Legalism - It's a dirty word in some churches these days.
"Legal" comes from Law.
The Law came from God. In a sense you could say God is a legalist. ( Rom 7:12; Rom 7:16; 1 Tim 1:8; )
Even in the New Testament the Law still has to be fulfilled, the difference is... who fulfills it.
( Matt 5:17-18; Luke 16:17; )
Without the law, there are no rules. Anything goes.
Yes, we've had this discussion before, but it seems once a year or so it bares repeating.
The law is "mostly" just a set of rules. Rules from God. I say mostly because the law of the Old Testament
included all the things around the rules, animal sacrifices, priests, circumcision, stoning people, etc...
It wasn't just the rules, it was what should be done if someone breaks the rules.
Some churches like to say we aren't under the law anymore. A more accurate statement would be
we aren't under the penalty of the law anymore. There are still rules. Yes, if we break them there is
grace.... up to a point. It is possible to fall short of grace. ( Heb 12:15; )
As I said earlier, without "rules" (the law).. anything goes.
All rapists, wife beaters, child molesters, homosexuals, liars, idol worshipers, murderers, and Satanists
go to heaven. Whenever you make a statement like that... people come back and say no.. those people
won't go to heaven. OK then... there must be rules.
The classic Calvinist argument says, well if they were really saved, they wouldn't do those things... perhaps,
but if there are no rules, then what's wrong with doing those things? Without the law, how do we know
right from wrong?
The thing is... "anything" does NOT go. There are still rules. If you want to call someone (me) a legalist
for saying that... then so be it. But the difference between a legalist and grace is.
Both say the rules still apply. One says when you fall down there is grace, as long as you are trying.
The other says there is no grace (or at least very little) so you better be perfect.
This is a far cry from there are no rules at all (antimonianism).
Jude 1:4; For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jas 1:14; But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Jas 1:15; Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Jas 1:16; Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
"Legal" comes from Law.
The Law came from God. In a sense you could say God is a legalist. ( Rom 7:12; Rom 7:16; 1 Tim 1:8; )
Even in the New Testament the Law still has to be fulfilled, the difference is... who fulfills it.
( Matt 5:17-18; Luke 16:17; )
Without the law, there are no rules. Anything goes.
Yes, we've had this discussion before, but it seems once a year or so it bares repeating.
The law is "mostly" just a set of rules. Rules from God. I say mostly because the law of the Old Testament
included all the things around the rules, animal sacrifices, priests, circumcision, stoning people, etc...
It wasn't just the rules, it was what should be done if someone breaks the rules.
Some churches like to say we aren't under the law anymore. A more accurate statement would be
we aren't under the penalty of the law anymore. There are still rules. Yes, if we break them there is
grace.... up to a point. It is possible to fall short of grace. ( Heb 12:15; )
As I said earlier, without "rules" (the law).. anything goes.
All rapists, wife beaters, child molesters, homosexuals, liars, idol worshipers, murderers, and Satanists
go to heaven. Whenever you make a statement like that... people come back and say no.. those people
won't go to heaven. OK then... there must be rules.
The classic Calvinist argument says, well if they were really saved, they wouldn't do those things... perhaps,
but if there are no rules, then what's wrong with doing those things? Without the law, how do we know
right from wrong?
The thing is... "anything" does NOT go. There are still rules. If you want to call someone (me) a legalist
for saying that... then so be it. But the difference between a legalist and grace is.
Both say the rules still apply. One says when you fall down there is grace, as long as you are trying.
The other says there is no grace (or at least very little) so you better be perfect.
This is a far cry from there are no rules at all (antimonianism).
Jude 1:4; For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jas 1:14; But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Jas 1:15; Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Jas 1:16; Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.