Legalism
We have been warned that in the end days .... legalism vs salvation by faith will be the main division in our church. And we see it prevalent now. There is much division on this subject in our churches. But we must be tolerant and love those steeped in legalism. We must love even those with wrong theology.
Our prophet puts it so well. I just love the way she expressed it in this quote:
"All legalism, all the sorrow and woe by which you may encompass yourself, will not give you one moment of relief. You cannot rightly estimate sin. You must accept God's estimate, and it is heavy indeed. If you bore the guilt of your sin, it would crush you; but the sinless One has taken your place, and, though, undeserving, he has borne your guilt. By accepting the provision God has made, you may stand free before God in the merit and virtue of your Substitute." Ellen White ST 4-9-1894
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Permalink Reply by N Him on
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"The pretension to sinless perfection at any time in this earthly life is the root of spiritual pride and self-righteousness . . . Salvation by grace alone means that absolute perfection and sinlessness cannot be realized here and now." Leaflet Is Perfection Possible?, p. 11, 12
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Permalink Reply by 'nuff sed on
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Legalism is a term coined by those who don't wish to obey what God requires. Nuff sed
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Considering our prophet used this term in the quote below ... I hope you aren't going to include her in your comment:
"All legalism, all the sorrow and woe by which you may encompass yourself, will not give you one moment of relief. You cannot rightly estimate sin. You must accept God's estimate, and it is heavy indeed. If you bore the guilt of your sin, it would crush you; but the sinless One has taken your place, and, though, undeserving, he has borne your guilt. By accepting the provision God has made, you may stand free before God in the merit and virtue of your Substitute." Ellen White ST 4-9-1894
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Permalink Reply by Ray Phillips on
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N Him
I'm not sure who the author is, of the leaflet you quoted. I could not find it in the writtings of Ellen White. However, I did find this.
"We have before us the highest, holiest example. In thought, word, and deed Jesus was sinless. Perfection marked all that He did. He points us to the path that He trod, saying, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24". {FLB 219.2}
And again:
"John enjoyed the blessing of true sanctification. But mark, the apostle does not claim to be sinless; he is seeking perfection by walking in the light of God's countenance. He testifies that the man who professes to know God, and yet breaks the divine law, gives the lie to his profession. . . . While we are to love the souls for whom Christ died, and labor for their salvation, we should not make a compromise with sin. We are not to unite with the rebellious, and call this charity. God requires His people in this age of the world to stand, as did John in his time, unflinchingly for the right, in opposition to soul-destroying errors." {ML 257.5}
Any discussion of perfection MUST take into account James 1:2-4. To use a human definition of "perfect" when the Bible supplies the definition that it wants us to know, is not good scholarship or intellectually honest.
Maranatha :)
Ray
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Permalink Reply by Eugene Visser on
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Faith produces works (some call it legalism, I call it obedience) Works cannot produce faith though.
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Eugene
I could agree is you added one word to your statement. If what you wrote said:
Faith produces works (some call it legalism, I call it obedience) (Legalistic) Works cannot produce faith though."
Then I would agree with what you said, (after I modified it. LOL).
Maranatha :)
Ray
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Permalink Reply by Deborah Pickell Chennault on
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I dont think ANY works, be they Legalistic or otherwise can produce faith...It's a gift of God's grace, faith is...
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Any time you have a "preoccupation" with the law .... and your legal standing with God - you have legalism.
What we need is a focus on Jesus and faith in Him and His sacrifice for each one of us.
If we really believe in Salvation by Faith ... we will not be focused on our legal standing - but rather we will have the assurance of salvation.
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Permalink Reply by McCoy on
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Hi NHim
"Any time you have a "preoccupation" with the law .... and your legal standing with God - you have legalism"
That is why the Pope get rid of the 10 Commandments, and united the world religions together under him as the "Spiritual Leader", and now he's the world "Moral Leader" and the kings, queens and presidents of the earth have been bowing down to him and kissed his ring for blessing
No one ever call the Pope Legalistic, because he never kept any Law, the Bible call him, the man of sin "Lawlessness". Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. 2 The 2:3
By this definition, Jesus Christ is the most Legalistic person in mankind history, reason, he was a perfectionist at keep the whole Law. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:17, 18.
So has heaven and earth pass yet?
So what is one jot or one tittle of the Law? It is the dot on the i or the cross on the t of the 10 Commandments.
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Keeping the Law is good. But if you focus on your legal standing in relationship to it ... then you have legalism.
Christ came to take our place in regards to our legal standing. This is the assurance He offers. When we doubt that assurance ... we need to rediscover what He offers.
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Hi NHim
I don't think anyone can keep the Law perfectly, so we are sinners when we look at the Law, which drive us to place our faith in Jesus Christ to help us keep the Law.
Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." John 14:15,21
If you don't keep God' Commandments in relation to Christ, then you don't love him enough. Right now, around the word, everyone is claiming love and peace. Even the Jesuits claim this, but again, if they continue to trangress the Law/ 10 Commandments, there is no love of the Father in them. And perhaps they will miss out eternal bliss with Jesus.
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Hi MsMS
Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I [Jesus, Thy Lord] will love him, and will manifest myself to him." John 14:15,21
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.John 15:10
Jesus' words are very self explanatory. Do you see the conditional If, such as if you do this, then...
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