The Myth of Christian Legalism

Legalism. Legalism is a word Christians are prone to use and prone to be afraid of. Some Christian’s tout “I am not a legalist. or "I don't want to be legalistic about that..." I often wonder, what do they mean by "legalistic".

If they mean by legalistic is that they don’t put works ahead of the gospel of grace, then good. The true gospel is salvation by grace through faith (Eph 2:8).

But if they mean, the gospel is good news for your soul, but indifferent for your life. In other words, as a Christian, obedience is nice, but not a result of salvation. If this is what they mean, they’ve bought into the myth of Christian legalism.

Too many Christians believe that the gospel is potent enough to save your soul but impotent to change your life. Your soul will be saved from hell, but your life will look like you belong there.  They equate obedience to God as legalism. If you believe this, you have bought into the myth of Christian legalism.

If you look at the teachings of Christ, of the apostles, and the Bible as a whole, you will find that not only is Christ’s redemptive work potent enough to save your soul and free you from the bond of sin, but you are commanded and able live a life pleasing to God.

Look at the following verses:

• Romans 6:12-18 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

• John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

• 1 Peter 2:16 “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.”

• Jude 4 “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”.

• Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

• 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.”

• 1 Peter 1:2 “According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”

• 1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

At just a quick glimpse, obedience is not legalism. It’s the result of our salvation. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are now slaves to Christ! Free from sin. Free to love and obey God!

Some will push back. Some will say, but I’m free! I’m forgiven! If I keep on sinning, God will still love me.

If you are truly His child, this is true. He will still love you, but you’ll also be disciplined (Heb 12:6).

But if you like the myth of Christian legalism, you’d better examine yourself (2 Cor. 13:5).  1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” In other words, if you think your unchanged lifestyle isn’t sinful, you’re deceiving yourself.

Need a reminder of what God deems as offensive and sinful to him? “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). [For an exposition of this passage, read my blog here: http://natcrawford.blogspot.com/2017/03/as-christian-can-i-still-struggle-with.html]

You see friends, obedience isn’t legalism. Legalism is trying to work your way to God. Legalism is religion. Legalism is trying to earn your salvation.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10).

We are God’s masterpiece. As His children, we were predestined to do good works as a result of our salvation. Obedience is love.

Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Obedience is love. If you are His child and you do fall into sin, we know if we confess, He will forgive us and cleanse us from our sin (1 John 1:9).

Reject the myth of Christian legalism. Be free from sin. Be free to love Him in obedience.