The various definitions of "legalism".

[rush4hire]

Here are several definitions of legalism from this page: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/legalism

Quote:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) This

legalism

le·gal·ism

–noun 1. strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, esp. to the letter rather than the spirit.

2. Theology.

-- a. the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works.

-- b. the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.

3. (initial capital letter) (in Chinese philosophy) the principles and practices of a school of political theorists advocating strict legal control over all activities, a system of rewards and punishments uniform for all classes, and an absolute monarchy.

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American Heritage Dictionary

le·gal·ism

n.

Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality.

A legal word, expression, or rule.

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WordNet

legalism

noun

strict conformity to the letter of the law rather than its spirit

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Legalism

n. Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law.

Interesting. But what about the Bible? The word is not there. What about Ellen White? She uses the word only one time:

Quote:

Let no one make his feelings his idol, and bow his soul down to worship and serve his sensations. "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." It is your privilege to believe that Christ has borne your sins; for God hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. You are under the shelter of the sure refuge, under the cover of the atoning blood of the acceptable sacrifice. {ST, April 9, 1894 par. 2}

All legalism, all the sorrow and woe by which you may encompass yourself, will not give you one moment of relief. You cannot rightly estimate sin. You must accept God's estimate, and it is heavy indeed. If you bore the guilt of your sin, it would crush you; but the sinless One has taken your place, and, though, undeserving, he has borne your guilt. By accepting the provision God has made, you may stand free before God in the merit and virtue of your Substitute. You will then have a proper estimate of sin, and the godly sorrow of true repentance will take the place of hopeless discouragement and grief, for you will turn from sin with grief and abhorrence. {ST, April 9, 1894 par. 3}

So, it seems like "legalism", according to Ellen White, is trusting in your own merit and virtue, rather than Christ's merit and virtue. This causes one to sort of "bear their own sins", instead of letting Christ bear their sins. That makes alot of sense. That would be about the same thing as attributing your salvation to your own works. That was sort of a big issue with the Apostles, right from the start:

[color:#BF0000]Acts 3:12 ...Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

Good one. So let's find examples of what might be called "legalism".

I can see two kinds of people who behold their own good works and are very proud. Not to be dogmatic. Maybe there are 5 or 6 kinds. But this will work for now.

The first class are confident that they are saved. The call to reformation comes and they despise it, for they think they are too righteous, because of their own good works that they do, not to please God, but to be seen of men:

[color:#BF0000]Matt. 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Matt. 6:5 ..thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

These will not take advice from someone who seems to have less works than them. They are blinded by their pride and that causes a lack of discernment, and they end up actually breaking God's law and justifying themselves.

[color:#BF0000]Matt. 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, [he shall be free]. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and [yet] none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

Acts 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it].

Jesus didn't condemn anyone for keeping God's law, but the complete opposite is true. Jesus never condemned anyone for anything except breaking God's law. So legalism in this sense doesn't cause you to keep God's law strictly, but it actually causes you to break it!

We don't have to make a whole study to identify this class of folks.

The other class are miserable. They keep God's law outwardly, because they have to, and they have no joy of salvation. That's a real tragedy. It's like they are bearing their own sins. Jesus pointed out this kind too:

[color:#BF0000]Matt. 20:10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

20:11 And when they had received [it], they murmured against the goodman of the house,

20:12 Saying, These last have wrought [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

Why wouldn't these guys feel it's a privilege to work in God's vineyard? They are working for God. They are not just laboring for money, but they also get experience and wisdom and get to win souls. There's nothing better than to serve the Lord:

[color:#BF0000]John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Prov. 11:30 The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life; and he that winneth souls [is] wise.

Again:

[color:#BF0000]Luke 15:29 ...Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

15:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

That boy was with his father the whole time, just like the workers where in the vineyard all day. They where miserable. That's not the right attitude. The father said "all that I have is yours". He could have killed a calf the whole time, but he never wanted to. He could have had a feast. Why didn't he? The feast is preaching the Word of God.

Both types of legalist completely forget their calling. They missed the point. They use their works to build a monument to their own pride and they forsake the needs of others. But what really is the purpose of good works?

[color:#BF0000]Matt. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Our good works are to lead others to Christ. The reason you plant a fruit tree is for the hope of getting fruit, so Christ plants us so we will produce good works:

[color:#BF0000]Eph. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

So that's what I think about legalism vs. God's actual plan for His children.

(to be continued)

[rush4hire]

The word "legalism" seems to have taken on a different meaning. Some actually teach that it's OK to break God's Holy Law, and if you tell them they can't do that, they will call you a "legalist". I believe this is a complete misapplication, even a perversion, of the term.

