Definition:
Legalism in a biblical context refers to an excessive adherence to law or formula, particularly in the context of religious observance. It often implies a reliance on following specific rules or rituals to achieve righteousness or favor with God, rather than focusing on faith and grace.

Biblical Context:
Legalism is often contrasted with the concept of grace in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul addresses legalism in several of his epistles, emphasizing that salvation is not achieved through the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Key Scriptures:

1. Galatians 2:16 :
"know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

· In this passage, Paul underscores the futility of relying on the law for justification. He argues that faith in Christ is the only means of being justified before God.

2. Romans 3:20 :
"Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin."

· Here, Paul explains that the law serves to make individuals aware of their sinfulness, but it does not have the power to justify or save them.

3. Colossians 2:20-23 :
"If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations: 'Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!'? These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, false humility, and harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."

· Paul warns against adhering to human-made regulations that appear wise but are ultimately ineffective in spiritual growth and holiness.

Historical Context:
In the early church, legalism was a significant issue, particularly among Jewish Christians who struggled with the transition from the Mosaic Law to the new covenant of grace through Christ. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) addressed this tension, affirming that Gentile believers were not required to follow the Jewish law to be saved.

Theological Implications:
Legalism can lead to a distorted view of God’s grace, suggesting that human effort can earn divine favor. This perspective can result in spiritual pride or despair, as individuals either boast in their perceived righteousness or become discouraged by their inability to meet the law's demands.

Practical Considerations:
Believers are encouraged to live by the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) rather than adhering to a checklist of rules. This does not negate the importance of obedience and holiness but places them in the context of a relationship with God, empowered by His grace.

Warnings Against Legalism:
Jesus Himself warned against the legalistic practices of the Pharisees, who focused on outward conformity to the law while neglecting the heart's condition. In Matthew 23:23-24 , He states, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel."

Conclusion:
While the law is good and serves a purpose, it is not the means of salvation. Believers are called to embrace the freedom found in Christ, living out their faith through love and service, rather than being bound by legalistic practices.

John Smith, Platonist --"An Interpreter of the Spirit"
... But religion of this normal and spiritual type must be sharply differentiated
both from superstition and from legalistic religion. ...
/.../chapter xvi john smith platonistan.htm

Because Grace is that which Characterizes all God's Dealings with ...
... grace makes every blessing a Divine and free gift. But, the human heart
is essentially legalistic. Man wishes to have a hand in his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/1 because grace is that.htm

The Epistle to the Romans
... partly in the Jewish training of the apostle and partly in the fact that Paul was
fully conscious of the objections which legalistic adversaries were wont to ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the epistle to the romans.htm

Introduction
... The idea of a penalty owing to the "justice" of God is a thoroughly legalistic
one, the offspring of an age which thought in terms of law. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/beibitz/gloria crucis/introduction.htm

Muhlenbberg's Pietism.
... which they strove so earnestly and zealously was, in more than one respect, neither
truly evangelical nor soundly Lutheran, but of a legalistic and subjective ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bente/american lutheranism/muhlenbbergs pietism.htm

The Epistles to the Galatians.
... salvation by free grace and justification by faith, Christian universalism in
opposition to Jewish particularism, evangelical freedom versus legalistic bondage ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 91 the epistles to.htm

Colossians and Ephesians Compared and vindicated.
... The former is anti-Essenic and anti-ascetic, the latter is anti-Pharisaic and
anti-legalistic; the one deals with a speculative expansion and fantastic ...
/.../section 96 colossians and ephesians.htm

The Papal Bulls against the Jansenists, 1653 and 1713.
... to evangelical Protestantism, though remaining sincerely Roman Catholic in its churchly,
sacerdotal, and sacramental spirit, and legalistic, ascetic piety. ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 27 the papal bulls.htm

Practical Methods of Studying the Old Testament
... this fundamental principle also leads to a most practical conclusion; the stories
peculiarly adapted to children are not the mature, legalistic narratives of ...
/.../xv practical methods of studying.htm

Success.
... But though these men were perhaps more or less legalistic and at times a little
narrow, yet one thing is sure, they made religion the business of life, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter x success.htm

Legalistic (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Legalistic (1 Occurrence). Philippians 3:6 concerning
zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness ...
/l/legalistic.htm - 6k

Guilt (180 Occurrences)
... I. In the Old Testament. 1. The Ritualistic and Legalistic Conception:
Not all of this is found at once in the Old Testament. The ...
/g/guilt.htm - 46k

Zoroastrianism
... eschatology especially as regards chronological systems; (10) a superhuman Messiah;
(11) bodily resurrection; (12) a rationalized, legalistic conception of ...
/z/zoroastrianism.htm - 17k

Legal (13 Occurrences)

/l/legal.htm - 10k

Biblical
... the way, after the Return, for the new theocracy, wherein the Law of Moses was sought
with more persistent endeavor, though not without darkly legalistic result ...
/b/biblical.htm - 45k

Legalizing (1 Occurrence)

/l/legalizing.htm - 6k

Contribution (24 Occurrences)
... Corinthians 16:2 f), were proportioned to the means of the givers (Acts 11:29 1
Corinthians 16:2), were not exacted or prescribed, in a legalistic manner, but ...
/c/contribution.htm - 16k

Paul (207 Occurrences)
... Judaizing controversy which furnishes the occasion for the expansion of the doctrine
of justification by faith in opposition to the legalistic contention of ...
/p/paul.htm - 101k

Lord's (548 Occurrences)
... The appearance of the opposite extreme of a genuinely "legalistic" Sabbatarianism
in the thoroughly Evangelical Scotch and English Puritanism is an anomaly ...
/l/lord's.htm - 88k

Stephen (13 Occurrences)
... Old Testament history from the prophetical point of view, to which Jesus had also
allied Himself, while his opponents represented the legalistic point of view ...
/s/stephen.htm - 33k

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