Reply To: Grace Discussion Board 1

[Ben]

A discussion on the “subtlety of legalism”

When something is said to be subtle, it means it is making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something. Therefore the subtlety of legalism is an aim to achieve something in which another (grace by faith) has achieved; of which legalism is not designed to achieve and cannot achieve. However, legalism has all the appearance that seems to suggest it can achieve the same thing.

What therefore is the “thing” sought to be achieved by legalism of which another has achieved as found within biblical context?

Let’s see what Paul the apostle said in Galatians 3:1-6.

” 1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

1. What legalism is trying to achieve, has already been achieved by grace and can be accessed through faith. Galatians 3:5-6. Christianity is not morality but in Christianity, there are morals. The goal of Christianity is largely about a restored relationship with God ( 2 Corinthians 5:19). Now, in getting into this reality of acceptance before God, one has to be righteous. Men have come up with all sorts of ways to reach/please God, which is the birth of the religions in the world (the efforts of men). However, these efforts of men, God has discredited and termed as filthiness (Isaiah 64:6). Only one man can fix our relationship with God and make us worthy, chosen, accepted and loved in God and that is the man, Jesus Christ; through his vicarious death, burial and resurrection (identification and substitution). This therefore, is God’s provision for man to accept so that he can come into an approved and loving relationship with God.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” Romans 5:1.
This is what is known as grace- that God has stepped forward to act on man’s behalf to give man passage into what he never deserved or could qualify for.

A. Albeit, believers who came into this relationship with God not by anything they did but by God’s grace just like the foolish Galatians, slip often from continuing in this grace into legalism (work based mindset). So believers pray, fast for days, dress in a certain way, and give not because they are responding to grace and out of a grateful heart but to earn God’s acceptance. Once a believer has a performance based mentality, he will often be legalistic.

He can’t be satisfied if his hand didn’t “toil” or earn what he is given to enjoy freely.

PETER AND LEGALISM
Acts 10:11-15.
God had prepared something and was delivering the same to Peter (which is another way of seeing the grace of God). But Peter being used to the traditions of men (how a child of God should be according to men) and who was still conscious of an identity God had left behind (being a Jew) (Galatians 3:28).
He became adamant and the traditions handed over to him was more true to keep than what God had said at the moment.

B. Here is another aspect in which believers slip into legalism- by keeping the traditions of men above God’s word and provision in grace ( Mark 7:8). So we hear believers say things like, ” this is how it has always been done in the church “, even when these practices don’t align with the truth after the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. So people copy traditions, hold unto doctrines and experiences of men while keeping what the word says, aside. Yet, they seek to get something in return from the same God who has made all things available by his grace.

2. Legalism is trying to achieve what the supply of the Spirit of God started. Galatians 3:3.
It is worthy of note that Legalism is not the counterpart of the Living Spirit of God who is the Spirit of grace. In stead the word of God is the counterpart of the Spirit and the word of God declares as the Spirit of God declares, “through grace and faith”.

In Galatians 3:3, we see what both the Spirit and legalism seek to achieve- TO MAKE ONE PERFECT.

The word perfect there means accomplished. It is the Greek word, “epiteleo” from epí = intensifies meaning, in the sense of meaning “fully” + teleo = to complete, bring not just to the end but to the destined goal from télos = end, goal.

Note: télos originally meant the turning point, hinge, the culminating point at which one stage ends and another begins; later the goal, the end. It is a word that conveys the intensified meaning; to fully complete or to fully reach the intended goal in the sense of successfully completing what has been begun.

That is to say, that having begun this new life and all it presents in Christ Jesus, our lives have been set up on a new plane that is to continue even experientially until the day of our Lord Jesus. However, much importance is placed on how we began this life and Paul is rebuking the Galatians on continuing in the Spirit unto perfection (bodily). This work began in our spirits and by the Holy Spirit. We cannot now begin to look at our flesh to arrive at perfection. We must live from inside out.

C. Some believers think it is by how fervent in their works or “holy” in appearance they are, that makes them arrive at this perfection ignoring how they started. Did you start by keeping laws or doing things perfectly? Or by the Spirit, in your spirit which got recreated as you believed the word of grace? ( Ephesians 2:10 Amplified).

So we see believers say they have lost their salvation once they sin and they end up having multiple conversation experiences. They never accept their worth in Christ because their works have become their standard for qualification. So they say, “no one is righteous…we are all sinners” and so on.

2 Timothy 3:7
“always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

They just can’t call themselves who God calls them no matter how much they hear the word because they are looking at how they have been living lately instead of the word of grace, in faith.

As much as the practice of sin should not be condoled. For grace is no a license to sin. What was begun in the Spirit should be sustained, continued in the spirit, by the Holy Spirit and by the word ( daily renewal of the mind- Romans 12:2).

Philippians 1:6
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

HOW A BELIEVER CAN PREVENT LEGALISM.

1. Appreciate your new life as one founded by grace and to be lived out by faith. I am who God says I am no matter what! A word ruled mindset. (Ephesians 2:8).

2. Focus on the work of the Spirit to perfect you in every way ( he will cause you to experience in full (bodily) what he started in you (spirit) ). Choose to yield to the Spirit and not your flesh. (Romans 8:14).

3. Renew your mind through meditation by the word of God (Hebrews 4:12, Acts 20:32, Joshua 1:8).