Legalism

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Episkopos

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Have you come yet to the conclusion that it isn't the doctrine per se that makes one righteous before God...but how we hold onto it? One can be a grace legalist after all....just as much a legalist as someone who thinks eating pork sends one to hell. But isn't pushing grace on others an all forgiving assignment? As in...the ends justify the means? But the ways of God are to be the means we use. We only fool ourselves by trying to help God with our limited understanding about something.

How can a person misapply grace? By white-knuckling an aspect of the truth but shutting one's eyes to another. By pushing a perceived understanding of a truism but in the power of the flesh. By trying to convey something that escapes our natural minds so as it not to affect our actual lives.

We are to speak the truth in love. If love is missing in the message it may have an aspect of truth in it...but it is still lacking in Christ. Therefore it is lacking in truth. God is love. He is truth.

Legalism displays an all too common rigidity in our demeanor towards others. But real life....real spiritual eternal life...is living and spontaneous...open to seeing new aspects and facets of God and His ways. We will have all of eternity to ponder the ways of God. But there are many here that believe they have received enough understanding already to shut their own books and now teach grace in a legalistic manner....calling all who would point out the imbalance as being legalists themselves.

But this is not the way with they who seek the Lord from a pure heart.
 
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marks

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But there are many here that believe they have received enough understanding already to shut their own books and now teach grace in a legalistic manner....calling all who would point out the imbalance as being legalists themselves

I'm curious, how is it you see grace taught in a legalist way? Can you give examples?

Much love!
 

Wafer

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God's word is truth but there is always somebody who thinks he has a better idea.
 

Nondenom40

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Have you come yet to the conclusion that it isn't the doctrine per se that makes one righteous before God...but how we hold onto it?

As someone once said 'theology matters'. I think being born again one does not need to know all the in's and out's of the bible. That comes later but, the essential doctrines of the faith need to be adhered to or else Jesus died needlessly. Acts 4:12 there is salvation in no one else, no other name under heaven given among men where by we must be saved...Jesus of course. Buddah doesn't save, neither does the countless gods or goddesses out there.
One can be a grace legalist after all....just as much a legalist as someone who thinks eating pork sends one to hell. But isn't pushing grace on others an all forgiving assignment? As in...the ends justify the means? But the ways of God are to be the means we use. We only fool ourselves by trying to help God with our limited understanding about something.
Words mean things. Grace in the bible means unmerited favor. If you work for it, its not grace. Grace is nullified by works. So God does in fact give us plenty of knowledge, He defines it for us. But we have to be faithful to Him to go out and spread the good news according to His will, not ours.

How can a person misapply grace? By white-knuckling an aspect of the truth but shutting one's eyes to another. By pushing a perceived understanding of a truism but in the power of the flesh. By trying to convey something that escapes our natural minds so as it not to affect our actual lives.
Grace is misapplied every day. If the bible isn't our standard then we open ourselves up to being misled by all those out there that can preach a good game but are not following what God has given us. Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim 4 preach the word in season and out....the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled accumulated teachers in accordance to their own desires.....turned aside from truth to myths.
We are to speak the truth in love. If love is missing in the message it may have an aspect of truth in it...but it is still lacking in Christ. Therefore it is lacking in truth. God is love. He is truth.
I agree completely.

Legalism displays an all too common rigidity in our demeanor towards others. But real life....real spiritual eternal life...is living and spontaneous...open to seeing new aspects and facets of God and His ways. We will have all of eternity to ponder the ways of God. But there are many here that believe they have received enough understanding already to shut their own books and now teach grace in a legalistic manner....calling all who would point out the imbalance as being legalists themselves.

But this is not the way with they who seek the Lord from a pure heart.
Legalism is a lack of devotion. Theres nothing wrong with 'rigidity'. I call it conviction. If we compromise the truth does that make us less rigid or unfaithful to our Lord? Some things can be compromised, the gospel isn't one of them.
 

SkyWriting

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Have you come yet to the conclusion that it isn't the doctrine per se that makes one righteous before God...but how we hold onto it? One can be a grace legalist after all....just as much a legalist as someone who thinks eating pork sends one to hell. But isn't pushing grace on others an all forgiving assignment? As in...the ends justify the means? But the ways of God are to be the means we use. We only fool ourselves by trying to help God with our limited understanding about something.

