by Simon Schrock
Don was an elder in his evangelical-type church. He saw much
looseness about holiness in his congregation. He loved God and
experienced His grace. His conscience called him to a more careful
obedience to God and to His Word. Don visited a congregation that
practiced some of the New Testament teachings that were missing in
his church. This church took a scriptural, careful position on
remarriage after divorce, the wearing of jewelry, washing one
another's feet and the wearing of the headship veiling by their
sisters.
Don saw the obedience to scriptural teaching, so he raised these
issues with his pastor and asked why they are not obeying these
scriptures. The pastor's response was, "That's legalism! Where is the
grace of God in that?"
Incidents like this could be told hundreds of times over. But is it
legalism? Scriptural commands are wiped out under the label of
legalism or pharisaism.
"It's pretending to be holy without really being holy"
Expressions and words develop certain meanings at given times in
history.
"The religious right" is an expression used today in a derogatory
manner against certain people. During the reformation period,
derogatory terms were hurled at our Anabaptist forefathers. Luther
called the Anabaptists ketzer which means "the perfect ones" or "you
little perfect ones." This was said in a belittling way, making light
of their obedience to scripture. The term legalism is used in a
similar way today. When a believer follows the Word of God, often
those who do not measure up, or are lacking, come up
with some belittling expression like, "Oh, she's legalistic" or "He's
pharisaic." Is obedience to scripture legalism?
Consider Joe (or it could be Sarah). He may be Baptist,
Mennonite, Amish or Catholic. He may be of some old orthodox order.
He grew up going to church, sat through many morning services and
knew he wasn't right with God. He knew there was a heaven and a hell.
His own sinfulness haunted him, especially when he read another
friend's obituary in the newspaper.
So Joe joined a church. He said the right words at baptism. He
attended church and kept most of the rules. He gave to the offering,
didn't steal or commit adultery, and never killed anyone (literally,
that is).
He was an all around good mainstream citizen. When his conscience
doesn't let him rest with peace and assurance . . . he
gives a little more to the offering . . . or attends the evening
service . . . or stiffens his modest dress code . . . or some other
noble disciplinary act!
He has "done" his duty toward God, and he expects God to admit
him to heaven when he dies. . . on the basis of his good works! Is
Joe legalistic?
Legalism: What Does It Mean? Strict, often too strict, and
literal adherence to law. Theology: The doctrine of salvation by good
works.[1] "A keeping of the law, particularly in a formal sense, and
a regarding of obedience as meritorious, having merit, deserving
merit, praise."[2] From these definitions, legalism can be good.
Good Christians ought to be legalistic enough to obey laws. Legalism
can be eternally bad. It is a major cause of missing salvation.
Pharisaic legalism is spiritual poison. However, Webster's
definition, "The doctrine of salvation by good works" fits its most
common usage in religious circles today. What then is obedience? "A
willingness to obey, submission."[3] "Doing that which is commanded
according to scripture, obedience will eventually follow from true
faith."[4]
Was Don a pharisaic legalist for carefully obeying scripture?
Were the Anabaptist ketzer acting like they were the perfect ones,
even
though they said, "the very best you can possibly be-you still need
the grace of God."[5] Was Joe a legalist?
Jesus has the answer: And he spake this parable unto certain
which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed
thus with himself God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast
twice in a week, I give tithes of all I possess (Luke 18:9-12).
Here is a legalist. The Luke 18 Pharisee and Joe were legalists!
It's the person who puts confidence in his own self-righteousness. It
could be trusting your ability to keep the right rules or the
church's standard of conduct. It could be comparing yourself with
someone less righteous than you. It could be the scale system telling
yourself, "I'm 51% good and 49% bad. I'll make it to heaven."
Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to exterminate Christians.
The risen Lord met him on the way. Suddenly, at midday, a light from
heaven shone around him. Saul lay prostrate on the ground as he heard
the Lord say, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Saul
replied, "Who art thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest."
Saul, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do?" God later used this man to instruct the church with
epistles on how to live between Pentecost and Christ's return. He
wrote commands from God that taught: Do not take your brother to law.
Do not be conformed to this world. Owe no man anything but to love
one another. Be modest in your apparel. Was Saul (now called Paul) a
legalist for saying, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And then
conforming to God's will? Was he a legalist for allowing himself to
be used to write scripture with commands to guide the church through
the centuries until Jesus comes again? Is someone a legalist today by
giving a careful heeding to Paul's writings? Was Don's careful
obedience to scripture displeasing to God?
