Quotes About Legalism

Thus it is understanding God's grace—that is to say, understanding God himself 178—that demolishes legalism. Grace highlights legalism's bankruptcy and shows that it is not only useless; it is pointless; its life breath is smothered out of it.

But it is serpentine logic, for it simply compounds the old legal spirit. It is the natural instinct of the once-antinomian prodigal who, when awakened, thinks in terms of working his way back into the favor of his father.38

These considerations give us some clues as to why legalism and antinomianism are, in fact, nonidentical twins that emerge from the same womb. Eve

Whatever form, however, Antinomianism may assume, it springs from legalism. None rush into the one extreme but those who have been in the other.

bears repeating: in Eve's case antinomianism (her opposition to and rejection of God's law) was itself an expression of her legalism!

These considerations give us some clues as to why legalism and antinomianism are, in fact, nonidentical twins that emerge from the same womb. Eve's rejection of God's law (antinomianism) was in fact the fruit of her distorted view of God (legalism).

Legalism is man-centered; discipline is God-centered.

Two things resulted from this "follow Torah by adding rules" approach. The first one is that Jesus thought this completely misunderstood how to do Torah. The second, which follows from the first one, is that an increasing number of ordinary folks were cut off from their faith.

Legalism says God will love us if we change. The gospel says God will change us because He loves us.

Many charismatics do not know the difference between legalism and self-discipline.

Christians are guilty of the notion that there was a time when people were required to live by the mosaic law, I just don't know that ever was the case.

Evangelicals believe they are saved by grace through faith but then add a man-made waiver that you have to work as hard as you can can meet middle-class behavioral patterns to hang onto it.

If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

Thus the essence of legalism is rooted not merely in our view of law as such but in a distorted view of God as the giver of his law.

Legalism leaches joy.

Five obstacles block our access to the benefits God wants for us: Unbelief, which hinders knowing God Pride, which prevents us from glorifying God Idolatry, which keeps us from being satisfied with God Prayerlessness, which blocks our experience of God's peace Legalism, which stops our enjoyment of God's presence

We have a crippling tendency to forget what God has done for us. For a while, we're humbled. Then, if we do not guard our hearts and minds, we begin to think we must have done something right for God to have been so good to us. Therein lies another road to captivity. It is the road of legalism.

To pick up the Sword of the Spirit without the Shield of Faith is to shrivel and dry up in the desert of legalism. To pick up the Shield of Faith without the Sword of the Spirit is to try walking by faith on quicksand.

We have a crippling tendency to forget what God has done for us. For a while, we're humbled. Then, if we do not guard our hearts and minds, we begin to think we must have done something right for God to have been so good to us. Therein lies another road to captivity. It is the road of legalism. Hezekiah believed he was right with God because of what he had done.

Somos un país de puesteros legalistas y de lambecuras irredentos.

The sad truth is that most Christians spend their entire lives trying to score points with Someone who is not keeping score.

The tendency in legalistic religion is to mistrust God, to mistrust others, and consequently, to mistrust ourselves.

Moralism and its stepchild, legalism, reduce the love story of God for his people to the observance of burdensome duties and oppressive laws.

The question had become not "What does Jesus say?" but "What does the Church say?" This question is still being asked today. Sad but true: Some Christians want to be slaves. It is easier to let others make decisions or to rely upon the letter of the law.