Here's a good example:

I say if an ice cream truck comes by on the Sabbath, and your children want ice cream, then you must teach them that there is no ice-cream truck. It's only an illusion. A trick of the Devil. You see, all the ice-cream men have attended evangelistic seminars and they all decided to start keeping the Sabbath. Oh, the truck is real? Well maybe he hasn't gone to the seminar yet. Well don't worry. He will. Just pray and have faith. But if you buy the ice cream, it will send the wrong message. Do you want him to keep the Sabbath, or to not?

"How mean is that? What a hopeless legalist! The kid is gonna harden his heart.", the Devil might say. All the while he's holding his hand over the very simple solution. Buy your ice-cream on the preparation day:

[color:#BF0000]Luke 23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

23:55 And the women also, ... beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

They didn't even claim it was an "emergency" to prepare the body of Jesus, but they saw to it that all the work was done before sunset. Where they "legalists" then?

Hasn't God given us freezers? Back in the Bible times, they didn't even have that. They couldn't even have ice-cream. How spoiled are we now? We have all this and it's not enough? And let's not witness to the ice-cream man. Then he will be converted and start keeping the Sabbath. Then we won't have fresh ice-cream on the Sabbath!

To me, that seems kind of evil. You don't care that this man is lost? Or have you become so universalistic that you think everybody must be saved no matter what?

People will go to the restaurant on the Sabbath. They take a cab. They go to the pool and pay money to the guy there. They are glad that not everyone keeps the Sabbath, or they wouldn't have these luxuries on the Sabbath.

Neh. 10:31 And [if] the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, [that] we would not buy it of them on the sabbath...

[color:#BF0000]Neh. 13:15 In those days saw I in Judah [some] treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all [manner of] burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified [against them] in the day wherein they sold victuals.

13:16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

13:17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing [is] this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

13:18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

13:19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and [some] of my servants set I at the gates, [that] there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

13:20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

13:21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do [so] again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no [more] on the sabbath.

I'm sure the treading of the wine press was a real emergency. They just wanted fresh grape juice to make the Sabbath more enjoyable. Here, Nehemiah gives us a perfect example of a legalism. (according to some definitions)

Victuals are foods, like ice-cream.

Jesus told a man to stop carrying his bed on the Sabbath:

[color:#BF0000]John 5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry [thy] bed.

...

5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Was Jesus a legalist for calling it a sin to carry furniture around on the Sabbath when it's not necessary?

Well let's try to find something that has authority. Here's a well trusted web site:

http://www.itiswritten.com/

Today, on September 17, 2008, I went there and on the main page, it showed the article of the day. It was about "legalism"!

http://en.bibleinfo.com/topics/topic.html?id=165

Quote:

Legalism is putting rules above God and above human needs.

Great! Another new definition!

Ok, surely he's talking about man-made rules, right?

Quote:

Legalism is a form of slavery. It's in the Bible, Galatians 4:8-9, TLB. "Before you Gentiles knew God you were slaves to so-called gods that did not even exist. And now that you have found God (or I should say, now that God has found you) how can it be that you want to go back again and become slaves once more to another poor, weak, useless religion of trying to get to heaven by obeying God's laws?"

He's talking about the Law of God? How does God's Holy Law, the Ten Commandments, ever interfere with human needs? Is that possible?

This is confusing. Because Jesus said:

[color:#BF0000] 10:25 ...Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

10:26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

10:28 ...Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

That is the promise of Jesus. Do this and thou shalt live! But the popular evangelists today get that plain and simple statement all mixed up. They make it complicated and confusing. Here again:

[color:#BF0000]Matt. 19:16 ..what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

19:17 ..if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Very simple. If you want eternal life, keep the Commandments. Again:

[color:#BF0000]Rev. 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

So why be complicated?

But wasn't that a Bible quote? Is that really what it says in Gal. 4:8-9? What does the KJV say?

[color:#BF0000]Gal. 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Not a single mention of the law of God! These elements are elements of the world:

[color:#BF0000]Gal. 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

I guess it's like tutors and governors teach our children Evolution and other rubbish that comes from infidel thinkers of the world. They have to, in order to get a High School Diploma.

That's my interpretation. But either way, the elements are elements of the world. God's Law is not a beggarly element of the world! What is? Next verse:

[color:#BF0000]Gal. 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

The only thing that can be compared to in the Bible is the observance of times, which is astrology:

[color:#BF0000]Lev. 19:26 Ye shall not eat [any thing] with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

Duet. 18:10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

....

18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].

2 Kings 21:6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger.

2 Chron. 33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Isaiah 47:13 Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee.

Notice these where not Jews, but Gentiles, so whatever things they where going back to would be Gentile practices. Nothing to do with God's Law. The "gods which are no gods", may be astrological signs, like Taurus, Ares, Virgo, etc.

What about this other verse?

Quote:

Legalism is attractive, but destructive. It's in the Bible, Colossians 2:23, NIV. "Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."