Did God say, "just trust My grace and don't get too serious about
Paul's writings with commands"? Don't worry about modesty-just blend
into the culture of jewelry and fashion . . .? Does God's Word say
that? No! Walter Beachy contends, "Careful obedience to scripture
that issues out of a regenerate heart is not legalism."[6] Now, back
to legalistic Joe and the Pharisee! Joe is invited to a businessmen's
prayer breakfast. After all, he is a good church man and he must keep
a good front, so-he goes along. At the meeting, he hears this
testimony:
"I went to church regularly I would sit there and plan my work
for the week. I gave to the offering. I sang in the choir-but I was
lost! I was like the Pharisee in Luke 18. I needed Christ. I became
the publican. I yielded my life to Jesus Christ and received His
forgiveness. I now have peace.
This troubled legalistic Joe all week. The next Sunday a visiting
minister preached, "You Must Be Born Again." Joe, like the publican
who said, "God, be merciful to me a sinner," was converted to Christ.
He found peace with God. He experienced God's mercy.
Now he wanted to thank God for His mercy. He wanted to honor God and
show appreciation for his salvation. How can he do it?
He reads the scriptures. From the words of Jesus he learns that, "Ye
are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you" (John 15:14)
and "If you Love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
He reads further, "He that bath 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 manifest myself to him" (John 14:21).
Continued study of the scriptures reveals that obedience is the way
to know God: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. He that saith, 'I know him,' and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby
know we that we are in him (1 John 2:3-5).
Joe also takes serious note of 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8: And to
you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God and that obey
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ah! To show God I love Him, I obey Him! To find out what pleases
God, I read the scriptures. Does Joe still go to church? Yes, so
much the more as he sees the day of Christ approaching. Does he still
give to the offering? Yes, even more than before, and with joy and
rejoicing. Does he still obey authority? Yes, with a new depth of
appreciation. He is more careful in obedience than ever. Is he
legalistic? No! It's his expression of love for God. It's his
affirmation that his faith is for real. It's not a dead faith. "But
wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? You see
then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only"
(James 2:21, 24).
Doesn't Jesus condemn legalism and pharisaic religion? Yes, he
surely does. But is that the same as Luther's ketze; or Don's
pastor's charge of legalism?
From two scriptures we can see a number of legalistic hypocrisies
that Jesus condemned: And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought
him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when
the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before
dinner. And the Lord said unto him, "Now do ye Pharisees make clean
the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full
of ravening and wickedness.
Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that
which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye
have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you,
Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and
pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done,
and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees!
for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in
the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye
are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are
not aware of them" (Luke 11:37-44).
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
saying, 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All
therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but
do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind
heavy
burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders;
but they themselves will not move them with one of their
fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make
broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the
synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men,
Rabbi, Rabbi' (Matt. 23:1-7).
Jesus Condemned Selective Obedience "But woe to you, Pharisees!
For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and
yet disregard justice and the love of God: but these are the things
you should have done without neglecting the others" (Luke 11:42,
NAS). "Woe! You pay tithes but omit justice and the love of God. You
obey in part, not in full." He didn't condemn the good they did. It
was what they didn't do.
Selective obedience and pharisaic religion abound in the church
today. Most believers literally observe 1 Corinthians 11:16-34, but
ignore the first half of the chapter. Why? Jesus Condemned Deceptive
Obedience "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that
observe and do, but do not ye after their works: for they say and do
not" (Matt. 23:3).
The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus that was
caught in the act of adultery. Then they asked if the law of Moses
didn't command her to be stoned to death. Jesus stooped down and
wrote in the ground with His finger. He also said to them, "He that
is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John
8:7). Whatever He wrote must have convicted their conscience about
their own immorality. They were ready to bring condemnation on this
woman while they were guilty themselves.
Jesus condemned this deceptive obedience. Jesus Condemned Outside-
Only Obedience "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
ye make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but within they are
full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee,
cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the
outside of them may be clean also" (Matt. 23:25, 26).
Jesus condemns appearing outwardly as a non-worldly Christian,
but inwardly having a heart of selfishness and immorality Jesus
condemns an outward show without the joy of the Lord within. I have
noticed that many people who have divorced their partners and married
another become more vocal with their "testimony" for the Lord and are
very involved in the "Lord's work." That's how one woman described
her husband and father of their three children: "He divorced me,
married another woman. Now he goes to church. I'm confused. Living in
adultery and doing good works." Could this be outside-only obedience?
