You’re bound to encounter in your Christian walk something that Jesus had to contend with – Religious Legalism.
A definition of Christian Legalism is the idea that by doing good works or by obeying the law, a person earns salvation. It also includes the obsessive following of “the law” while losing sight of the spirt of the law.
In John 5:1-18 we hear the story of Jesus, who encounters a crippled man on the Sabbath. Jesus tells the man to get up and walk. Instead of the religious Jews praising God for the miracle, they criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Would God really want anyone to withhold kindness because of the day of the week?
Christian Legalism might include prohibitions such as don’t wear jewelry … don’t go to any movie … or the need to speak in tongues to be saved.
The Appeal Of Legalism
Christian Legalism is appealing to some because as human beings we have a desire “to earn” our salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.
for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast.
But no amount of adherence to rules can merit our entrance into heaven. Paul the Apostle said …
Galatians 2:21
I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!
I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!
A Biblical Command Is Different Than A Personal Interpretation.
Some Christians who fall into the trap of Legalism may misinterpret a command or take a Bible verse out of context.
For example, in 1 Timothy 2:9 Paul the Apostle writes that women should not adorn themselves with braided hair, gold, or pearls. Here Paul is referencing the prostitutes of pagan temples. Braided hair and ornamentation with jewelry was how prostitutes identified themselves. What Paul is really saying is that people should dress more modestly. So, it’s very important to understand scripture’s context.
How Christian Legalism Can Hurt Our Walk With Christ.
When one thinks that a strict following of the law “earns” you salvation, it distorts the truth of the Gospel and can make you doubt your salvation.
When someone makes following rules the focus of their Christian faith, that person can start to focus too much on God’s judgements and not enough on God’s grace.
Also, Christians could start to suffer from “perfectionism.” And the only perfect person to walk the earth is Christ.
Since trying to perfectly follow rules will only lead to failure, the path of Christian Legalism can lead to excessive guilt.
Remember, our freedom from sin comes through Christ Jesus, not by strict adherence to rules. So, if someone tries to “legalistically” judge you … just remind them of 2 Corinthians 5:21:
For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