Is that talking about the Law of God too? No. Again, things of the world and human tradition.

[color:#BF0000]Col. 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

This has nothing to do with the Law of God, but the commandments of men, which, as Jesus has shown us, can come into conflict with the Law of God.

There are only 4 verses cited in this little article. The first verse is about the miracles of Jesus on the Sabbath. The miracles where actually best done on the Sabbath. That's when everyone was gathered together to witness the miracles of healing and glorify God. But the Jews where desperate for something to accuse Jesus with, so they made up a law on the spot, that said you can't do miraculous healings on the Sabbath. But they have no Scripture. Jesus didn't say it was OK to break God's law to heal people, but rather that it was "lawful to do good on the sabbath days", (Mark 3:4).

So as wicked as their motive was, it really has nothing to do with "legalism".

The last one:

[color:#BF0000]Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

That's the only verse here that can actually be applied to the concept of "legalism". That's the heart of it. Give glory to God for your salvation and be careful not to take the credit for yourself or you will fall to pride and be lost.

It's real simple. Never let anyone get you confused about these things:

[color:#BF0000]1 Cor. 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace..

2 Cor. 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

1 Tim. 6:20 ...avoiding profane [and] vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace [be] with thee. Amen.

Thank you and God bless!

-- disclaimers --

1. The author neither endorses, nor opposes "It Is Written" ministry.

2. The author neither endorses, nor opposes "ice-cream", but does advocate soy-based ice-creams, made with natural sweeteners, such as raw honey or cane juice.

[Robert]

All these definitions, but you should have used the Bible's....Read Gal 3:10. "Works of the law" is Paul's phrase for legalism.

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”

What is the book of the law? All the rules and commandments as found in the first, five books of the OT - including the moral law. If you make any of those a condition for heaven you are a legalist. In fact if you make one a condition, you must "obey the whole law".

And yes, Rush, you're a legalist.

[rush4hire]

All these definitions, but you should have used the Bible's....Read Gal 3:10. "Works of the law" is Paul's phrase for legalism.

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”

What is the book of the law? All the rules and commandments as found in the first, five books of the OT - including the moral law. If you make any of those a condition for heaven you are a legalist. In fact if you make one a condition, you must "obey the whole law".

Thank you for reading and thank you for your comment, Robert.

The problem with that quote, is you leave it without a reasonable explanation that fits with the rest of the Scriptures with perfect harmony.

And you must not make it confusing, or you bear false witness.

We have already covered the tendency to trust in our works for our salvation. Those that trust in their works are of the works of the law. They attribute their salvation to their own works.

We are not saved by works. Does that mean we don't do works? No. We do the works, but we acknowledge that it's not our defiled works that saves us, but Christ's work.

We are not saved by keeping and honoring God's law. Does that mean we can break God's law? No. We must never break God's law. We just know that if our salvation where dependent on our law keeping, we would all be lost, because all of us have broken God's law, except Christ.

This understanding is to keep us from boasting: "lest any man should boast", (Eph. 2:9).

We are not saved by works of the law. Does that mean we don't have to do works of the law? No. Everyone does works of the law. Every time you resist the temptation not to steal, that's a work of the law.

Doing works of the law is not the same thing as being of the works of the law. To be of the works of the law, you have to attribute your salvation to your works of the law.

We can not bear our own sins. Our salvation is not dependent on our works, for our works are not perfect, and never will be because the record of our lives is permanent. But good works will be the result of abiding in Christ:

[color:#BF0000]John 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

....

15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Even if I produced perfect works from now on and for the rest of my life, by abiding in Christ, still the record of my life will show works of selfishness before this time. So the works of my life time can't save me, for they are not perfect before God.

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[color:#BF0000]Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw [it], he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

...

3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Peter was righteous and he did nothing but good works, but it was not his own righteousness that healed that man. So we also will do nothing but good works to show we belong to Christ, but it is not those good works that gives us eternal life.

That's grace.

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There's no need to make it complicated. If that part is too confusing, then just skip it, and go on to something else for now.

[BobRyan]

The practical definition of legalism:

Anything you DO (including saying a magic formula about Justification "all of Christ none of me" or pointing to a one time salvation event) that you use as an EXCUSE not to engage in a real interactive daily relationship with Christ today and yet you still suppose "you are going to heaven".

For example legalism could easily be thinking "I am ok because I always SAY it this way, or I gave my heart at one time, or I was saved once or I finally left that old denomination for this one... so no worry that I am not really engaged in worship and communication with God today - I am going to heaven anyway"

in Christ,

Bob

[BobRyan]

Contrast the above with Romans 11 "you are right they fell due to unbelief.. you too should fear for if He did not spare them neither will He spare you"

Quote:

Rom 11

18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.

19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”

20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;

21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.

22Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

23And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

in Christ,

Bob