2007-07-12 14:48:22 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The best definition of legalism is when you try to earn God's salvation by good works or by keeping the commandments without Christ.
The Pharisees in the days of Christ were keepers of the law but they rejected Christ. They felt their works would save them.
Many in our day believe in the grace of Christ but then they make void the law and commandments of God and feel that they don't need to obey them.
Both groups are wrong.
We need faith and works. For "faith without works is dead" said the apostle James.
Faith that works by grace. The natural fruit of grace is obeying and living the life that Christ lived-a life of self denial, holiness, and obeying God's commandments out of love. Not to be saved but because they ARE saved.
The New Testament proclaims the law and the gospel cannot be separated.
Revelation 14:12 puts it this way "Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus"
2007-07-12 15:05:55 · answer #1 · answered by aizzle 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, if that's the case then 'show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.' James 2:18. Verse 17 says 'Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.'
And look at James 4:17 'Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.' And since sin is the transgression of the law (10 Commandments) 1John 3:4, doing good would be to keep the commandments.
And James 1:27 says 'Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.'
To obey God's Word out of love is not legalism, but true religion.
2007-07-12 15:02:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Legalism is defined as "strict and literal adherence to the law". When Christians refer to something as legalistic we mean that people are either adhering to OT Law (which Christ fulfilled so that we can now be under the law of Grace), or the way in which cults adhere to strict "laws" as proscribed by their leaders and which are at variance with Scripture. For example, cults tend to advocate that "works" are needed for salvation, while the Bible says that all that is required is faith. So, when their leaders push the rank and file to jump through the hoops that they, not God, have proscribed, then we say that they are being legalistic.
2007-07-12 14:58:01 · answer #3 · answered by Simon Peter 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, legalism is when people deny grace and place an undue emphasis on subjective interpretations of Scripture so that they read in to passages things that they think ought to be there and instead of just practicing them themselves they seek to compel others to agree with them and practice them too.
An example from the Scriptures might be believers in Rome or Corinth who thought that it was a sin to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols or who thought that a person had to celebrate religious holy days and they judged other believers who didn't share their convictions in these matters.
Romans 14:3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
2007-07-12 14:55:28 · answer #4 · answered by Martin S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
when you add rules into the bible and say that its a sin that is legalism. Ex: saying that listening to music with drums in it will make you go to hell. Hope this helps
may God bless you and everyone you love!
2007-07-12 15:00:04 · answer #5 · answered by ilovepointeshoes 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's called stupidity, because God never wrote or spoke to anybody. All so-called "holy books" are man-made baloney.
2007-07-12 14:53:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 15:10
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
it's called wisdom and love.
2007-07-12 14:55:24 · answer #7 · answered by n9wff 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No it is called being holy.
2007-07-12 15:00:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, that is called obedience.
2007-07-12 14:53:06 · answer #9 · answered by franj 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it's called "superstition"!
(have fun, you superstitious down-thumbers!)
2007-07-12 14:52:01 · answer #10 · answered by HyperDog 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