How can a person misapply grace? By white-knuckling an aspect of the truth but shutting one's eyes to another. By pushing a perceived understanding of a truism but in the power of the flesh. By trying to convey something that escapes our natural minds so as it not to affect our actual lives.

We are to speak the truth in love. If love is missing in the message it may have an aspect of truth in it...but it is still lacking in Christ. Therefore it is lacking in truth. God is love. He is truth.

Legalism displays an all too common rigidity in our demeanor towards others. But real life....real spiritual eternal life...is living and spontaneous...open to seeing new aspects and facets of God and His ways. We will have all of eternity to ponder the ways of God. But there are many here that believe they have received enough understanding already to shut their own books and now teach grace in a legalistic manner....calling all who would point out the imbalance as being legalists themselves.

But this is not the way with they who seek the Lord from a pure heart.


Legalists can be pulled into the new Covenant of love and still be saved.
If not, they can still be forgiven.
They are the back sliders who revert to the obsolete first covenant.
But I think that we all slide toward legalism at many times.
 

CoreIssue

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Legalists can be pulled into the new Covenant of love and still be saved.
If not, they can still be forgiven.
They are the back sliders who revert to the obsolete first covenant.
But I think that we all slide toward legalism at many times.
We are under the new covenant of blood.

There is no covenant of love.
 

Enoch111

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God's word is truth but there is always somebody who thinks he has a better idea.
It is just like the products on the market. The manufacturers are always bringing out items which are "new and improved". And you can include Bible publishers in that also.
 
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SkyWriting

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We are under the new covenant of blood.

There is no covenant of love.

OKley Doklee

Daniel 9:4 keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and...

Nehemiah 1:5 Then I said: "LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments

Deuteronomy 7:9 keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him

Nehemiah 9:32 "Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes\

Isaiah 61:8 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and injustice; I will faithfully reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.
 
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Episkopos

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We are under the new covenant of blood.

There is no covenant of love.


More opinion...a more ignorance of God and the bible. You accuse others of not regarding the bible...but you are the worst offender. Still you will not stop with your legalistic ways.
 
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CoreIssue

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More opinion...a more ignorance of God and the bible. You accuse others of not regarding the bible...but you are the worst offender. Still you will not stop with your legalistic ways.
And
1 Corinthians 11:25 New International Version (NIV)
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

you need to learn what you're talking about, but you won't.
 

Wafer

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More opinion...a more ignorance of God and the bible. You accuse others of not regarding the bible...but you are the worst offender. Still you will not stop with your legalistic ways.

you need to learn what you're talking about, but you won't.

Nothing is gained from personal insults.
 

Wafer

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Just stating a fact.

21j0i6q.jpg
 

Taken

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Legalism/Legalese ~ has TWO sources;
Thee Lord God Almighty
AND
Governments of men

Each is promulgated BY and THROUGH the Authority of the Sources.

It matters NOT either ONE THAT the;
Law / Statute MUST FIRST have an APPLICABILITY to the "THING/PERSON", BEFORE the Law / Statue HAS "FORCE and EFFECT".

Thee Lord God has Established Laws / Statutes FOR;
Particular Eras,
Particular Times,
Particular Peoples
Which Inturn reveal the Laws & Statues APPLICABILITY to the Particular "THING/PERSON".

Thee Lord God has Established A MEANS/WAY
For "Particular Applications" For "Particular Things/Persons" TO BE "FULFILLED" and THUS "NO LONGER APPLICABLE" to Particular People/Things.

Offerings of Thee Lord God Almighty are Numerous...
And Highlighted on this OP, with Gods Offering of GRACE.

An OFFERING "of" God, has ZERO Effect unto the man, LESS the man Freely Chooses "TO ACCEPT" Gods Offering....(with fore-knowledge; the Offering IS ON Gods Terms!)

The PROBLEM with "weak minded men" is "THEY" Like to "DICTATE" WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT APPLY TO "OTHER MEN"....
EVEN WHEN "OTHER MEN" have Declared their OWN Applicability IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE!!!

Those IN NEED of the "RULE" for Discovery, of "WHO" is qualified to DICTATE their OWN "APPLICABILITY"...

1 Cor 2:

[11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?

Glory to God,
Taken