Grace Talk But Not The Walk
I have read a few blogs lately that have been discussing legalism. They were actually good posts for a change! Legalism is one of those topics that I hate to even mention because it tends to bring out the nastiness in people.
I have found that it is often a word used to try and discredit another and their views or actions if one does not agree with them.
One may see the actions of another and deem them as being legalistic without taking the time to understand why one is doing what they are doing or truly knowing the individual’s heart in the matter. That is the difference between us earthly, sinful creatures and the Holy Lord.
1 Samuel 16:7b “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
It is so easy for us to look at others and think that if so and so does this or that they are sinning based on our own sinful past and struggles. Here is an excerpt from Your Sacred Calling on the subject.
Entire blogs are set up “warning” other Christians how they may spot legalistic churches or groups, or even how to judge whether or not a friend is a legalist. Most of their warnings aren’t based on Scripture or reason; most of their complaints are based upon their personal testimonies or experiences from when they, themselves, were legalists.
To me, that’s the most disturbing part. Since when are we called to superimpose our own past sins or judgmental attitudes on others? If you were a legalist at some point in your life, and thought that anyone who (insert extra-biblical teaching here) was sinning, then own your own sin; but, don’t get it in your head that all your brothers and sisters in Christ who seem to “look like you did” on the outside have the same sinful mindset on the inside!
Here are just a few examples I have personally experienced.
- One should never use a prayer book because it is rote and not personal communication.
- One should not read, quote, or adhere to confessions because they are works of men.
It can seem as if those who are continually calling for the life of grace in opposition to the life of what they perceive to be legalism is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black. For one to automatically reject anything that they think might even hint at looking legalistic as being without any merit or good without consideration, is a legalism of its own.
Zealously holding to and sharing one’s convictions also can lead to opposition. Here are comments I have heard when asked to share a conviction in which someone else may disagree.
- One can only be zealous about their convictions if they do not offend me or they will at least acknowledge that my point of view is just as true.
- If one is too zealous about something I do not agree with then they are just pushing their views upon me.
My response is:
I am called to be zealous for the Lord and the things he has taught me through his Word and Spirit. I am not called to validate what another believes on the matter. Just because I do not validate and deem as just as true as my beliefs does not mean that I am pushing my beliefs upon another. I can validate that one does believe differently and I can come to understand their beliefs and still see them as inconsistent with scripture.
I am willing to listen to differing opinions on things, to hear one out, and to seek the Lord on a matter. But if I do not come to the same conviction as you does not mean that I am hard-headed, legalistic, self-righteous, or prideful. It simply means that your words have not come in agreement with what the Spirit and the Word have taught me thus far in my journey with the Lord.
Here is an excerpt from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee:
You are *not* a legalist if by faith and love for the Lord you obey His law – people will tell you you are, but you are not.
You are a legalist if you keep God’s law in order to gain or keep your salvation.You are *not* a legalist if you believe professing Christians should obey the Lord, with love & humilty.
You are a legalist if you believe that your obedience makes you more acceptable to God than others who are not on your level.You are *not* a legalist if you have high standards, or if you are more precise in your understanding of obedience.
You are a legalist if you think your higher standards make you more righteous.You are *not* a legalist ifyou exhort others to obey God’s word.
You are a legalist if you bind men’s consciences to man’s tradition.
Another problem in this area is where people draw the line on what is called “personal conviction”. Today in the church is the thinking that what is right for one may not be right for another and we should just let each live as God calls accordingly. I agree to a point. However, there are some things that scripture does clearly teach. Many disagree on to what degree or how explicit things need to be taught before they are deemed important enough to really take a stand on. What one person sees as a non-essential another may see as being something that is very clearly taught in scripture.
We must always keep in mind that spiritual maturity or lack there of plays a large role in these matters. Not to hold ourselves up or to diminish another but we need to be cognizant of that fact. If we are aware and considerate of this truth then we can be evaluating our own hearts and move forward in an understanding and gracious manner(not necessitating an all encompassing acceptance). As Christians we are all traveling that narrow road which leads to Christlikeness. There is freedom along this path but the path is still the narrow way. We are all in different places and at different maturity levels along this journey. This is something to keep in mind.
Most often in discussions of legalism there are two sides. Those sides are the one who is perceived to be bound by legalism and the grace talker. The sad thing is that the grace talker is usually so busy trying to point out the other’s legalistic bondage that they do not realize they are bound as well and they forget to exercise the grace that they are proclaiming. They want grace extended to them in the manner of validating their beliefs (which are possibly less restrictive) and coming to agreement with them without extending that same grace to that one who does not, cannot and/or will not validate.
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Tags: Christianity, grace, Legalism Posted in Christianity, Conservative, Conviction, Forgiveness, Pondering
January 10th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Thanks for this post. I attended a denomination that is very against “legalism” or so they say. I got sucked into their teachings and became some what of a heresy hunter for a period for being under their teachings. Basically anything that wasn’t taught in the “Non-Demoninational” church (which was really a denomination in and of it self) was considered weird, unscriptural etc… I heard a sermon some months back on their radio station where one of their pastors was talking about how “people don’t have cable so they can be one up on you”. I was like excuse me? They are so busy trying to not be legalist that they have themselves become legalistic in trying not to be legalistic! Just because people have a conviction against cable doesn’t mean they are legalistic or that they are doing it for selfish purposes. Most choose not to do it because of the smut it brings into a home. Anyhow, been there done that and it does not bring happiness or joy to be critical of others or judge something as cultish, bc it doesn’t fit with the stereo type of what worship is supposed to look like. Let us never put God in a box. -Strong Quiver
January 11th, 2010 at 5:20 am
Great post, and Yes! I have been experiencing these same things. Thank you for the link love!
