Holiness vs. Legalism

Definition of Legalism--when people want to do things for or concerning God that He did not tell you to do.

Every time anyone says, “You need to obey God to be saved,” someone will cry “legalism." 

Commandments that are directly related to the Jewish religion are the only things in the bible that are no longer in effect as commandments for New Testament Christians.

Examples of these would be the Sabbath, Passover, and other days, circumcision, dietary laws and things related to the priesthood. But anything that relates to righteousness is still very much in effect. There are still lots of commandments for New Testament Christians. God wants you to do what He told you to do--nothing more and nothing less.

 

We don't sacrifice animals or keep certain days to be righteous.  Righteousness begins when you have your sins forgiven, but if you don’t begin to obey God, you will not be counted righteous.  Today everyone wants to claim some ceremonial righteousness that gets bestowed upon every Christian making you automatically righteous no matter what you do.  This is sort of like giving a hog a tuxedo.  The bible says:

1John 3: 7-8 “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he (God) is righteous.  He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Could anything be more plain than this.  John said it's what you do that really counts.  If you continue to do the “works” of the devil, you will be with him one day and not with God.

 

Don't be deceived by "bible skinners"

The scripture above said, “Let no man deceive you,” and that is exactly what the preachers are doing when they tell you that obeying the commandments of God is "legalism."  The true and living God is Holy and says to us, “Be ye holy.” If the bible could talk, it would surely scream when all the “bible skinners” begin to twist and torture the scriptures concerning holiness.  They use the words holiness and righteousness in their sermons but it is so vague and fuzzy that you don’t know what they are talking about. They never mention any specific behavior that would be unholy. The bible says there is a difference between holy and profane. See list below of unclean and profane items in our society.

 

You have to love God to keep the commandments.

Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” The problem is people don’t have enough “love of God” or “fear of God” in them to keep the commandments. It is understood you need God’s help to keep the commandments, but God is not lazy. He does His part of salvation and grace--it is the people who are falling short and not doing their part.

 

People say you don't need to obey God to be saved because they despise holiness.   When you despise holiness, you are actually despising God according to 1 Thessalonians 4: 7-8. “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”

 

Sin Appears in Everything They Do

Ezekiel 21:24

. . . Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; . . .

 

Haggai 2:14

“So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.”   

 

These two scriptures are a perfect description of this generation. Their sin and uncleanness appear in everything they do-- television, movies, sports, newspapers, magazines, holidays, everything.

 

Here is a partial list of profane and unclean things in our society. These things are filled with uncleanness. The more you contact or use these things the more likely you are to be unclean and unholy.

These are filled with nudity, cursing, lewd jokes and time wasting nonsense. They continually glorify murderers in movies. This is one of the main causes why our society is such a failure. If you watch television like the average person, then you are going to the same hell that the average person is going to. You have to be extraordinary and a “peculiar people” to make it to heaven.

It is difficult to find honest news because there are so many liars.  Also, there is always a picture of some lewd woman (or man) in newspapers and magazines.  Only a failed and wicked society would tolerate such things.

School sports have become a “sacred cow” that everyone worships.  Football, soccer, hockey, wrestling and boxing and other sports are filled with violence. The spirit of competition carried out to its logical conclusion will actually murder the opposing team. Even the fans get violent at times.  Many sporting events have become nothing more than controlled riots (some just barely controlled). 

 

School sports should be outlawed just because of all the injuries. I consider it a form of child abuse to compel children to participate in something that can injure them.  Sometimes young people receive injuries that last the rest of their life. The children are too young to make decisions of this sort. Sports should be left to professionals over 21 who can decide for themselves if they want their tendons torn, bones broken, brains scrambled or whatever.

 

I wonder how long it would take this nation to outlaw church services if we needed an ambulance standing by like they do at high school football games and 2 or 3 people got injured each time we held church services. Or if the people would take showers together afterward.  But schools get away with this kind of outrageous behavior because like I said, school sports have become a “sacred cow” that everyone worships.

 

The way they dress for some sporting events is downright lewd, obscene and vulgar.  The contestants of gymnastics, ice skating, track and field, or swimming and diving are all practically naked.  You may as well go to a strip club if you watch these sports.

You say, “How can all this be unclean?” Just remember what Jesus said, “...that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”  ST Luke 16: 15.

 

Do you love God or pleasure?

The bible warns us to be "lovers of God" rather than "lovers of pleasures."  2 Timothy 3:4. God said, “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 7: 17-18.

 

Table of Contents