Legalism has been mentioned several times recently. So I have a question. What do people define legalism as?
I grew up in a denomination that many might call legalistic. I left there and now attend a evangelial verse by verse teaching church. I say that since I understand what a lot of people call legalism yet I also, since having grown up in that view, may retain some of those thoughts.
I think it would be hard to find a church that people call legalistic who will say that salvation is via works. I think that most people call someone legalistic because they have views that there are rules to be followed.
So, lets take two wide views to help discuss the matter. The bible is very clear about things like, not being drunk, not having sex before marriage, etc. Do we not alll form rules that say "I can't do that". I can't go to bar looking to get drunk and "hook up".
The bible is also pretty clear that would should do somethings. Remember the Lords supper, live by faith, not foresake the assembly. So we make rules that say "I should do this or that"
What if your brother or sister were doing all those "don'ts" and was not doing the "do's"? Would you not approach them about it? Ah! But then aren't you legalistic for telling them they shouldn't do that or should do this?
So where is the line drawn? At what point is are you doing to many of the don'ts and not of the do's?
Why is it that if you tell another christian that the bible says they shouldn't do that, or that they should do this, that you are automatically defined as a legalist?
2. If you obey the commandments means you love God: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength"
you cannot obey this commandment without a willing heart.
3. God is legalistic when it is written "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him."Acts 5:32
So God said Holy Spirit is given to people who obey him.
Abraham is legalistic because he obeyed God "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."Genesis 26:5
Peter is legalistic when he said "We ought to obey God rather than men."Acts 5:29b
No where in the bible it support your assumption that it is obey=obligation. Sometimes it is (such as casting of out of devil) but not always.
3. Obey can be from heart:
"But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. "Romans 6:17
4. "But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" Romans 10:16
How can one obey the gospel by force? or leashed ?
5. Not obeying commandments is equivalent to rebel against commandment, therefore, keeping commandments means obeying them "But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers."1 Samuel 12:15 Rebel in heart or in action is rebellion.
I was in what most people would consider a legalistic church for several years. Legalism to me is following a set of rules out of fear, "because we have to" or "because they told me". People are told that the church doesn't believe in salvation by works, but the response when a person leaves and breaks an extra-Biblical rule is "Did you know? So and so backslid (is lost, going to hell). She went to a movie theater last night!" Therefore, though they say they aren't works-based, this statement shows that they do have a works-based perspective.
A church that was not legalistic could have the same conviction about movie theaters, but their response if a member went would be to take them aside privately and offer support, prayer, or kindness--and might even give the person the benefit of the doubt, realizing their car may have been near the theater but that didn't mean they went to watch a movie there, or just pray for them.
Consider this too. If a person in a non-legalistic church committed some heinous act--robbed a bank or killed someone--the response of that church would be to reach out to the person and their family and attempt restoration. I've never seen that happen in a legalistic church. Some visit a person who messed up, but they don't offer much hope; at least in legalist groups I know of, people tend to believe that when a person is baptized, old sins are washed away, but that any sins committed after that must be answered at judgment, whether the person repented or not.
Maybe (hopefully) it isn't that way in all legalistic environments.
Daniel, the fear in legalism is part of man's doctrines. I agree that legalism doesn't have to be fear based. However, to get people to follow man's doctrines rather than God's, fear is often infused into the teaching.
Many legalistic doctrines of man are taught using verses from the Bible. Those who follow those teachings would see those as doctrines of God. However, their treatment of others who don't follow their dogmas is highly unbiblical.
