Read the following statements. If one of the following pertains to you, you are disqualified as being a Christian.
- If you have any piercings you cannot be a Christian, since true believers do not mutilate their bodies.
- If you are wearing any jewelry you are disqualified since jewelry causes the focus to be on you and not God.
- You are also disqualified if you are:
- Wearing make up.
- Wearing tee shirts or shorts, since this is immodest.
- Showing any elbow or ankles.
I am wondering if you got emotionally stirred as you were reading the above list. You may be thinking, “Where did this list come from? Who set up these disqualifications?” Some of you may be also thinking, “This is legalism!”
There was also legalism during the days of Jesus Christ. Read through the following list.
- To carry a burden on the Sabbath was work: A burden was defined as:
- Food equal in weight to a dried fig.
- Enough wine to mix in a goblet
- Milk enough for one swallow
- Honey enough to put on a wound
- Oil enough to anoint a child
- Water enough to water the eye
- Ink enough to write 2 letters of the alphabet
- A reed enough to make a pen.
- A tailor who carried a needle in his robe was working.
- To wear artificial teeth was considered to be breaking the rules.
The word “legalism” does not occur in the Bible. It is a term Christians use to emphasizing a system of rules and regulations for achieving both salvation and spiritual growth. Doctrinally, it is a position essentially opposed to grace. A pastor I know gave this definition:
“Legalism is the conviction that law-keeping
is the ground of our acceptance with God.”
We are instructed not to be legalistic but to be gracious to one another: The apostle Paul wrote, “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters”.
Sadly, there are those who feel so strongly about non-essential doctrines that they run others out of their fellowship, because of ‘rigidly’ adhering to their own biblical interpretations and to their own ‘religious’ traditions.
Mark Ballenger writes “The way to avoid legalism in Christianity is to have good deeds with good motives, to obey God’s law out of a relational love for him” ( Apply God's Word The Teaching Ministry, June 30, 2016).
To avoid legalism we need to be asking ourselves the following questions:
- What are our motives?
- What does God say about this?
- Is this in line with God’s law?
Instructions
For this activity:
- Review the Tilling the Ground document
- In the discussion forum below, respond to the following prompts
- How would you define legalism?
- What makes something legalistic?
- Do you think there is legalism in the church today?
- How will you seek to not be legalistic?
- Reply to at least two (2) of your peers. Your posts should provide meaningful feedback, promote interaction, and deepen the discussion.