Brakelite
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What is Legalism?
- Thread starter robert derrick
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Legalism Definition. “Legalism exists when people attempt to secure righteousness in God’s sight by good works. Legalists believe that they can earn or merit God’s approval by performing the requirements of the law,” Thomas R. Schreiner said. Like the term Trinity, the word legalism is not used in the Bible, but instead describes principles clearly outlined in the Bible.
In Christianity, legalism is the excessive and improper use of the law (10 commandments, holiness laws, etc). This legalism can take different forms. The first is where a person attempts to keep the Law in order to attain salvation. The second is where a person keeps the law in order to maintain his salvation. The third is when Christians judge other Christians for not keeping certain codes of conduct that they think is needed to obey, but in reality is not.
In Christianity, legalism is the excessive and improper use of the law (10 commandments, holiness laws, etc). This legalism can take different forms. The first is where a person attempts to keep the Law in order to attain salvation. The second is where a person keeps the law in order to maintain his salvation. The third is when Christians judge other Christians for not keeping certain codes of conduct that they think is needed to obey, but in reality is not.
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
Well I would say that we enter into rest from our works because of Jesus. Not that He is our rest. He is the cause of us resting from our works to be righteous. Because Jesus is our righteousness.
Coming from the What is Repentance thread, Maybe now I'm thinking legalism is thinking repentance is only skin deep?
Much love!
But to actually reply to YOUR post . . .
:)
Yes. We rest from our works. Very plainly shown in Hebrews. His is our righteousness, and in His righteousness, we rest from our works, just as God rested from His works.
Much love!
If there's no required observance, then there is no required day. We have liberty. If someone keeps a day for rest, they keep it unto God. What does that have to do with anyone else? It is between that person, and God.
Much love!
Legalism is the attempt at earning God's favor through man made ways that God did not prescribe.
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
Well repentance is a one time act We perform to become believers. The word is metanoia which means to change thinking. We do not repent of our sins after we believe, we acknowledge them per 1 JOhn 1:9
When you go through the Bible (including the letters to the seven churches) Christian codes of conduct are part and parcel of being a Christian. So in reality they are necessary. Not to merit salvation, nor to maintain salvation, but to maintain a Christian testimony. We are all witnesses to the grace of God which requires that we live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, while maintaining good works.
Amen! Change your mind, and the change of deeds follows. Change your deeds, but not your mind, and then what happens?
Much love!
To divide between flesh and spirit.
A Christian testimony is to live a new life. We know what is new life and old life from those lists.
Much love!
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Not sure what you mean by that, but if you are suggesting that you do not have a code of conduct, then you are just fooling yourself. That is a part of walking in the Spirit.
CharismaticLady
Well-Known Member
CC: @marks and @Enoch111
In reading Romans 7:13 we see that the law is holy, but the Old Covenant required the letter of the law to be kept in opposition to the indwelling sin nature. That is why the struggle is described in Romans 7:14-23, it is the mind/spirit against the flesh. The law was given to us because of transgressions to guard us and to show us our sin UNTIL Jesus came to take away our sin nature that produced sin and required the Law. The Laws of God's love are written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, thus giving us life. We no longer have to keep laws we are in opposition to, requiring us to struggle. No, our new nature naturally wants to keep the laws of the Spirit of life in Christ, and we are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit which has freed us from the law of sin and death.
Galatians 5:16-18
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Alert: Translators have capitalized the "S" in spirit, when it is talking about our mind, not the Holy Spirit. Those who are born again are not "in" the flesh, but in the Holy Spirit. It is one or the other, but not BOTH!
See Romans 7:25
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
The mind struggles against the flesh, and the flesh against the mind. That error has caused whole denominations to believe we can never be free from sin.
In reading Romans 7:13 we see that the law is holy, but the Old Covenant required the letter of the law to be kept in opposition to the indwelling sin nature. That is why the struggle is described in Romans 7:14-23, it is the mind/spirit against the flesh. The law was given to us because of transgressions to guard us and to show us our sin UNTIL Jesus came to take away our sin nature that produced sin and required the Law. The Laws of God's love are written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, thus giving us life. We no longer have to keep laws we are in opposition to, requiring us to struggle. No, our new nature naturally wants to keep the laws of the Spirit of life in Christ, and we are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit which has freed us from the law of sin and death.
Galatians 5:16-18
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Alert: Translators have capitalized the "S" in spirit, when it is talking about our mind, not the Holy Spirit. Those who are born again are not "in" the flesh, but in the Holy Spirit. It is one or the other, but not BOTH!
See Romans 7:25
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
The mind struggles against the flesh, and the flesh against the mind. That error has caused whole denominations to believe we can never be free from sin.
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That's right, I do not live according to a self-compiled "Law". Either my actions towards others are trust in Jesus and love for them, or they are not. This goes way beyond what a list of rules is able to accommodate.
Much love!
Unless you want to engage on these things you shouldn't tag me. I thought you didn't want to debate.
Much love!
CharismaticLady
Well-Known Member
I always thought so to, but Scripture interprets Scripture. The translators were wrong.
Galatians 5:16-18
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
See Romans 7:25
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
CharismaticLady
Well-Known Member
You've been okay. I was talking about BB and the other guy. Someone you were defending.
Romans 7 is such a great chapter.
There is debate on how to handle it one side goes one way, another side goes the other way.
Truth is when it comes down to it a Christian believer will delight in the Law of God meaning they will have love for God by delighting it even though they understand they can not perfect it; they look towards the Lord Jesus Christ in thankfulness, because He did hold onto the law perfectly, having nailed the law to the Cross. - We are carnal sold under sin - our flesh... it is why Paul says in Philippians to live is Christ but to die is gain.
Paul longed to be with Christ - and in his living realized how the holy spirit had changed from the person he was before who murdered people... especially being a zealot for the law himself.
I believe in the human being having two natures; the first being the natural self then when reborn again from above that of having the spiritual self to live with.
They are always constantly fighting between each other.
There is debate on how to handle it one side goes one way, another side goes the other way.
Truth is when it comes down to it a Christian believer will delight in the Law of God meaning they will have love for God by delighting it even though they understand they can not perfect it; they look towards the Lord Jesus Christ in thankfulness, because He did hold onto the law perfectly, having nailed the law to the Cross. - We are carnal sold under sin - our flesh... it is why Paul says in Philippians to live is Christ but to die is gain.
Paul longed to be with Christ - and in his living realized how the holy spirit had changed from the person he was before who murdered people... especially being a zealot for the law himself.
I believe in the human being having two natures; the first being the natural self then when reborn again from above that of having the spiritual self to live with.
They are always constantly fighting between each other.
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