Post by pitbull on Jan 20, 2006 9:37:46 GMT -5
LEGALISM: WHAT IS IT?
[Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist Information Service. These articles cannot be stored on BBS or Internet sites without express permission from the author. The articles cannot be sold or placed by themselves or with other material in any electronic format for sale, but may be distributed for free by e-mail or by print. They must be left intact and nothing removed or changed, including these informational headers. This is a listing for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Our goal is not devotional. OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR. If you desire to receive this type of material on a regular basis, e-mail us, tell us who you are and where you are located, and request to be placed on the list. Also include your postal address and the name of the church of which you are a member. Please note that this is not a free service. We take up a quarterly offering to fund this ministry, and each subscriber is expected to participate. To unsubscribe or to submit a change of address, send your name and the request to fbns@wayoflife.org. This is not an automated list. Changes in the database often require two to four days. Some of these articles are from O Timothy magazine. David W. Cloud, Editor. O Timothy is a monthly magazine in its 17th year of publication. Subscription is $20/yr. Way of Life Literature, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. The Way of Life web site is wayoflife.org/~dcloud. The End Times Apostasy Online Database is located at this web site. (360) 675-8311 (voice), 240-8347 (fax). fbns@wayoflife.org (e-mail)]
February 3, 2000 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) - The following is by George Zeller, Associate Pastor, Middletown Bible Church, 349 East Street, Middletown, CT 06457. 203-346-0907 (voice), georgezeller@juno.com (e-mail)--
The term "legalism" or "legalist" is not found in the Bible, but the serious error of legalism is certainly dealt with, especially by the Apostle Paul who ever and always boasted in the cross and championed the grace of God (Gal. 6:14; 1:6). Perhaps the best way to see what Paul had to say about how the flesh wrongly uses the law is to read carefully through the epistle to the Galatians.
LEGALISM AND JUSTIFICATION
It is the deadly error of legalism that teaches that justification or salvation is by the works of the law. The legalists of Judaea said it this way, "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved" (Acts 15:1). Paul clearly confronted this error in Galatians 2:16--"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
The law can show us how unjust we are (Rom. 3:20b) and thus it can show us our need for justification, but the law can never justify: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight" (Rom. 3:20). "If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:21).
LEGALISM AND SANCTIFICATION
The law cannot justify; neither can it sanctify. The law can show us that we are unholy but it can never make us holy. The key to living the Christian life is not found at Mount Sinai, but it is found at Mount Calvary (Romans 6; Gal. 2:20).
Paul argued strongly that the Christian life must be continued on the basis of faith, not on a legal basis: "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:2-3). The Christian life is to continue just as it commenced! "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Colossians 2:6).
Holiness does not come by seeking to keep the law in the energy of the flesh. C.H. Mackintosh defined legality as "the flesh attempting to carry out the precepts of God." How successful is the flesh? "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18 and see verse 24).
THE BELIEVER AND THE LAW
Two key facts must be kept in mind. First, the believer is not under the law (Rom. 6:14). In fact the believer has died to the law that he might live unto God (Gal. 2:19; and see Rom. 7:1-6). He is not under the legal rule, but he is under the new creature rule (Gal. 6:15).
Second, the believer is not lawless (Rom. 6:1-2). We died to the law so that we might be married to Christ and out of this relationship we bring forth fruit unto God (Rom. 7:4). The life of a true believer should manifest fruitfulness not lawlessness.
Those legalists who try to put themselves under the law do not keep the law (Gal. 6:13; Acts 15:10), but those believers who walk in the Spirit keep the law by way of the fruit of the Spirit: "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:4 and compare Galatians 5:22-23).
LEGALISM: WHAT IT IS NOT
Being obedient to God's specific commands is not legalism. "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" (1 John 2:3-4).
Living a holy life that is set apart unto the Lord's service is not legalism. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification [holiness], that ye should abstain from fornication....For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness" (1 Thessalonians 4:3,7).
Living a life separated unto Christ and separated from the fads and fashions of the world is not legalism. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Conforming one's life to be in harmony with certain standards decided upon by Spirit-led leaders of a local assembly of believers is not legalism. "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well" (Acts 15:29).
Forgoing my personal rights for the sake of my brother is not legalism. "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak" (Rom. 14:21).
[Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist Information Service. These articles cannot be stored on BBS or Internet sites without express permission from the author. The articles cannot be sold or placed by themselves or with other material in any electronic format for sale, but may be distributed for free by e-mail or by print. They must be left intact and nothing removed or changed, including these informational headers. This is a listing for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Our goal is not devotional. OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR. If you desire to receive this type of material on a regular basis, e-mail us, tell us who you are and where you are located, and request to be placed on the list. Also include your postal address and the name of the church of which you are a member. Please note that this is not a free service. We take up a quarterly offering to fund this ministry, and each subscriber is expected to participate. To unsubscribe or to submit a change of address, send your name and the request to fbns@wayoflife.org. This is not an automated list. Changes in the database often require two to four days. Some of these articles are from O Timothy magazine. David W. Cloud, Editor. O Timothy is a monthly magazine in its 17th year of publication. Subscription is $20/yr. Way of Life Literature, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. The Way of Life web site is wayoflife.org/~dcloud. The End Times Apostasy Online Database is located at this web site. (360) 675-8311 (voice), 240-8347 (fax). fbns@wayoflife.org (e-mail)]
February 3, 2000 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) - The following is by George Zeller, Associate Pastor, Middletown Bible Church, 349 East Street, Middletown, CT 06457. 203-346-0907 (voice), georgezeller@juno.com (e-mail)--
The term "legalism" or "legalist" is not found in the Bible, but the serious error of legalism is certainly dealt with, especially by the Apostle Paul who ever and always boasted in the cross and championed the grace of God (Gal. 6:14; 1:6). Perhaps the best way to see what Paul had to say about how the flesh wrongly uses the law is to read carefully through the epistle to the Galatians.
LEGALISM AND JUSTIFICATION
It is the deadly error of legalism that teaches that justification or salvation is by the works of the law. The legalists of Judaea said it this way, "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved" (Acts 15:1). Paul clearly confronted this error in Galatians 2:16--"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
The law can show us how unjust we are (Rom. 3:20b) and thus it can show us our need for justification, but the law can never justify: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight" (Rom. 3:20). "If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:21).
LEGALISM AND SANCTIFICATION
The law cannot justify; neither can it sanctify. The law can show us that we are unholy but it can never make us holy. The key to living the Christian life is not found at Mount Sinai, but it is found at Mount Calvary (Romans 6; Gal. 2:20).
Paul argued strongly that the Christian life must be continued on the basis of faith, not on a legal basis: "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:2-3). The Christian life is to continue just as it commenced! "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him" (Colossians 2:6).
Holiness does not come by seeking to keep the law in the energy of the flesh. C.H. Mackintosh defined legality as "the flesh attempting to carry out the precepts of God." How successful is the flesh? "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Rom. 7:18 and see verse 24).
THE BELIEVER AND THE LAW
Two key facts must be kept in mind. First, the believer is not under the law (Rom. 6:14). In fact the believer has died to the law that he might live unto God (Gal. 2:19; and see Rom. 7:1-6). He is not under the legal rule, but he is under the new creature rule (Gal. 6:15).
Second, the believer is not lawless (Rom. 6:1-2). We died to the law so that we might be married to Christ and out of this relationship we bring forth fruit unto God (Rom. 7:4). The life of a true believer should manifest fruitfulness not lawlessness.
Those legalists who try to put themselves under the law do not keep the law (Gal. 6:13; Acts 15:10), but those believers who walk in the Spirit keep the law by way of the fruit of the Spirit: "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:4 and compare Galatians 5:22-23).
LEGALISM: WHAT IT IS NOT
Being obedient to God's specific commands is not legalism. "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" (1 John 2:3-4).
Living a holy life that is set apart unto the Lord's service is not legalism. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification [holiness], that ye should abstain from fornication....For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness" (1 Thessalonians 4:3,7).
Living a life separated unto Christ and separated from the fads and fashions of the world is not legalism. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Conforming one's life to be in harmony with certain standards decided upon by Spirit-led leaders of a local assembly of believers is not legalism. "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well" (Acts 15:29).
Forgoing my personal rights for the sake of my brother is not legalism. "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak" (Rom. 14:21).