Take the time to tell us your story. Where are you in your walk with Christ, if you are even on the road? Have you struggled with the perceived lists of do-and-don’ts that others have made? Have you had experiences with legalistic pastors, churches, families, etc.? How do you try to live your life now? What advice do you have, if any, for others who may be struggling to become free to live in grace?
I guess I would fit the list of so-called “legalists.” Let
me give you a glimpse from where I’m standing… For me, it’s not a
list of “do’s & don’ts”… it’s not a legalist issue. It’s
a love issue. I don’t wear pants because I love the Lord and
believe it pleases Him when I dress femininely and modestly. Is it
a “sin” to wear pants? I can’t say that it is or it isn’t – the
Bible doesn’t just come out and say “Thou shalt not wear pants,
women!” But there is always going to be a more holy standard that
we can seek to attain. There will always be areas in which
Christians could raise the bar just a little higher. Am I relying
on my non-pants-wearning/skirts-only standard to get me to Heaven?
No. Therefore it’s not a legalist issue. I use the KJV. Why?
Because that’s what I was raised with? yes and no. I use it because
it’s what I’m used to. I use it because no one’s been able to
disprove it. I use it because it seems the most complete and
accurate. I use it because I believe it is the Word of God. Am I
relying on my KJV to get me to Heaven? No. Therefore it’s not a
legalist issue. I don’t listen to “wordly music” because it does
nothing to edify me as a Christian. We have been commanded to think
on only that which is good, pure, and lovely – rap, country, and
rock’n'roll are none of the above. Am I relying on “good Christian
music” to get me to Heaven? No. Therefore it’s not a legalist
issue. I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point (for the most
part). Legalism is “the doctrine that salvation is gained through
good works.” Well, according to my Bible, Ephesians 2:8-9 blow that
theory right out of the water. For me, I don’t have these high
standards because I’m counting on them to keep the seal on my
salvation. I do them because I believe it pleases the Lord. No one
has to tell me to do these things (besides the Lord). No one has
“forced” me to adhere to these “rules.” It’s not a legalism issue.
It’s a love issue. It’s what’s in my heart, and it’s being
proclaimed through my actions.
Heather,
Thanks for your input. I wish there were more women in the world like you! There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you said or what you do. I commend you for trying to set a higher standard based on what Paul would call, the “love of Christ [that] constraineth us.” – 2 Cor. 5:14 (KJV, of course)
If what you said is accurate, then you are really not a “legalist” in my book. You would only be classified as a “legalist” if you considered yourself more spiritual or spiritually mature, even more right with God, based on the things you mentioned; thereby judging another person’s actions as indicators of unrighteousness. I hope that makes sense. I’m typing on my phone.
Keep loving Jesus.
I totally agree Standards don’t come from a church or organization, but rather from a Conviction based on the Bible. And when its based on the Bible no one can change your standard except for God. No, I am not a legalist, just a Born-again Bible Believing Independent Fundamental Baptist. Why? Not because all IFBs are right but because it is the closest doctrine to God’s Word and being Independent means we don’t all have the same standards/convictions. By the way I believe the KJV is the pure Word of God for English speaking people, and it really is not that hard to understand. But that’s a whole separate argument.
Matthew, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
I would like to give you some food for thought, if you don’t mind. Think about what I am about to ask you. Question: in what ways am I, a Southern Baptist pastor, NOT independent? This not a trick question.
Thanks, again, brother. And by the way, I had just told my wife I was going to ride my bike to the radio station this morning when I saw your picture. That’s funny
Recovering legalist here, graduate of a super duper legalist college! The problem I have come up across in legalism these days is less obvious. It’s not “you can’t wear pants and read NIV and be saved” because even the legalists have smartened up in that respect. In my experience it is more to the effect of seeing someone show up in jeans and a t-shirt at church and thinking “I need to pray for that person’s spiritual growth. I mean, I’m sure his faith is sincere and all but if he were spiritually mature, he would go out and buy himself a suit.” The judgement still exists, just in a slightly different form. I hear it echoed in what Heather says. “It pleases the Lord when I wear skirts. MAYBE wearing pants isn’t a sin but I KNOW wearing a skirt pleases him.” Well, then does that mean a person wearing pants is less pleasing to God? Aren’t you therefore judging the person who doesn’t wear a skirt as not doing enough to please God? Heather also assumes that wearing a skirt is “setting the bar higher” and I don’t believe there’s a verse in all the Bible that would support that claim. That is a man-made (legalistic) point of view. This is what I come across all too often.
In other words, the legalism I see these days doesn’t come about during salvation but during discipleship. “We have to get that girl discipled so she’s see the light and put on a skirt.” I suppose it’s a step in the right direction because I am saying less of the doubts about a person’s salvation based on an outward appearance, but… still a long, long way to go.
Oh and as for me? Why I am a recovering legalist? My husband and I decided to try out a less legalistic church one time because it was near our house. We ahd an attitude. The music! The way people dressed! The NIV Bibles! Oh, the horrors! But in one week at that church we saw more sincerity in people’s faith and love of God and His word than we had seen in all our years of Bible college. And so began our recovery…
Thanks, R.J., for your thoughts.
