As a Christian is it better to lean toward legalism or liberalism?

Question

NOTE: I KNOW THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IS BEST.

I think we all have a little of each in our lives depending on our personality.

THIS IS ONLY A QUESTION.IT HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE HOPE OF MAKING PEOPLE, think!

Answer 1

Now there's a battle.

I believe that salvation is by grace, but I'm not willing to stake eternity on it. I try to walk as uprightly as possible, but my motivation is my love for the Lord, and will to please him rather than fear of hellfire. I want to bring him glory in every way possible, and I believe that I can do so by walking uprightly.

I am also seeking the Lord for a calling into the healing ministry. I fear that not walking uprightly would be a hindrance to that ministry, but I don't know if that's accurate or not. Lonnie Frisbee walked in the power of the Holy Spirit, but did not walk uprightly, but then again, Lonnie Frisbee died young. Maybe this is a message that God is not willing to endorse such behavior even at the expense of his own glory.

Answer 2

Darlin - you say you know that the "middle of the road is best"?

Revelations 3:15-16 I know everything you have done, and you are not cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other. But since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Instead of seeking the better way between Legalism and Liberality... Seek the way that GOD would lead you in - EXCLUSIVELY. He is perfectly capable of telling you what to do in each and every moment. ...It's why 1st Thessalonians 5:17 advises: "Pray without ceasing;"

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Peace.

Answer 3

Middle of the Road is (not) best!

"Liberalism" is what Jesus taught, but not in the way the people or churches of today teach it.

We are free to do anything, but not everything is good for us.

We must each decide of our own freewill how we are going to live, but that means how we are going to die also (in some cases).

Jesus plainly teaches that NO ONE can be made righteous by keeping the law. Because no one can keep the law.

That is what Jesus calls "being luke warm" and God said He will spew (vomit) that person out.

What Christians must understand is that we do (not) nor can we control what others say or do and we need to concentrate on what we are supposed to be doing.

1. As Christians we all share what Christ has done for us.
1A: If they listen great praise the Lord, there will be another brother or sister with us in Heaven.
1B: Once you tell a person it is their choice what to do, You can not force them or threaten them to follow Christ.
1C: If they don't listen (leave them alone) to answer to God (NOT) to me.

2. As a Preacher, Teacher, Pastor, We teach"CHRISTIANS" how they are to live their lives and we guide them by helping them make their own decisions.
2A: Which means sometimes we must confront them with the sinful way they are living.

My job as a Christian Pastor is NOT to rule over non-Christians, but to.....

1. Tell others about salvation through Christ
2. Teach and guide Christians in their daily walk with Christ.

Answer 4

Personally, I've chosen a path that could be construed as liberal. To me, there's no point in legalism. I'm for uniting rather than dividing, and accepting rather than shunning. As a Christian, I've just never understood the whole hardcore right-wing mentality. Why focus on punishment, negativity and rejection when there's so much more to belief than that?

Answer 5

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

11For God does not show favoritism.

12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.




23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

2So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow and Wide Gates

13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Answer 6

Legalism is spiritually deadly, in the sense it deadens our spiritual life, we become followers of law rather followers of Christ. I think this verse says it well:

1Co 6:12 All things are lawful to me, but not all things profit. All things are lawful to me, but I will not be ruled by any.

We are free to do all things, yet, as we grow in Christ, our desires change. We no longer desire to do that which displeases God, but seek to please Him in all things. It is best to allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide, your conscience. Obviously, there are some things in Scripture that are spelled out as sin, we should avoid these, but in "gray areas" or areas not spelled out, allow the Spirit to guide you. Romans 14 is also a good guide concerning Christian living and Christian liberty.

Answer 7

You need not separate the two, for legalism can coincide with liberalism if there is no shunted schism. I think though, that as a nationbearer, there is always the predicament that you must place your personal, private precepts behind the pedigrees of spiritual purpose. I know so wholly that worldly things promoted beyond the preface of the Will (of God) is nothing less than propositions worth preventing in the eyes of the Lord, however, it is authoritarian to ascribe the populous to your own perspective (i.e. liberty for choice in abortion, stem cell research, etc).

When there is a societal structure supposing such a shamble of safety, so too must the secular shepherd supply self-defense. For though death is something great (for sin and superficial vanities of the terrestrial are shortened), to send and strive for such is against Scripture -- and thus, not a good work (that of which is integral to the support of true faith).

So as a Christian myself, it is only simple to shy from subjecting myself to such a swerving from spiritual standards. Though, I suppose it may be best for the most wise of Christians to resultantly shoulder the secular statutes. This life is a system for structuring your spiritual settlement.

This passage of Mark is in relation to general selflessness and compassion to provide for others when they are needy.

Mark 9:41
"For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

I list these points of Scripture to show how living life is about giving unto all grace -- paramount to propagating the Will of the Lord. Forcefully governing citizens to be subjugated by your inflection of moral conception is merely hypocritical, ethical aberration.

Matthew 16:27
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."

Luke 6:35
"But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."

1 Corinthians 3:8
"Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

1 Corinthians 3:14
"If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward."


Nothin' like Colossians 2:18 for a little flair. lol.

Colossians 2:18
"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,"

The Lord is sought by striving to live in the manner of His Will.

Hebrews 2:1
"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."

Hebrews 2:2
"For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward"

Hebrews 11:6
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Answer 8

You are going to have to choose your yourself Christianity is a very diverse group and is spread out among both of those opinions. The chances of you obtaining a definite answer from this type of site is very slim.

Answer 9

As far as I am concerned I lean according to the situation, the attitude of the Persons in that situation and, of course the leading of the spirit.
God bless you.

Answer 10

I'm not sure what you mean about liberalism, but we need to find a balance between "legalism and grace".
A lot of Christians focus too much on grace and not enough on "repentance".