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SUBJECT: Legalism
QUESTION: What is meant by the term, “Legalism”?
ANSWER:
Here is the meaning of "legalism" from the Unabridged
Webster's 1913:
Legalism (Page: 841)
Le"gal*ism (?), n. Strictness, or the doctrine of
strictness, in conforming to law.
From this definition we get two things:
1) Strictness
2) Law
The religious leaders in the day of Jesus Christ had taken
the law to a place for which it was not designed. They had
done two things:
1] Made the law the END of religion when, in fact, law was
designed to lead people to Godly principles (Gal. 5:22-23).
2] Added their own interpretations and lists of "sub laws"
to the law. They added hundreds of these sub laws to each
law and statute as if saying that if they could be severely
strict to each law and statute, they would be blessed or
found in favor with God. This was not God's will. Mankind
finds favor with God as they develop Godly character and
become like Christ who is the embodiment of all Godly
principles.
Each time we invoke a Godly principle we give off the
"light" of Christ. That is to say that when we invoke Godly
Principle, people see Christ. It is Christ doing the Godly
principle in and through us by the power of the Holy
Spirit. Remember that Godly principles are the fruit of the
Holy Spirit, not the person invoking them. When James says
that he will show his faith BY HIS WORKS, he is talking
about the invoking of the Holy Spirit and not something he
is doing of his own power. This is something most
detractors fail to understand in the age-old argument about
Faith and Works.
At any rate, the religious leaders in Christ's time failed
to see the relationship of Law to Godly Principles. This
continues even today. Some cannot see beyond the Law.
Anyone who focuses their belief and religion solely on the
Law could be called a "legalist" and rightly so.
Understand, however, that the term "legalist" is often
misapplied. Detractors often call anyone believing in the
Law and Commandments, in any perspective, a legalist. Note
the following question we received and our answer:
SUBJECT: Legalism and Grace
QUESTION: Are you applying some kind of legalism to
being saved by grace?
ANSWER:
This is not as easy a question to answer as it would seem
because I do not know what your definition of "legalism"
is. On the one hand, Jesus came to take away the "legalism"
that man had added to the law of God. Some get this mixed
up and think that somehow God's plan was to do away with
God's Law. To believe this is to say that God is short
sighted and is saying "Opps, I have made a mistake". The
only thing Jesus did was take away the legalism of man and
add a Spiritual promise or application to the Law of God.
Regarding Ephesians 2:8-9
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The works being mentioned here are the kinds of works that
you do. It is saying that there is nothing you personally
do of your own plan or design that will save you. If it
meant "any kind of works", then how do you explain the
following verses?
Before I state the verses notice the key phrase from
Ephesians 2:8------"saved through faith". How do you
explain "faith"? Is it just believing something? Let's
see...
JESUS, OUR EXAMPLE:
Acts 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and
with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that
were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Note: Jesus, our example went about doing good. Good
what? Doing something?
GOD REMEMBERS...
Hebrews 6:9-10
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and
things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour
of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye
have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Note: What, God
remembering our works? What works? What is a "labour of
love"? What is ministering to the saints? We will see this
later.
WORKS BROUGHT INTO JUDGEMENT
Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Note: What, God
is going to bring us into judgment for a gift of grace?
What does it mean that Christ will judge us according to
WHAT WE HAVE DONE? We will see this later.
IN THE JUDGEMENT WILL WORKS BE THE EVIDENCE OF OUR FAITH
(that we read of in Eph 2:8)?
Matthew 25:34-40
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me:
I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when
saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave
thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked,
and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
James 2:14-20
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he
hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily
food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye
warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those
things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my
faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead?
Note: In Matthew
25:35-39 are those works we are reading about? More to the
point, are those works of your or works of Jesus Christ
through you? Is there a difference between your works and
His works? We will see.
Is James not clear? Verse 18 is pretty clear, "You show me
your faith without works (of
Jesus Christ) and I will show you my faith by my
works (of Jesus Christ
through me). We will talk about this in a
moment.
