Legalism and Preaching by Peter Mead

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Legalism and Preaching

Legalism And Preaching

By Peter Mead on Feb 4, 2021

BiblicalPreaching.net

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Defining legalism carefully is vitally important. It is important for each follower of Christ. It is a serious business to discount a restriction as legalism when it actually is displeasing to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Scripture: None

Tags: obedience, Preaching, Legalism

Legalism is an easy word to throw around, but a challenging term to define. For many of us, legalism seems to refer to whatever restrictions others might feel that I personally do not feel. But defining legalism carefully is vitally important.

It is important for each follower of Christ. It is a serious business to discount a restriction as legalism when it actually is displeasing to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. Equally it can be stifling to the life He has given us to overlay unnecessary restrictions and thereby misrepresent Him to ourselves and others.

The issue of representing Christ to others means that defining legalism accurately should be a concern for every preacher. People look to us for guidance, both in clarification of the Gospel and in instruction for living. Every preacher treads a minefield in every sermon – preach legalism, or preach license, and damage will be done.

However, many of us never really think about the definition of legalism. I think part of the reason for this is that we have been lulled into a false sense of security by an inadequate definition.

Many definitions are essentially similar to this:

“Legalism is about trying to merit salvation by obedience.”

But there is a significant problem with this definition. Too easily we will hear this to be referring to the heresy of salvation by works. That is, the idea that we have to behave in order to be saved. And the problem with that understanding of legalism is that once we are saved (by grace, not works), then we are effectively immune from any charge of legalism. After all, doesn’t every born again believer in Jesus know that salvation is based on grace, not works?

Surely a definition of legalism that rules out any Christian from being a legalist must be flawed. It concerns me because I am sure I have met a few legalists. I have probably been one too.

So perhaps it would be better to define legalism as “trying to merit God’s favour by obedience.” After all, God’s favour is not just about getting into the family in the first place, we also value God’s favour in our ongoing relationship with Him.

Next time I would like to wrestle with this idea more and identify one big reason why believers can fall into legalism so easily.

Peter Mead (website: BiblicalPreaching.net)

View all articles by Peter Mead

Peter Mead is involved in the leadership team of a church plant in the UK. He serves as director of Cor Deo—an innovative mentored ministry training program—and has a wider ministry preaching and training preachers. He also blogs often at BiblicalPreaching.net and recently authored Pleased to Dwell: A Biblical Introduction to the Incarnation (Christian Focus, 2014). Follow him on Twitter.

Talk about it...

Joe Schuck

commented on Apr 6, 2016

For me, the best definition of Legalism comes from Dr. Holis Gause who said, "Legalism is any system of behavior that is divorced from the love of God." Salvation only starts the process of obediently following Christ. It is the "following of Christ" that defines obedience.... not any idea or system I can think up or demand from others.

Paul Barreca

commented on Apr 6, 2016

It might be helpful to maintain the term legalism for your first definition, "trying to obtain salvation by obedience." That appears to be the biblical use of the word. I like to use the word "judgmentalism" to describe human efforts and standards as applied to spiritual growth. Legalism is human efforts toward justification. Judgmentalism is human efforts toward Sanctification. Both are errors to avoid!

Mike Brenneman

commented on Feb 4, 2021

Good topic to address. Especially loved your first 4 paragraphs which profoundly expressed the dilema. And yes it is a mine field even tho the word "legalism" isn't used in the NASB. Both the practice of legalism and the misuse of this label is frustrating to all of us. Jesus gave an example in Mt 15 where the Pharisees were not only binding something non-biblical, they also promoted something that was extremely evil. That of not taking care of one's parents when they are in need. (Hope I'm not stealing your thunder for the next article which I am eager to receive.) Also frustrating is hearing someone use the term any time there is instruction from the Lord that the person wants to ignore. But now I'm basically repeating what you wrote. Send more on this brother, Peter. Would love more examples of it in the Word.

Ross Williams

commented on Feb 4, 2021

I have be call legalist but not once have I said the way chose to live that they must follow, It is my choice to follow the path that I feel God is leading me, but tell people to live the way that god leads them and obey , what God has said to them or lay on their heart. I can not make another follow me they must make the choice to follow, and take note if another says I am wrong and be humble of heart , to look at myself to see if I have left the path God has lay out for me to fellow. and be willing to repent if I have.

David Melton

commented on Feb 4, 2021

Like the truth you share with these words and certainly always feel the struggle in the dilemma between being too restrictive or too license that you describe. It rings its bell every time I teach. It is kind of like trying to keep one foot in two unstable canoes at same time, eventually I know where I am going to land. Just one thought I would like to share. Perhaps legalism's roots has more to do with us trying to usurp the sovereignty of God's rightful place of authority by attempting to control people or ourselves by rules and regulations that we deem as "the law" or most important. This would be the Pharisees, attempting to create teachings that keep the "ignorant" on the straight and narrow. They were protecting God's holy law, as if He needed it. Then they were in control, in the name of Yahweh of course. Then comes Jesus who declares that all can know God, not just those who are in control; who did what they did to be seen by men. What a sad thought to think of Jesus words for them, "they had their reward in full." So, maybe the higher principle here that transcends the dilemma of too much or too little legality, is that in our preaching we always place the people in the hand of God's grace and His judgment, not mine. Perhaps Jesus answer to the question of what is the greatest commandment is so revolutionary freeing when we follow in His grace but so overwhelming exasperating when we are trying to measure the amount of love shown.

Mike Brenneman

commented on Feb 4, 2021

David, you boiled it down to its essence. Whether one is wanders from the word, by making up restrictions or by ignoring God's instruction--"has more to do with us trying to usurp the sovereignty of God's rightful place of authority". Thank-you.