ChurchLeaders.com recently published an article by Frank Powell titled 8 Signs You Love Legalism More Than Jesus. This helpful article identifies the dangers of legalism. Here is an excerpt:
Legalism is adding anything to the gospel. Legalism takes the words “Follow me” and adds stipulations, clauses and barriers. It’s a facade, and, over time, you believe its lies. The ultimate lie being the simplicity of the gospel isn’t good enough. Legalism shifts the end goal from Jesus to something else. Legalism doesn’t care where you focus, anything but the risen Savior will do. And, it inevitably turns God into an agitated old man, skeptical about anything that breathes. If you’re exhausted with legalism’s demands, you can break free. It won’t be easy or quick. I’m still fighting for freedom. But you can break the chains, and it starts with recognizing you’re enslaved.
The article goes on to point out eight indicators that a person is trapped in legalism’s enslaving grip. To read it, click here.
Good points..
It’s very important as well that a church that has been liberated /set free in Christ that it doesn’t swap one legalistic approach for another..
There is a tendency for people to look for familiar surroundings/comfort zones. Be careful that key leaders don’t begin to set their standards – keeping of days, times etc as an all encompassing positions that others under them are expected to keep. I call it New Covenant Legalism.
“In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men “. If we are set free in Christ, we are set free, there is no need to adopt other patterns of worship set up by other denominations as the way. We are each judged by our own behaviors and if we are forcing our opinions and standards on others under us then we are not keeping the Law of Love . When we begin to adopt I other patterns that push others away by our insistence we do them then we are setting ourselves up for a major dose of correction by Him ..