Okay, but what is an example of a man-made law that fits your definition of legalism? It is not difficult to find a biblical justification for many, many things, nor difficult to find a scripture that could be interpreted to justify something. If all members of Church XYZ refused to marry in other denominations, this is probably legalism. Scholars in all fields of religious studies will attempt to justify or reject legalism in our churches. To get to the bottom of this topic, we can look at what Jesus says in Luke 11:37-54. In this passage we find that Jesus is invited to dine with the Pharisees. Jesus performed miracles on the Sabbath, and the Pharisees seem eager to talk to Him. When Jesus sits down, He does not participate in the ritual of hand washing, and the Pharisees take note of this. The law states that the Sabbath must be sanctified and that no work can be done on it. That is an excellent principle. But these Jewish legalists had a passion for definitions.
So they asked: What is work? All sorts of things have been classified as work. For example, carrying a burden on the Sabbath means working. But the next step is to define a load. Thus, the law of scripture states that a burden is “food equal to the weight of a dried fig, enough wine to mix in a chalice, enough milk for a sip, enough honey to anoint a wound, enough oil to anoint a small limb, enough water to moisten an eye ointment, enough paper to write a customs notice on it, Enough ink to write two letters of the alphabet, enough reed to make a pen” – and so on endlessly. So they spent endless hours arguing about whether or not a man could lift a lamp from one place to another on the Sabbath, whether a tailor committed a sin if he went out with a needle in his dress, whether a woman could wear a brooch or fake hair, even if a man could go out on the Sabbath with artificial teeth or an artificial limb. if a man could raise his child on the Sabbath. These things were for them the essence of religion. Their religion was a legalism of petty rules and regulations. When various man-made norms are elevated to the rank of essential teaching of Christ or considered a central element of salvation, even what is believed with good reason ends up becoming a serious false teaching about holiness and gospel teaching. Many New Testament epistles (especially the book of Galatians) contain passages intended to correct legalism that distorted pure gospel doctrine. We encourage believers to study the scriptures and discern whether their personal standards and common teachings are compatible with the spirit and content of God`s Word (Acts 17:11). Let`s go back to legalism.
The problem with legalism is not the rules. The problem is what these people believe the rules will do for them. The problem is that they truly and sadly believe that following these rules will bring them salvation. For me, legalism means a certain rigidity in non-essential matters. Make a mountain out of a molehill, neglect the heavier things to focus on the little things. Legalism is formed “where it is only a matter of keeping God`s law as an end in itself.” Sproul points out that legalism separates obedience from God`s love and salvation. “The legalist focuses solely on obedience to bare rules and destroying the larger context of God`s love and salvation in which He gave His law in the first place.” If you end up insulting a group of people because you imply that they are not good enough for the church or are not true Christians for some extra-biblical reason, that is legalism. Like the term Trinity, the word legalism is not used in the Bible, but describes principles that are clearly stated in the Bible. At the heart of the debate about legalism versus grace is the understanding of how we are saved and how we can be certain of our heavenly hope. One author for Gotquestions.org defines legalism as “a term Christians use to describe a doctrinal position that emphasizes a system of rules and regulates the achievement of salvation and spiritual growth.” Christians who turn to this way of thinking demand strict adherence to rules and regulations. It is a literal obedience to the law that Jesus fulfilled. “It is faith, without good works and before good works, that leads us to heaven.
We come to God by faith alone,” Martin Luther in Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional. For me, a BIG part of legalism is knowing how to respond to those who don`t share your beliefs. If someone just wants to wear skirts and grow their hair up to their buttocks, but can graciously accept those who decide not to, that doesn`t scream “legalism” to me. It is people who despise others and become self-righteous who fly my red flags. Legalism is defined as 1) strict adherence to laws or regulations, especially the letter and not the spirit. 2) The doctrine that salvation is obtained through good works. The gospel calls people to repentance, holiness, and godliness. For this reason, the world finds the gospel offensive.
But woe betide us if we unnecessarily reinforce this offense by distorting the true nature of Christianity by linking it to legalism. Because Christianity is about morality, righteousness, and ethics, we can easily take that subtle step from a passionate concern for divine morality to legalism if we are not careful. Ester Maria, even if someone lives rigidly and strictly, it is not legalistic in the sense that I think this thread is a reference. I think the legalism we`re talking about here is whether or not you believe in everyone in the same standard that you live in. Many of the examples mentioned here are not black and white rules that everyone agrees on, and this is where the interpretation comes into play and the application becomes confusing. After reviewing these three types, we can see that it is not bad to have a personal preference or choose to read a particular version of the Bible. This becomes a problem when one begins to believe that one`s way is the only way to attain salvation. David Wilkerson sums it up nicely with this statement. “At its core, legalism is the desire to appear holy. He tries to be justified before men and not before God. A friend`s uncle avoids his daughter because she divorces her husband for infidelity. Let`s say that if she remarries, she will go to hell.
This is legalism. Legalism has been defined in many ways, but here is my attempt: legalism is the tendency to regard things that God has neither required nor forbidden in Scripture as divine law, and the corresponding tendency to view others with suspicion because of their failure or refusal to conform. It could also be called a religious spirit, insofar as man-made religion and legality go hand in hand. It all boils down to this: I create rules and expectations that aren`t in the Bible, and then I feel good about myself and my relationship with God because I obeyed them, while condemning others for not living up to this artificial standard of piety. So how do I know if I`m legalistic? Here is a simple test that consists of five questions. What I consider to be the most tragic consequence of legalism is that churches and individuals do not fulfill God`s purpose. There is an outward expression, but no inner change. Our hearts are not turned to God and His will for our lives.