Legalism

[Episkopos]

Yes, if you didn’t read about the Spirit in the Bible today, you would not even know there is one.

Unless you get struck off your horse like Paul. Was he reading a bible?

Jesus said.. preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he believeth not shall be damned. Is that a law? Yes or no and is it not for every creature?

To those who are preached the truth by those who are sent from God? It is a law.

But the astute among us will realize this is about recognizing the anointing in a person as much as listening to a message. How many people on this very forum disbelieve what God is telling them through the brethren here? Is there not a damnation in that as well? Will we not be judged by how we have received even the least of His brethren? Is that not biblical?

 

[CNKW3]

Unless you get struck off your horse like Paul. Was he reading a bible?

There are no appearances on the Road to New York today and you know that. People can claim whatever they want but they can’t demonstrate anything. Paul could. Anybody can claim anything, but without demonstration it is just hearsay.

To those who are preached the truth by those who are sent from God? It is a law.

But the astute among us will realize this is about recognizing the anointing in a person as much as listening to a message. How many people on this very forum disbelieve what God is telling them through the brethren here? Is there not a damnation in that as well? Will we not be judged by how we have received even the least of His brethren? Is that not biblical?

How does one recognize the “anointing”? The only way to do that today is compare ones life and doctrine to what the word says. Anything else is just subjective. Again, anybody can make any claims they want but if it is not backed by scripture it comes from man and not God, like the “sinners prayer” for salvation. It didn’t come from God it came from man.

 

[marks]

The one new law Jesus gave was to love as He loved...by giving up our lives. But who wants to obey Jesus? People just want what they can get from Him...not be like Him.

Hi Episkopos,

I think two commandments, to believe in Jesus, and to love each other. Love like He loved, yes!

If only everyone knew what it really means to be like Him! Then that would be what they would just want.

Much love!

 

[st3712]

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.

Is there anything down here on earth
that is illegal to do in the eyes of the Lord?

 

[shnarkle]

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?

I'm not sure we need to hold onto doctrine at all. The grace of God leads us into all righteousness. It leads us into God's will.

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.

I think there's something to this, but not quite sure what it is. A grace legalist seems to be one who adopts a legalistic position that allows one to sin with impunity. Our unmerited favor is proven to be unmerited over and over again by those who believe we sin that God's grace may abound. God's grace is what turns us from sin, not what allows us to sin. This is why grace really has nothing to do with legalism at all. We don't look to the law to turn from sin. We look to the law to identify sin in our lives. God's grace conforms us to the image of Christ who has no sin.

So while we needn't point out that eating swine is detestable in God's eyes, we're not going to eat it just because it's placed in front of us. We needn't point out that fornication and adultery are detestable in God's eyes, but we're not going to engage in these activities as if to prove God's grace knows no bounds. Christ himself pointed out that to justify sin is an abomination Luke 16:15, and that's basically the only way one can sin.

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.