Here is an excerpt from an article on the NCFIC website that I thought I would share. It's very practical, especially for those of us Reformed people who have the unfortunate tendency to be labeled "Legalist" more than we might like or deserve :)
Enjoy this quotation from Pastor Jeff Pollard's article on Holiness, Legalism and the Sufficiency of Scripture!
“So who are the real legalists? Time and space limitations permit only a partial list by which we may identify whether or not we are legalists.
1. You are not a legalist if by faith in and love for the Lord Jesus Christ you obey God’s Law. Some will tell you that you are. Nevertheless, you are a legalist if you keep God’s law in order to gain or keep your salvation.
2. You are not a legalist if you believe that professing Christians should obey the Lord Jesus Christ, and if with love, humility, and mercy you exhort them to do so. Some will tell you that you are. Nevertheless, you are a legalist if you believe that your obedience makes you more acceptable to God than others who are not on “your level.”
3. You are not a legalist if you have high standards, scruples, or a more precise understanding of obedience perhaps than others do. Some will tell you that you are. Nevertheless, you are a legalist if you think that your high standards or scruples make you more acceptable to God.
4. You are not a legalist if you exhort others to obey God’s Word out of love for their souls in Christ. Some will tell you that you are. Nevertheless, you are a legalist if you bind men’s consciences to human traditions in the place of God’s Word.
5. You are not a legalist if you come to a matter that Scripture does not directly address, and by prayerful study, you reach a conclusion and implement it in your life and home. Some will tell you that you are. Nevertheless, you are a legalist, if another believer prayerfully considers the same matter, reaches a different conclusion than yours, and you think that your conclusion makes you more righteous and more acceptable to God than he.
6. You are not a legalist if you do not watch TV, you do not attend movies, you do not listen to rock music, you do not practice birth control, you do not practice mixed swimming; or if you do believe in patriarchy, you do practice courtship, you do practice covering your body modestly, and you do homeschool (I trust you recognize that this list could get very lengthy). You are not a legalist just because you do these things or ask others to consider prayerfully what you believe the Word of God teaches about them! Some will confidently tell you that you are. But if you believe that any or all these things are infallible signs that you are a true Christian and others are not; or if you believe that by holding these convictions you are more acceptable to God, then you are a legalist, and you deserve the charge.”
No comments:
Post a Comment