Twitter: jacque_dixon
Says:
January 13th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Thanks for this Kristine. As anyone who reads our family blogs already knows, we have strong convictions based on what we find in scripture. Our lives have changed so much in the past year, because we are reading and walking, reading and walking… if it says it, we are doing it as best we can.
Does DOING add to or make your salvation? NO.
Salvation is by Yahshua, called Jesus, alone. As a matter of fact, Yahshua means Yah saves. In the name Yahveh gave to the Son is the message that HE SAVES.
We DO because faith without works is as dead as works without faith. We DO because we LOVE Yahveh and want to be in the Covenant with him. We want to “be his people” and have him “be our Elohim-GOD”.
We have been bashed online and IRL a lot in this past year for our stand on the Scriptures. Here we thought we coined the term “grace talkers”! lol That is all we have heard from them: we are like wolves, false prophets, legalists, forcing people back “under the law”, etc; when in reality, we are more in love with and in obedience to our Elohim-GOD than we have ever been – and as saved as we have always been! no more, no less!
Can we and do we love people who just judge and talk about us? Certainly. We do. Do we hang in their circles? Not any longer. It is futile. It is Yahveh who shapes the hearts. We have stepped back to allow him to do his work.
He certainly has done plenty in our lives through all of this!!
One healthy way to know if you are a legalist is this:
Do you check your own heart when you write/say something that you know another will likely take as legalistic?
I love the excerpts from Sarah Mae’s post. Obedience is just that: obeying Yahveh’s commandments and his plans and desires.
We have experienced legalism in this manner also:
Seeing someone live out their convictions in obedience usually brings about the conviction of sin in our own lives by the Holy Spirit. THAT alone makes some people SO ANGRY that resorting to labeling someone a legalist is all they can do. If the “legalist” is right in their walk and convictions, well, then that means that they must be wrong, and in their pride, they can’t handle that.
It is unbelievable how UGLY that can get in the lives of Believers. Pride truly goes before a fall.
May Yahveh correct us and lead us, and may we be willing and teachable, in all humility, to walk in the narrow path, instead of the wide path we see in Christianity today.
Bless you for standing up and telling it as it is.
Off to read Sarah’s post….
Jacque´s last blog ..WW – Purple Beauties
Twitter: MamaArcher
Says:
January 14th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Jacque,
Thank you so much for your comment! There are two things you mentioned that really stuck out to me!
This is often very true! The last thing a “grace talker” crying legalism of another will see is their own pridefulness! That is why IN ALL DEALINGS we should be continually examining our hearts in the matter. Someone we come across COULD be living legalistically but we had better make sure our hearts are TRULY in the right place and that the Spirit is the one leading us to speak to the issue with them and our words should be lead by the Lord. This is where we need to take the plank out of our own eye before looking for and trying to remove another’s speck.
AND:
This is so hard for us. We are result oriented people. We need to just be obedient to share and then sit back and know that God is God. He is the one who produces results and what those results are and in his timing. Sometimes those results are not what we desire the result to be but that does not mean that results are not what the Lord decreed in that individuals life at that time. We must rest and truly trust in the Lord! Often we act as if God really is not as powerful as we say we believe and take things into our hands that are to be left in his.
OK, enough rambling…..LOL
January 14th, 2010 at 10:28 am
This was wonderful. I particular like the quotes from Like A Warm Cup of Coffee.
I will be adding this to my delicious links list.
terry@breathing grace´s last blog ..Unmarried Women, Uninterested Men.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Can I comment again to add a hearty AMEN to this point you made?
I am willing to listen to differing opinions on things, to hear one out, and to seek the Lord on a matter. But if I do not come to the same conviction as you does not mean that I am hard-headed, legalistic, self-righteous, or prideful. It simply means that your words have not come in agreement with what the Spirit and the Word have taught me thus far in my journey with the Lord.
terry@breathing grace´s last blog ..Unmarried Women, Uninterested Men.
Twitter: MamaArcher
Says:
January 14th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Terry,
Thank you for your comments and for the link love!
Many blessings to you!
January 14th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I think you said this very gracefully (pun intended). such truth in it!
Amanda´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Schmiley Wittle Samuel
MamaArcher
Twitter: MamaArcher
Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
@Amanda, Thanks Amanda!
)
January 14th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Excellent post. I wish folks would understand that just because you have convictions doesn’t make you legalistic. I’ve said it before but I really think this is the Christianized version of the tolerance movement. Secular folks cry, “You’re intolerant” to anyone who disagrees with them. Christians cry, “You’re legalistic!” Same thing. Different name.
Daisy´s last blog ..Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Week 2
MamaArcher
Twitter: MamaArcher
Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
@Daisy, You hit the nail on the head Daisy! Hubby and I were using the same comparison in our discussion the other day. It is very much related to the tolerance movement, I believe!