Tag Archives: Legalism

Q&A: Train Your Replacements: How to Discern Truth Part 2: 1 Timothy 4:1-5

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These are suggested answers to the Message Based Discussion Questions from the message presented on March 30, 2014 as part of the series on 1 Timothy. These are provided to stimulate thinking, but not prohibit from additional thinking.

Why disciple others to follow Jesus, instead of Truth principles?

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MSG: Train Your Replacements: How to Discern Truth Part 2: 1 Timothy 4:1-5

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This message was presented on March 30, 2014 as part of the series on 1 Timothy.

Alertness. We looked at alertness to Truth last Sunday, because mainline Christianity is falling away from it! I am concerned about Christians being pulled into the Christian Science, Mormon, and Jehovah Witness cults (among others), because those are obviously false doctrines. But for those in Protestantism who are compromising Truth, the drift is often more subtle. Do you know of churches that have moved away from Truth? How about denominations? What about Christians who professed Jesus and pursued following His Lordship, but allowed some intense suffering, mistreatment from leadership at church, or an unfair situation to cause them to depart from Jesus? Why did it happen? Because our minds and flesh like to explore new things and deceiving spirits like to fill up that desire. My friends, purity of Truth is essential, because what percentage of poison is in d-CON? Only 2 %. But unless we love each other, we’ll never be able to lead each other to the Truth.

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Legalism considered

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Last night at my discipleship meeting the question was asked, “Do unbelievers practice legalism, or is what they do just heresy?”  I was vague in my answer, thinking that legalism is just for believers in trying to please God and an unbeliever cannot do anything to please God ever.  Therefore it wouldn’t be legalism and just heresy.  But re-thinking it I considered the four principles for legalism I mentioned on Sunday:      
     ·       Legalism is an attitude normally seen in actions.
      ·         Legalism is related to how a person approaches God.
      ·         Legalism imposes rules on the conscience, which hinders a relationship with God.
      ·         Legalism seeks to earn or deserve God’s favor based on obedience to law or rules.

I realized that that is what the Pharisees were doing and they were unbelievers (except for a few like Nicodemus, who eventually trusted in Jesus).  The Pharisees imposed  rules on the conscience (traditions of the elders) and they sought to earn God’s favor based on their obedience to the rules.  What they did was legalism.

God is never obligated to you or me based on what you or I do.  It is His Sovereign mercy that we’ll see this Sunday by which we experience any blessing in life. God only obligates Himself to His Word and His character.  He does not obligate Himself to us.  He is God.

But doesn’t God bless me when I obey Him? Jesus tells a great account about this in Luke 17:6-10,

6So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree,`Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 “And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field,`Come at once and sit down to eat ‘? 8 “But will he not rather say to him,`Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink ‘? 9 “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say,`We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'”

This is so telling of the sovereign holiness of God.  Notice that last line.  When we obey God, we have only done what was our duty to do.  There is no obligation from God.  He only obligates Himself to what He has said (in His Word) and to His character. I’ll post some principles very soon on how to deal with legalism.

Legalism Fights Against God

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Legalists try to do two things: 1) play god and 2) compete with God.  Matthew 15:1-9 is a clear example of Jesus dealing with legalistic Pharisees.  They had their toga wrapped up in a bunch around “the traditions of the elders,” while Jesus emphasized the Word of God.  Then we saw eight principles from Galatians how legalists foist themselves on grace-oriented believers.  Paul called a spade a spade and named names.  Legalists think they are trying to do something good, but they 1) play god and 2) compete with God.  Please review those principles below, because it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others. 

·         He mixes human effort with grace    Gal. 1:6-9; 2:14; 6:13
·         He bullies others spiritually    Gal. 2:1-3; 4:29
·         He secretively spies out liberty    Gal. 2:4
·         He wants to look good before others    Gal. 2:11-16
·         He is in bondage to rules    Gal. 4:8-10, 25
·         He is antagonistic to believers living grace    Gal. 4:16; 5:10,12; 6:17
·         His motivation is for personal attention    Gal. 4:17; 6:13
·         He is critical and judgmental    Gal. 5:15  

We like what “we do” and if someone else doesn’t do “it,” we have a tendency to judge them through comparison.  Paul exhorts us to quit comparing ourselves with others (2 Cor. 10:12) and hence through self-righteousness, we can easily become legalistic.

I encouraged you to use the PAUSE method of approaching difficult relationships gained from the “Resolving Everyday Conflict” Peacemaker Series.  Here it is again:

P –  Prepare for the difficult conversation
A – Affirm relationships – the person and the problem situation
U – Understand interests – What motivates him/her
S –  Search for creative solutions
E –  Evaluate options objectively and reasonably

We approach Memorial Day weekend with joy to hear Dave Westin on Sunday as our newest supported missionary, but also heaviness as we remember our fallen heroes who paid the ultimate price.  All of our service men and women gave some; some gave all.  I thank God for the blood that was shed on battlegrounds all over the world, so that I might have freedom to share the gospel to open hearts.  This is a three day weekend, not just to have an extra day for fun, but an extra day to consider, reflect and ultimately give thanks to God for the price that Jesus paid on the battleground called Golgotha.  His blood was shed for you.

Legalism vs. Law

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Paul warned that there is one solution to legalism – knowing and living under the rulership of Jesus Christ, because he made us alive with Him having wiped out the requirements against us (Col. 2:11-15).  So Paul continues don’t let someone cheat you from your reward by imposing commandments and doctrines of men on you (Col. 2:16-23).   Therefore live by dependency on Christ, not man-made legalisms.

As you went over the questions on the back of the insert, did you understand the Laws of Liberty, Love, Sacrifice and Accommodation?  Did you understand how they are related to the Law of Christ?  And how they are not legalism?  These are important to understand, because you can almost get the idea that “law” is a bad word.  Context is key to understanding all principles of Scripture.

Legalism is not a word found in Scripture, like “trinity.”  Legalism refers to any addition, subtraction, twisting, or distorting of Scripture established by man that focuses a person on the action rather than his relationship with Jesus Christ.  We’ll look at this specifically on Sunday when we look at “What does Scripture teach about a legalist?”   We’ll also see how any Christian can fall into legalism.  Can you?