FAQ: Legalism

Q. I hear the term "legalism" being thrown around all the time..how does it appy to a believer?

A. Legalism is basically a system of man-made rules that relate to your salvation. In other words, man-made laws that you have to do to be saved. It does not apply to G-ds commandments because they were never to be obeyed for salvation or righteousness with G-d. The commandments were given to define sin and to show us how to live before G-d. Many today have said that if someone teaches you to keep the Sabbath for instance, that is legalism.

Or, if someone teaches you to keep the biblical festivals or to avoid unbiblical things to eat, that is legalism. So, let's look at this for a moment. When you tell your children not to lie, is that legalism or is that the best way to live? When you tell your friend that he shouldn't steal, is that legalism? When you tell someone that adultery is wrong, is that legalism? If you tell somone to love their neighbor, is that legalism? Of course not, so why is telling someone to keep the Sabbath legalism? They are all in the commandments. The reason is one appears to be a"Jewish" rule that some teach doesn't apply anymore. Says who? The laws are not Jewish, they are G-ds.

There is no such thing as "The Jewish Festivals", the scriptures say that they are G-ds appointed times. He gave them to Isreal to be a light to the nations, to teach the world how to live before HIm and to relate to one another. Why is that you can teach some of the commandments, and that isn't legalism, but if you teach all the commandments, that is considered legalism? It doesn't make sense, unless you read Church history and follow the progression of unbelief that characterized the writings and rulings of the Church Fathers down throught the ages.

Then you begin to see that there was a concerted effort to root out the biblical roots of the faith and have them replaced by man-made traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation.There are many so-called Bible teachers that actually teach their people that it is a virtue to not obey G-d, and they call this "freedom". The Scriptures call it lawlessness, "anomos" in Greek ,which means without the Torah. Why is it you can teach certain commandments and that is permissible, but if you teach other commandments that are right next to the permissible ones it is called legalism? I know of homosexual groups exposing this hypocrisy to Christian ministers.

They say to the ministers "If you are free from the Law and don't have to keep the Sabbath, festivals and food laws, why aren't we free from it too?" You see, legalism will cause these arguments because they are man-made rules that don't make sense. When you obey G-ds commandments it sets you free because it is truth, legalism is error and it binds people. Now, you can take G-ds commandments and make it a legalistic system, but again it is man's rules about them that get in the. way. If you teach the Sabbath festivals, Temple, kosher you are no more teaching legalism than the guy teaching you not to lie, steal commit adultery or anything else. Aren't both found in the Torah? I hope this helps, now go and study.