sins, personality imitation,
relativity of sin, church attendance, emotional response to God, to
doctrine, to church, and other believers, taboos to avoid, good
behavior.

   Copyright 1989 by Tod M. Kennedy You are allowed to reproduce this
article only in its entirety and without additions or deletions.

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