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Pchris
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THE SUBTLETY OF LEGALISM

Legalism can be defined as an opposition to Grace. It is another gospel ( an attempt to add to the finished work of Christ). In other words the gospel of Christ is antithetical to legalism.
It is when the truth of the gospel is misinterpreted. When Grace is taken away, all you have is do’s and don’ts, rules and regulations with no relationship.
Another term for legalism is “works”.It is important to note that Our works has nothing to do with our being saved.
Believers sometimes unconsciously tend to think that in order to attain blessings from God, we have to to work or earn it. Legalism comes off of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it is the human attempt to be good.
To a legalist mind , everything boils down to what’s necessary, they tend to think that they have to do some kind of work to retain their salvation, salvation that they literally did nothing but to receive in faith. They find it hard to accept/ comprehend that all you have to do to receive God’s Grace is to believe ( Romans 1:16). This is because there is something selfish in man that wants to take credit and if believers are not careful they may slip into legalism ( Acts 20:24).
How to avoid living a work-based life as a believer
1) A believer must know when to draw the line, he/she must learn to guard and watch. Always remembering that Jesus holds you till the very end. You don’t start in the spirit and continue in the flesh. The work of God starts in the Spirit and ends in the Spirit. ( Galatians 3:1-3 , Philippians 1:6)
2) When you walk with God as a believer,it is important to examine your life for it is possible that you started off with the right motive and somehow missed it and slipped into legalism . Do so by checking the principles that brought you into the Grace of God in the first place. You heard, you recieved the word in faith and you keep on hearing in other to grow in the Grace of God available to you . Anything else added to salvation, nullifies it because God is a jealous God and doesn’t need your help.
3) Be sure that every self effort must be by the Grace of God.it is important for a believer to know that their help comes from God and you are who you are and have attained the height you are only by the Grace of God.
4) Never become too proud and expect God’s blessings based on your effort/ entitlement. Your inheritance is too expensive for your works to be the purchasing price
5) Engage God’s favour and Grace to work. For it is God’s Grace that labours through you. God judges not just the works but the motive in which the work is / was done . Men judge outwardly but God sees inwardly.

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