WE SHOULD EXHORT OTHERS TO
GOOD WORKS
1 Timothy 6:17-18
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not
highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living
God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready
to distribute, willing to communicate;
Note: Paul is
telling Timothy to charge the rich to be rich in good
works. A funny thing to ask if works are not required to be
saved...works of Jesus Christ that is.
Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God
might be careful to maintain good works. These things are
good and profitable unto men.
Titus 3:14
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary
uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Note: Again Paul
is telling Titus that we should be maintaining good works.
How does one do that if they are not supposed to be his or
her own works which Ephesians 2:9 speaks against? We will
see.
GOD IS GLORIFIED BY GOOD WORKS
John 15:8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so
shall ye be my disciples.
Note: What does
"bear much fruit" mean? Could those be works? Could they
have something to do with the works of Jesus Christ through
us? We will see.
GOOD WORKS BY YOU ARE DESIGNED TO LEAD OTHERS TO GLORIFY
GOD
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
1 Peter 2:12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that,
whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by
your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the
day of visitation.
Note: This is
Jesus Christ speaking in Matthew 5:16 and He is saying that
we should be doing good works. 1 Peter shows that when
others see the works of Jesus Christ in us, they will
glorify God.
CONCLUSION OF ALL THIS:
We are talking about two kinds of works. That should be
clear from all these verses. There are your works of which
you are able to boast (Ephesians 2:9) and there are the
works of God through us. One is saved by building righteous
character; the character of Jesus Christ. We are to become
like Jesus Christ. We do that by ONLY ONE MEANS:
We do it by the indwelling of the Spirit of God in us. We
receive this Spirit of God at baptism. This Spirit in us
produces (if we
allow it to do so)
fruit. These fruits are a thing called "principle"....Godly
principle. Godly principles are ABOVE THE LAW.
God wants us to allow the fruits of the Spirit to be made
manifest in our minds and in our lives. We do this by
INVOKING the principle; that fruit of the Spirit. Let us
see these things proved:
What are the fruits of the Spirit?
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Note: Notice
that these principles of God, that apply to all situations,
ARE ABOVE THE LAW. So, if you are invoking these principles
(that is a good work)
then you are above the Law. This is about as far from
"Legalism" as we can get.
Example:
Honesty is a principle of God. It applies to all
situations: personal, corporate, friendships, marriage,
etc.
The purpose of the Law is to point man toward Principle.
The laws that say: Do not steal and Do not lie are laws
that point us toward the principle of Honesty. If you are
being Honest then what good does it do for me to command you
or remind you to not lie or steal. As long as you are being
Honest, you are above the law. The word of God says so.
Now should you slip and sin (lie
or steal) the Law is there to direct you back to
Honesty. You repent and turn back to Honesty. This is why
we cannot do away with the Law.
Notice now how there is no work or action required in
keeping a commandment. However, to be Honest one must do
something. People can see you being Honest because it is an
action. When you are Honest, it is NOT a work on your part
because a principle or fruit of God is a fruit of the Spirit
so you cannot boast about it. See the difference of what is
being said in the scriptures about Works above.
Now notice how those works being talked about in all those
verses are principles being invoked.
Matthew 25:35
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
These actions are invoking the principle of Love, Goodness
and Gentleness to name a few.
Now if you are still thinking that this is all wrong and
that you can just do your thing just believing in Jesus
somehow then you had better take a look at the rest of
Galatians 5...
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such
like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told
you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God.
Note: Sure looks
like verse 21 says that if you do these things you will NOT
be in the Kingdom of God. So how does one NOT do those
things?
1) Replace them with Godly principles.
2) Allow Jesus to invoke Godly principles through you.
3) Repent and receive the Holy Spirit which make this
possible.
Notice these other two verses for Galatians 5...
Galatians 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Note: You walk
in the Spirit by invoking Godly Principles and by doing so
you have done a work of God or work of Jesus Christ and
these works are required to inherit the Kingdom of God.
For further reading, go to the booklet, "SAVED BY GRACE?" (Or
is there something we must DO to enter the Kingdom of God?)
https://www.garnertedarmstrong.org/saved-by-grace/
Finally, the greatest opponent of legalism is Jesus Christ
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