Please help me understand--legalism

[missmoe]

I did not grow up hearing this word, and it is not used in my faith. I see it used on this board often. Sometimes I think I understand, but other times its used in a way that makes me think I don't understand its meaning at all. :confused:

 

So I'm coming to the source---what do you mean when you use legalism?

 

Thanks.

[Jean in Newcastle]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133186&highlight=legalism

[Margo out of lurking]

I read the link and didn't "get" most of the posts. Simply, to me, legalism is imposing one's interpretation of Scripture as the rule for everyone else. *I* wear only dresses because Scripture says _________, therefore, you should too. *I* do not drink because Scripture says _________, therefore, if you drink, you are not a good Christian. We don't celebrate Halloween because the Bible says __________; therefore, no decent Christian family will acknowledge Halloween. The Bible says ________ about educating your children, therefore it is unBiblical to send your children to public school.

 

It's one person making that determination across the board for everyone else on issues that are irrelevant to salvation.

 

(I feel I should clarify: the above examples are just that--examples. I did not fill in scripture because it's early in the a.m. and imo it is not relevant within the context of this thread.)

[Laurie4b]

Analogy: there is a road of moral living those who wish to follow Jesus faithfully will follow. There is a ditch on either side of that road: one ditch is libertinism and the other legalism. Libertinism is less subtle; it is saying something to the effect that since I'm saved through faith, I don't have to worry too much about moral living. In NT times, the false teaching was more or less to the effect that the body didn't matter; it was the soul which was important, so things one did with the body ---like sexual immorality-- weren't a transgression of moral teaching. On the other side of the road is the ditch of legalism, which is the addition of things to the moral code and/or trying to impose your interpretation of "gray areas" (in which Scripture doesn't speak specifically) on other people, or focusing on external, outward "proofs" of spirituality in the eyes of other human beings. So, for instance, modesty is clearly a biblical value (The road) , but a system which judges the spiritual life of another by whether one wears something or other (not giving an example so as not to derail the thread) or the individual's compulsion to adhere to the dress code, not because of internal conviction but because of fear of being judged, is legalism. I describe ilegalism as "The person with the most scruples is the most spiritual."Some whole church bodies are legalistic; there can be a group within a church that is legalistic, or an individual can be legalistic. You can read Romans 14, Colossians 2, and the letter to the Galatians to see that that is not true that the one with the most scruples is the most spiritual and to get the Scriptural pov on the "ditch" of legalism.

Edited November 14, 2010 by Laurie4b

[Trish]

Legalism is being more interested in the letter than the spirit of the rule or law. (Pharisees = legalism oftentimes in the Gospels)

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I did not grow up hearing this word, and it is not used in my faith. I see it used on this board often. Sometimes I think I understand, but other times its used in a way that makes me think I don't understand its meaning at all. :confused:

 

So I'm coming to the source---what do you mean when you use legalism?

 

Thanks.

 

 

To me, legalism is believing that I can be saved (or brought to a higher level) by what I do and/or don't do. Those who have a set of standards that they consider tests of faith are legalists.

 

.

[missmoe]

Wow, Jean I didn't think to look if this had been discussed. I assumed I was the only clueless one!;)

 

Thanks ladies. I'm beginning to see.

[OnTheBrink]

Legalism is adding rules to salvation. For example, some may say you can't possibly be saved if you don't wear dresses, or if you go to movies, or if you drink wine. Most of the "rules" aren't biblical, or can't be concretely substantiated by Scripture.

[Marylou]

Unfortunately, moralism is closely related and also present in the church today.

[Kates]

Yep, legalism is adhering to the "letter of the law" without giving credence to the "spirit of the law".

 

For example - we should dress modestly, so you're not a Christian if you don't wear a dress and head covering. We shouldn't be drunkards, so you're not a Christian if you have so much as a glass of wine. We should keep our minds on God, so going to a movie is a sin.

 

Now...if you believe that wearing a dress and head covering, not drinking, or not going to movies is how you are to honor God, by all means, stick to that - but do it out of devotion to him, not because it's simply a set of rules that someone set down for you.

 

Legalism is, basically, strictly adhering to a set of rules because it's the "Christian" thing to do - rather than striving to live a life that glorifies God out of your love for him.