Brother BeenBlake, If no one is into legalism, (like the pharisees) You don't need to address this issue. But Paul strongly rebuked Peter because he was among the group that said you must obey Old Testament laws to be saved. The law was made for man, not the man for the law. Therefore, so as long as no one is idolizing the law, this does not need to be addressed.
Like, can't you all think of something better to argue about??
hey mate
Just felt on my heart to say the only time you fall into legalism is when you take love out of it...Jesus came and fulfilled the law in love, mercy and grace....take them out and you have legalism. :-)
Bless you mate its great to see someone with great zeal and passion in the lord Jesus Christ, dont loose that fire mate...keep seeking and searching and the lord will open your eyes to greater understanding in his word and your life....I love Young people you inspire me.
God bless
There are two sides to legalism.
Side 1
There are those who sit in judgement over others saying "you dont look like me, how can you call yourself a Christian?" or "You dont believe exactly like me, so how can you call yourself a Christian?" This would be legalism. However, most of the time what is perceived as legalism really isnt. Many times tho people who are trying to live in holiness, and encourage others to do so as well are perceived as legalists. But they arent! This brings us to...
Side 2
Many Christians want to have one foot in the world and one foot in the Body, and when they are challenged to live in holiness they scream "You're a Pharisee!!". Why do they do this? Because they are rebels. "Dont tell me what to wear!" while they slip on a skimpy dress for church causing the brethren to stumble over lust. "Dont tell me I cant watch this movie!" while they plunk down $8 to watch a profanity and nudity filled Hollywierd movie.
Sure, Side 1 can be as wrong as Side 2... but what most folks call legalism isnt legalism at all. Most folks who holler out "legalism!" dont see the root of rebellion in their own hearts.
As Samuel said to Saul:
1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of [b]witchcraft[b]iniquity and idolatry[b]rejected
Krispy
Just felt on my heart to say the only time you fall into legalism is when you take love out of it...Jesus came and fulfilled the law in love, mercy and grace....take them out and you have legalism.
I don't quite get this.
Is the answer to legalism "love added to law?"
Does the law applied in love equal absence of legalism?
It seems to me that the scripture equates the law with condemnation and death while equating faith with the Spirit and Life.
That is the Law, the flesh, sin and death are all tied together.
And Faith, the Spirit, rightousness, and Life are also tied together.
How can we add love to what condemns and produces death and take legalism out of it? Can we give a person poison in love?
Death and condemnation applied in love is no salvation.
The Scriptures give us Christ as Life and faith as the means by which we enter in and enjoy Christ.
I would say the only way to use the Law in Love is to use it to show one's need of Christ, just as the New Testament does.
Graftedbranch
“I cannot spare the law one moment, no more that I can spare Christ. Each is continually sending one to the other. The law to Christ and Christ to the law.”
-John Wesly, from sermon: “The Original Nature, Property, and Use of the Law
“I cannot spare the law one moment,
Don't care for Wesley, popes, councils, or opinions of men. Rather care for the testimony of the scriptures and the teaching of the apostles.
Christ never directs us to the Law. Christ is the end of the Law for rightousness to everyone who believes
Graftedbranch
I agree with your post Krispy. Not to open up a new can of worms but church discipline as viewed 100 yrs. ago would probably be called legalism today, when in fact it was just the pastor and elders looking out for the welfare of the sheep.
KrispyKrittr wrote:
There are two sides to legalism.Side 1
There are those who sit in judgement over others saying "you dont look like me, how can you call yourself a Christian?" or "You dont believe exactly like me, so how can you call yourself a Christian?" This would be legalism. However, most of the time what is perceived as legalism really isnt. Many times tho people who are trying to live in holiness, and encourage others to do so as well are perceived as legalists. But they arent! This brings us to...
Side 2
Many Christians want to have one foot in the world and one foot in the Body, and when they are challenged to live in holiness they scream "You're a Pharisee!!". Why do they do this? Because they are rebels. "Dont tell me what to wear!" while they slip on a skimpy dress for church causing the brethren to stumble over lust. "Dont tell me I cant watch this movie!" while they plunk down $8 to watch a profanity and nudity filled Hollywierd movie.
Sure, Side 1 can be as wrong as Side 2... but what most folks call legalism isnt legalism at all. Most folks who holler out "legalism!" dont see the root of rebellion in their own hearts.
As Samuel said to Saul:
1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of
[b]witchcraft[/b] , and stubbornness is as[b]iniquity and idolatry[/b] . Because thou hast[b]rejected[/b] the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.Krispy
I think theres a lot of grey area where legalism is concerned.
My pastor would and has been viewed by some as a legalist, but I know hes Gods man just doing his job, preaching on sin and it rubs people the wrong way. He preaches the word and wont back down to anyone who trys to bring in false doctrine that would confuse the sheep and cause division in the church. Many have left our church because of his stands, but I'll stand behind him as long as he has the touch of God on him. If he starts to get in the flesh and use the word of God as a means of controlling people, that's when we'll have a problem and I'll find my way out the back door. That is legalism.
Personally I think legalism is a very misused/misleading word, I think traditionalism and hypocrasy are much better words for what the pharisees were doing.
But anyways... Be sure to check out John Wesley's 2 cents, [url=http://www.licoc.org/Essays/holiness.htm]"HOLINESS IS NOT LEGALISM"
Adam
Concerning 'legalism', noone has yet defined, from a Biblical standpoint, what legalism is. Are we talking about the Ten Commandments? So called Pharisee law? Modern day evangelical law?
18th, 19th or 20th Century church law?
The first commandment is to love the Lord your God. If you keep the first commandment, you'll keep the other nine, if you break the first commandment, you'll break the other nine. If God's law is written on our hearts,Heb 8v10, and we are walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the lust of the flesh, Gal 5v16, and delight and meditate on God's law, Psalm 1v2, then what ever man-made laws come our way, we will be able to discern, with godly discernment, the source and mind behind those laws. God bless you.
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