Common Sense Commentary: Ignorance of the true meanings of our words is a dangerous neglect. Let us "study" our words and be precise, correct and accurate like a rifle with a scope not a sawed off shot-gun.
If your concept of "legalism" is not opposite to God's grace, it's not legalism. The laws of God are in perfect harmony with His grace, love and forgiveness. To some people I meet, all laws and rules of conduct are legalism. God, Himself, has set up the most commonly known and first laws of conduct in human history. The first was His Eden Commandment, concerning the forbidden fruit, "Thou shalt not eat of it." The second was His Law of Life for Life, in Gen.9:6, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed ....". And then, of course, He gave us the Ten Commandments. Breaking those laws had dire consequences and that is the primary reason God wants us to obey them. He doesn't want us to suffer but to do right and be right. Those consequences are not the result of God's vengeance but of our own disobedience. The law of sowing and reaping is set on automation like the law of gravity. You violate it and you damage yourself. God doesn't have to take action against the violator; the violator has taken action against himself by his sinful act. The seeds of destruction are contained in the sinful fruit itself. You eat the fruit, you get the seed with it.
I use a 1934 copyright of Webster's Dictionary. I wouldn't give you two cents for a newly devised dictionary with the moral standards of it's devisers. My edition of Webster's defines legalism as, "In theology, a code of deeds and observations as a means of justification." That, my friends, is what legalism means. Legalism depends on a person's good works or self-righteousness as the means of justification and therefore of salvation. So legalism is opposite to and contradictory to Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast." Neither these two verses nor any other verses in the Bible deny the importance of good works by all Christians...."Faith without works is dead...." James 2:26. But Good works do not save you: they are the fruit of your salvation. They prove you are saved. God encourages good works and rewards good works but saves you by His grace. But God's laws, rules and guidelines are not "legalism", they are God's demands of holiness but no matter how nearly we come to fulfilling them, we still fall short. That's why we need and must have a Savior ... we are an unholy lot. If it isn't in the Bible, it is not one of God's commands. Men have always added to or taken away from God's word. It seems the primary work of Satan. The Jews added hundreds of rules to God's short list. Many church leaders, today, have done the same. Adding to or taking away from God's word is a very dangerous occupation according to Rev.22:18-19; but denying His word is just as dangerous. Just because you can't manage to live up to the letter of the law, do not call a single phrase or verse in the Bible "legalism", or a preacher who preaches it a legalist. It's purpose is to expose us to ourselves that we are sinners and to drive us to the foot of the cross in repentance for salvation by grace through faith in Christ. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Gal.3:24-25. Jesus sets us free to serve Him by choice. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Jn.8:36.
" ...If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Rev. 22:18-19. RB
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