What Is Legalism and Why Is it Dangerous to Your Faith?
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Legalism has been in our churches and lives since Satan convinced Eve there was something other than God’s way. It is a word that no one wants to use. To be labeled a legalist usually comes with a negative stigma. Legalism can tear people and churches apart. The shocking part is that most people don’t know what legalism is and how it affects our Christian walk on an almost hourly basis.
My husband is a pastor in training. As his time at school is coming to an end, our family has been prayerfully looking at churches to minister to. Through our research we have found the statement “King James Version only” pop up frequently. Now we are not people who look down upon any believer who chooses to read the KJV, but we do find this concerning. How many men and women of God have looked over these churches all because of this statement?
To better understand this topic we call legalism, we need to look at what legalism is and identify the three types of legalism that are prevalent today. Then we need to address what God’s word says about this topic and how we can combat the repercussions of legalism in our churches and lives.
What is Legalism?
For most Christians, the term legalism is not thrown around in their congregations. It is a way of thinking about their salvation, upon which they base their spiritual growth. This term is not found in the Bible, instead, we read the words of Jesus and the apostle Paul as they warn us about the trap that we call legalism.
A writer for Gotquestions.org defines legalism as “a term Christians use to describe a doctrinal position emphasizing a system of rules and regulating the achievement of salvation and spiritual growth.” Christians who sway toward this way of thinking demand a strict adherence to rules and regulations. It is a literal obedience of the Law that Jesus fulfilled.
Three Types of Legalism
There are many faces to legalism. Churches who adopt a legalistic view of doctrine will not all look or operate the same. There are three types of legalistic practices found in the churches and homes of believers.
Traditions are likely the most common inside the realm of legalism. Every church has certain traditions that would incite heresy if they were altered. Examples come in many forms, including communion that is always done on the same Sunday each month or always having a Christmas play each year. The idea behind these traditions is not to hinder, but to worship.
The problem is when a church or believer feels they cannot worship without another form of the tradition. One of the most common problems with traditions is they lose their value. It becomes a situation where “that’s the way we’ve always done it” becomes a hindrance to worship and the ability to praise God in those sacred moments.
Personal preferences or convictions are the second type. This happens when a pastor or individual enforces their personal convictions as a requirement for salvation and spiritual growth. The action of enforcing personal preferences usually comes without a clear answer from the Bible. This variety of legalism rears its head in the personal lives of believers. Examples include reading only the KJV Bible, requiring families to homeschool, not having guitar or drums in service, or forbidding the use of birth control. This list could go on and on. What believers must understand is these are personal preferences, not law. We cannot use our personal convictions to set a standard for all believers. Christ has already set the standard and laid out the way we should live out our faith.
Lastly, we find Christians promoting their personal views on the “gray” areas of life. They have a personal set of standards they believe all Christians should live up to. Writer Fritz Chery explains this as a “mechanic type faith.” In essence, we should pray at a certain time, end Sunday worship at noon, or the only way to learn the Bible is through memorization of verses. Some believers even say one should not shop at certain stores because of donations made to non-Christian foundations or the sale of alcohol.
After reviewing these three types, we can see that having a personal preference or choosing to read a certain version of the Bible is not bad. It becomes a problem when one begins to believe that their way is the only way to gain salvation. David Wilkerson sums it up nicely with this statement. “At its heart legalism is a desire to appear holy. It is trying to be justified before men and not God.”
The Biblical Argument Against Legalism
Scholars in all areas of religious study will try to justify or rebuff legalism in our churches. To get to the bottom of this subject we can look at what Jesus says in
Jesus responds “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil. Fools, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside too?” What is in our hearts is more important than what is on the outside. While a personal preference may be a way to show our love of Christ to others, it is not our right to demand others feel the same way.
The rebuke continues as Jesus tells the scribes “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers/” Jesus is saying that we are not to expect others to obey our laws or preferences, if we are evading them to suit our needs. The Scripture is truth. We are unable to pick and choose what we will or will not obey.
William Barclay writes in The Daily Study Bible Gospel of Luke, “It is incredible that men should ever have thought that God could have laid down laws like that, and that working out of details like that was a religious service and that the keeping of them was a matter of life and death.”
In
The Pharisees and scribes had begun to see themselves as more important that they actually were. Their actions became a show and not an expression of their heart.
What Are the Consequences of Legalism?
Just like every decision we make has consequences, so does the choice to become legalistic. Unfortunately, the negative consequences far outweigh the good. For churches, this train of thought could lead to a shrinking fellowship and even the splitting of the church. When we begin to impose our personal preferences on others, we walk a fine line. As humans, we are not going to agree on everything. Non-essential doctrines and rules can cause some to leave a church running.
What I believe to be the most tragic consequence of legalism is that churches and individuals fail to accomplish God’s purpose. There is an outward expression but no inward change. Our hearts are not turned to God and His will for our lives. Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham says “Legalism says God will love us if we change. The Gospel says God will change us because He loves us.” God will change our hearts and the hearts of others. We can’t impose our rules and expect one’s heart to turn for God.
A Balanced Conclusion
Legalism is a touchy subject. As humans, we don’t want to hear that we may be wrong. We don’t want others to question our motives or beliefs. The truth is that legalism is a part of our sinful nature. It is our minds taking charge when our hearts should be leading our walk with Christ.
To avoid legalism, there must be a balance.
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.” To change our way of thinking we must ask ourselves the hard questions. What are our motives? What does God say about this? Is this in line with God’s law? If we examine our hearts, we all will find legalism staring at us. No one is immune. Each day will be a chance to repent and turn from our evil ways, therefore shaping our personal walk of faith.
References
Ballenger, Mark. Apply God's Word The Teaching Ministry of Mark Ballenger. June 30, 2016. https://applygodsword.com/how-to-avoid-legalism-in-christianity/.
Barclay, William. "The Daily Study Bible." In Gospel of Luke, by William Barclay, 157-166. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956.
Chery, Fritz. Bible Reasons. n.d. https://biblereasons.com/legalism/.
Seray. Discerning Truth. February 2007. https://www.discerningtruth.org/showthread.php?132-Legalism-in-the-Church-Today.
Ashley Hooker is a freelance writer who spends her time homeschooling her two children, supporting her husband as he finishes school to become a pastor, and writing about her faith. Currently, she is a contributing author for Journey Christian magazine. She has taken part in mission trips with the NC Baptist Men during the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey in Mississippi and Texas. In her local church, she has served on various committees focusing in the area of evangelism along with traveling to West Virginia and Vermont to share the Gospel. Her dream is to spend her time writing and sharing the love of Christ with all she meets.