I've heard about churches being legalistic, what does it mean?

Question

Would someone please explain legalism and give an example of a church being legalistic?

Answer 1

rules,even small ones. are more important than people or grace or mercy or charity.

Answer 2

First some background:
In the Old Testament, there is something called "The Law" or sometimes the "Mosaic Law" (after Moses). The Law is something like 500-600 different rules and instructions that are articulated in Leviticus and in other places in the early Old Testament books. If a person is expected to follow these rules and instructions to the letter, then this they would be "legalistic".

When Jesus came around, he encountered a group called the Pharisees who were quite legalistic, even to the point of inconsistency and to the point that they were completely missing God's designs. This is why Jesus criticized them so frequently such as in Luke 13:14-17.

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Today, when we describe someone or a church as "legalistic" we imply that they are following a set of rules, typically to the point that they are missing the basic messages of God. Modern Christians don't have a law, per se, but some tend to construct a New Law by picking and choosing both New Testament and Old Testament passages (usually out of context) to justify personal preferences.

Here are some "rules" that I've seen churches legalistically dictate, and they are imposed when someone does not fully understand the basis behind Scriptures

(1) Getting a tattoo is a sin (Leviticus 19:28)
(2) Failing to come to church is a sin (Hebrews 10:25)
(3) Smoking is a sin (1 Cor 6:20)
(4) If a woman wears gold, she is sinning (1 Timothy 2:9)
(5) If you research your family heritage, it is sinning (1 Timothy 1:4)

Answer 3

Being legalistic is a general term that can have different meanings according to what the person using it has assigned to that term.

One sense of it is that a church has added to the clear commandments of God with man made traditions or interpretations that don't fit the clear teaching of the Scriptures.

While each congregation has the freedom to impose certain restrictions upon the members that don't go against what the Bible teaches, when they elevate those rules to the same place as the Bible then they are being "legalistic".

For instance some churches take an old testament passage that prohibits cross dressing and say that a woman cannot wear pants to the church because she is wearing "men's clothing". Or they might take a passage from 1 Peter 3 where the Apostle was contrasting the outward appearance of a woman who wears jewelry with the much more important inner character of her heart and say that wearing jewelry is a sin.

In a legalistic church there is generally a lack of love and grace that allows each member to have the freedom that Christ gives to them in matters not addressed by the Bible in specific terms and to allow the Holy Spirit to bring personal conviction upon them in areas that go against God's specific will for their individual lives.

Legalism is not what some people think where members of a church are held to the standards that God has ordained. For instance, it is not legalistic to tell members that they cannot lie or steal or commit sexual immorality and expect to remain in good standing with the church.

Answer 4

A legalistic church is one that believes their members (and indeed all mankind) is required to keep the letter of the law that was given to Israel through a covenant.

By defining repentance as being where one turns away from sin instead of turning "to" God, a case can be made for keeping the law.

There are quite a number of rationalizations. The end result is that faith is diluted to the point of being ineffectual.

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Answer 5

legalism is an overemphasis on righteousness through a form of rules. Legalism might look godly but it passes by the righteousness from Jesus and puts man's righteousness in its place

When a church is legalistic a church is under emphasizing biblical teaching of grace such as the book of Romans when it talks about following the spirit of the law instead of the letter as the letter kills and the spirit gives life and also under emphasizing a righteousness coming not from the law but from grace.

Answer 6

James O hit it right on the nail. I can give you an example of just what he was saying... I've heard several people who were told not to come back to a church until they were dressed properly. Did this person really think that God was impressed with them because they wore a dress to church but would offend and embarrass a child over their clothing? I can tell you he is not impressed with our clothes. He sees all the way inside of us. Anyway, for me this is a perfect example of legalism.

Answer 7

Legalist is a term used for chrurches that try to be in line with everything in the Bible. This is a good desire. The problem is if you check into them they also add things that aren't in the Bible.

Answer 8

How is a sinner justified before the righteous judgment of God?
Legalism says that it includes some form of obedience to the law. It could be anywhere from requiring complete and perfect obedience, or just a partial obedience. Grace says that we are justified by Christs obedience alone and not anything that we have done. We get His perfect righteousness imputed to us and our sin is imputed to Him (which He paid for on the cross).
Now this does not mean obedience is not important or that one is saved apart from it but legally we are not made righteous by it.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Answer 9

holiness Vs. legalism

Definition of Legalism--when people want to do things for or concerning God that He did NOT tell you to do.

They always put people back under the requirements of the law and in the final analysis they make salvation something that comes through one's own effort. (Of course they deny that they do that, but their legalistic doctrine says otherwise.) These dark clouds without water deny that you can be saved by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus alone. They always add something more to salvation than trusting in Jesus Christ.
Sound familiar??????

Answer 10

Legalism is someone sticking strictly to the laws of the Bible and expecting others to do so as well.
There is no room in legalism for the flexibility of grace and mercy.
God's grace and mercy through the work of Christ Jesus is the completion of the legal system.
The law is there to show us how we fail.
Jesus is there to catch us when we fall.