Jesus condemned selective obedience, deceptive obedience and outside-
only obedience.
FALSE WAYS TO OVERCOME LEGALISM
Disregarding Discipline Joe was a legalist! He followed the rules
of the church--but he didn't have spiritual life. Often when
legalists find the news of God's grace, they think their freedom is
in throwing away the rules. That's reaction, not a love
action. "Without conversion, discipline is legalism. Without
discipline, conversion is counterfeit."[7] For the legalistic Joes
that find Christ and His grace, here is a word from Jesus: "These
ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone" (Matt.
23:23). Throwing off
discipline is not the answer to legalism.
Lighthearted Holiness A nonchalant, lack-of-concern attitude is
not Christ's answer to pharisaic legalism. The casually
indifferent, nothing-matters-to-God attitude is not the answer. Many
professing Christians live as though obedience doesn't matter and
that God's grace will cover. That does not overcome legalism. It
comes closer to the sin of indifference. Oswald Chambers gives this
reminder: 'You cannot do anything for your salvation, but you must
do something to manifest it. . . you must work out what God has
worked in. If you are still the same miserable crosspatch, set on
your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and
sanctified you."[8] Indifference Toward Authority Bro. Sid may be
approached by a leader in the Church about a matter in his life. He
may reply like this, "I get my orders from God. I'm not bound to a
legalistic authority structure." He reacts, referring to Jesus'
condemnation of the acts of the Pharisees. Sid suggests that his
church leaders are like the Pharisees and that Jesus wrote them off.
Actually, Jesus had a different word for Sids with such
attitudes: "The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All
therefore whatsoever they bid you to observe, that observe and do"
(Matt. 23:1, 2). Indifference toward authority does not overcome
legalism.
OVERCOMING LEGALISM AND ITS APPEARANCE
Be Certain the Spirit Lives in the Form Legalism is an outside
form without the Spirit of God living inside. If you have an outside
form of godliness, but inside the heart is "full of hypocrisy" and
iniquity that denies the Spirit the power to overcome sin, then
repent. Invite the Spirit into the form and stand with the publican
and pray, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).
Affirm and Testify of Your Hope One reason for being accused of
legalism is being too silent on where your hope really is. Affirm and
testify that you are trusting Jesus Christ who shed His blood, died,
and rose again for your salvation. I'm reminded of Ed Davis, an egg
customer I served years ago. After my knock on the door. Ed opened it
and exclaimed to his wife, "Mamma, there's a saved sinner at the
door."
Don't be bashful to let others know you are a "saved sinner."
Offer a Sacrifice of Praise "The joy of the Lord is your strength"
(Neh. 8:10). People who practice disciplined obedience will be
observed. May you demonstrate a joyful walk with the Lord. Those who
practice a more careful obedience are often called conservative. An
acquaintance once observed, "I didn't know you could be spiritual and
conservative." For him, it was either/or, but it should be both. A
spiritual joyful conservative was unknown to him. "Rejoice in the
Lord alway and, again, I say, 'Rejoice'" (Phil. 4:4).
Practice Obedience as an Act of Love. Obedience is your
opportunity to express your love and commitment to God. It is not a
burden to endure. When God sees loving obedience, He is pleased and
worshiped. That is not legalism. Obedient Joe's life is now a
constant worship of God as he walks through a sinful world. This poem
says it well: I would not work my soul to save For that my Lord has
done But I would work like any slave For love of God's dear Son.[9]
Be Assured--Obedience Is the Key to Knowing Jesus
Jesus said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the
doctrine" (John 7:17). Insight into the true teachings of Jesus comes
by obedience. "Spiritual darkness comes from something I do not
intend to obey." Faithfulness and obedience in little things is what
makes strong Christians in bigger things.[10] Careful loving
obedience from a born-again heart is not legalism. It's an honor to
God.
|
Apr. 18, 2007 - Legalism vs. Obedience
On a more personal note...what are your thoughts, beliefs about head veilings and modest clothing convictions? ...if you don't mind sharing. I have recently felt convicted to wear dresses and skirts instead of pants. I certainly think pants can be worn modestly and depending on the type of skirt/ dress they can certainly be considered "immodest", as well.................
Thank you again for your posts. I truely enjoy reading your blog!
God Bless and congratulations on your newest "pea". I hope you're feeling well!
Jennifer
Edited by AllByHisGrace on Apr. 18, 2007 at 11:52 AM