Monday Morning Insights

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    Seven Quick Steps to Become a Legalist

    Seven Quick Steps to Become a Legalist

    As many of you know, I grew up in a very legalistic church (at least during my high school years).  This is really how it goes... read Mark Driscolls list of how to become a legalist in seven easy steps.  Years and years after seeing the damage of legalism, I still hate it...

    How to Become a Legalist:

    1. Make rules outside the Bible.
    2. Push yourself to try and keep your rules.
    3. Castigate yourself when you don't keep your rules.
    4. Become proud when you do keep your rules.
    5. Appoint yourself as judge over other people.
    6. Get angry with people who break your rules or have different rules.
    7. "Beat" the losers.

    For those of you who grew up in a legalistic church, how has legalism damaged you?  What are it's long-lasting effects on your life?

    Todd

    Comments

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    1. CS on Wed, April 07, 2010

      sarcasm:

      “Passive aggression anyone???”

      Nooooooooo, never.  =)

      Leonard:

      “I see it as hyper liberalism.  Once one has become enlightened so to speak, they cannot be reasoned with or enter into honest discussion.

      “The results are often the same as legalism, but IMO they are are not the same thing. “

      I can see that and agree with it. 

      —
      CS

    2. K. A. Christian on Thu, April 08, 2010

      Is freedom in Christ a license to do as one pleases? God forbid.
      I agree with CS and Rob, the church today has taken on a new kind of legalism which is liberalism� If you have some Scriptural standards then you�re looked down and even frowned upon by the liberals of today. If you don�t give into this new age movement then you�re out of date. Many ascribe to liberalism stating Jesus was a radical and He went against the religious leaders� However, Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Jesus walked in harmony with the law (legalist, He didn�t break not one of the 10 commandments or the laws of the land.) but He didn�t ascribe to the laws they made up outside the 10 commandments. Jesus even told His disciples, (Matthew 5:20) unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, they will certainly not enter the kingdom of Heaven�
      I believe there�s a center place which we must learn that Paul preached and taught about. We can�t add to or take away from the Word of God. But we must follow what Jesus taught and lived during His ministry. I believe we could all learn from both the liberals and legalists and find the center ground.

    3. DJ on Thu, August 12, 2010

      Love that list. SO TRUE. Legalism has affected my life in ways that are so subtle and far reaching they’d be impossible to describe. It’s like barbs that get hooked in to you and countless things tug at them and they pull on you causing a fresh wound or pain every time. They’re curved and hooked on the ends, so it takes a long time to have to remove each legalistic barb out one by one. My whole blog is about it… but I’m trying to move on. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus…but in a legalistic environment you end up struggling with more condemning thoughts than the devil himself could have thought to accuse you with. It’s crazy!!!! God is SOOO REAL though, and it’s because of his tangible love and real presence in my life that I can manage to move forward and hopefully one day be free of the last barb. THEN, there’s those who ARE the legalists, they are so blind. They don’t understand. It’s frustrating, but its like they suffer more but are unable to feel the barbs anymore…and nothing you can say or do can stop them from decieving themselves further and inadvertantly harming others in the name of trying to bring them closer to God. When really, they just drive people further away and wonder why. or they successfully thought unwittingly trap more ppl in their vicious cycle. Its soooo sad on all fronts. God save us all from legalism!!!! It pulls the carpet out from under the Cross.

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