Introduction

What is legalism?

It is excessive conformity to law exceeding what God requires. A present-day example of this can be seen in the command of Paul to Timothy to “preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2)

Instead of stopping where Paul stopped we go ahead to add our own laws.

To understand legalism, we have only to look at the Pharisees. They were the legalist of their day while the Sadducees were the liberals. The gospels reveal forty confrontations Jesus had with the Pharisees. Usually the issue was a legalistic matter. Why is so much space given to these people? Could it be because God wants us to learn what legalism can do to Christians and ultimately to the entire church?

If we look close enough we can often see ourselves. Most of us carry around some baggage of legalism. I have been guilty many times.

A legalist motivation is a noble one, to protect the laws of God. He often produces scripture which he believes justifies his position. On the surface, his motive is good. Everyone is for protecting God’s commands.

The problem is, he does not always recognize when God’s laws stop. In his zeal to protect God’s laws he will without realizing it go beyond what God through the Holy Spirit has authorized. To protect a law of God a legalist will supplement new laws.

This becomes a serious matter when laws are made and bound on fellow Christians which God has not ordained. This is binding where God has not bound. This is why legalism is such a serious matter. It can become a very explosive force in a congregation disrupting the peace and love between God’s people. People resent someone enforcing a law on them which God has not authorized.

The Pharisees personify legalism. They had a legalistic system which contained around 6000 rules and regulations which they felt built up a wall of protection around the Law of Moses.

An example of this can be seen in their attempt to protect the Sabbath law. The law required that no work be done on the seventh day. They were not to pick up manna or sticks to build a fire but on the whole, the Law did not define what constituted work. Less the Sabbath law be violated the Pharisees devised a list of 39 rules to define what was and what was not work.

SABBATH

No Work – Burdens

A tailor could not carry a needle because he was carrying the tool of his trade. A scribe could not carry a pen because he used this in his work. A teacher could not read because this was part of his trade. However, if you were not a teacher you could read. If a fire broke out in your home on the Sabbath you could carry out enough food for the next day but no more. You could not put out a fire. A Gentile could put out the fire as long as you did not ask him to do it.

They felt by setting up these laws they were protecting the Sabbath. They served as a fence or wall to prevent violation of the Sabbath. When analysed they failed to see the intent or purpose of the Sabbath law. They often criticized Jesus for what he did on the Sabbath. He reminded them that man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was made for man.

Legalists also have difficulty with fringe or gray areas. When it comes to fringe areas where God has not legislated, and there are countless areas like this, God has left it up to us to use our best judgement. But a legalist does not feel safe in gray areas.

A legalist does not want to slip up and do something wrong thus missing heaven. To him salvation rests on strict observance of law even to devising laws to cover those grey areas. Everything must be black or white, never grey.

The temptation then is to set in force a rule to govern every situation that may arise. In time regulations become traditions and traditions invariably become laws which must be obeyed.

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