I understand what you said about the “setting the bar higher” comment from Heather; but herein lies the struggle with legalism. Where do we cross a line that is unacceptable? Is there a higher standard that we should seek to attain? At what point do we say, “Jesus would NOT approve of THAT!”?
Honestly, I am pretty lenient when it comes to styles of clothing (except when my girls want to wear anything that exposed more than 2 sq. inches of flesh
) There are some things I wish I could wear and look good. But every once in a while wouldn’t you think it good if we re-evaluated our tastes and personal choices? It wouldn’t hurt to make sure we haven’t gone too far in the other direction, would it? The real problem, however, is when we judge other people’s walk with God by OUR standards.
Really, thanks for your thoughts. I hope you continue to visit and comment.
Oh, I’m not disagreeing that what we wear matters. I think we need to dress in a way that is modest, neat, and appropriate (which would vary depending on what we are doing). I am 100% in favor of modesty. But I don’t think that wearing a skirt is more modest than wearing pants–or vice versa. I think it has to be taken on an outfit by outfit decision. Are there immodest pants? Yup! Are there immodest skirts (even if they are the “proper” length)? Absolutely. What we wear does matter and as Christians choosing clothes that honor God is extremely important. I believe that is clear in the Bible. My problem arises when one assumes that wearing a skirt is MORE pleasing to God than wearing a modest pair of pants. The slippery slope is when we start to believe that what we chose to wear makes us just a little more holy than the next guy. Or when we start to assume that when someone doesn’t dress the way we do, that the person needs to “get right”, seek “maturity” or even on the opposite side “is too legalistic”. I believe that when it comes to gray areas, God convicts people individually and we need to be careful not to judge other people’s convictions. At Bible college, a common attitude was “God convicted me about non-Christian music, so He must love me more than he loves you or you’d get that conviction too” (or insert any common area of fighting between Christians). That is where I come from by saying that I took “setting the bar higher’ as a touch of legalistic attitude. Yes, we should set the bar higher as Christians. But to assume that wearing a skirt/reading KJV/etc is the way to set that bar higher is still a legalistic attitude. I hope I made sense. It’s late and I’m rambling!!!!
Good observations. I bet Heather Joy and you would make for good coffee-break entertainment. The both of you should get together and compare notes, just as long as you come to some conclusion which version of the notes you will use
Not that I’m agreeing or disagreeing with you (yet), but I’m just curious what your definition of a “modest pair of pants” is…?
Of a truth, God is most definitely not a respector of persons (that’s Bible) So I agree with your statement that God does not love one person more than the next, regardless of their standards or convictions. He’s the perfect Father – loving His blood-bought children equally.
RJ… I like your response about ‘convictions…I feel the same way. I know that I don’t do, or do some things, that would drive a legalistic ‘christian’ bonkers. I equate most of my arguments with being diabetic, which I am. you see, for most folks, going to a bakery and buying a dozen donuts for the coffee clutch is not a problem. For a diabetic, it is the temptation of Arsenic and lace. I could no more eat a donut than you would swallow arsenic. So I avoid bakeries, and the other little sweets offered up by well meaning albeit ignorant folks serving them at our church. The donuts are not evil. Or sinful. But for me, it would be, because God has convicted me to the point long past my doctors orders…”DON’T eat the donuts. I have much bigger problems than whether or not I should wear a dress or read the ‘right Bible…that conviction may come later on, I don’t know. But if He does but that conviction upon my heart, and I choose not to follow it, then yes, that would be the sin.I haven’t felt God’s nudge as of yet, about my attire in church, but eventually I am sure He will get around to it…right after I get those donuts out of my head once and for all.
I have had experience with legalism and all this do’s and don’ts, mixing Law and Grace instead of resting on His arms. Being a part of life, in church, and growing up with it lead to so much confusion and pressure on my part. Right now I’m still struggling. I want to break free – yet I have doubted myself and my authenticity, all these contradictions within me. Right now, I don’t know if I can say that I “have freedom” since legalism has gotten me to believe so much lies – stuff that people shove into my throat and I couldn’t say “no” to. That’s why I’m still trying to see the light in this all. I see the light, just don’t know if I’m already “there”.
I know how you feel. That’s why I say I’m still “recovering.” And one difficulty is trying not to throw out what is good in order to experience freedom. There is a such thing as going too far and abusing grace. We don’t want to do that, either.
I would like to say that I was in a legalistic Church in the 70′s and 80′s. I had a nervous break down on 1983 , because of do’s and don’ts. I never felt good enough always condemed. If I made different choices for my children, I was losing my conviction’s.When me and my husband went to the Pastor to tell him we were leaving the Church, he told us that we are out of’s God will and that something could happen to our children. My husband was bi-polar and I had to make allot of choices. Praise God he gave me the courage to get out of those Church’s. When I see people with long skirts and dresses. I just see long dresses. He dosen’t make me feel they are spirtual!
God bless you! And may He continue to bring you and your husband healing. Thanks for sharing your story.
Mine’s a bit involved — happens when you’ve reached a ripe old 69 — but it’s a harrowing story of a recovering Pharisee..
Read it here at: http://www.grace4life.com/About_Us – “A Tragic-Happy Tale of the Gospel Lost & Found”
Enjoy!
Johnny
PCA TE
World Harvest Mission
Cross Cultural Renewal & Leadership Development