Liberal Legalism

There is a particular group of Christians who call themselves “the true church, … of pure religion, … presenting the pure, unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ. All others are Babylon, false religion, apostate, reprobate, and deceived.” I used to belong to such a fellowship, and it was quite legalistic.

Another group encourages themselves to “stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1) They run after their hearts’ desires, claiming that the Lord wants them to be happy. I have been around such as these as well, and I think many are just practicing another form of legalism.

One side of legalism says, “If you don’t have ‘chapter-&-verse,’ then you’re not allowed to do it.” The other side of legalism says, “If you can’t show me ‘chapter-&-verse,’ then I’m allowed to do it.” But both sides fail to see the greater principle.

Because the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, some question even the principle. But neither of the words in the phrase “personal relationship” appear in the Scriptures either (at least, not in the King James Version). Yet who would deny that such a principle is interwoven throughout the entire history of God’s interactions with His people?

John Calvin provides a good reminder in his Institutes of the Christian Religion:* When God says, “You shall not kill,” this is not just a command to refrain from murdering your neighbor. Of course, Christ clarifies that the principle also includes the prohibition of hating your neighbor, wishing him hardship, and rejoicing when it comes; but the principle does not stop there either. God’s will is not satisfied if you simply go and dig in the earth and hide yourself (Matt. 25:18) in an attempt to abstain from all evil. Rather the principle – God’s reason for the commandment – is to proactively serve your neighbor as you would like to be served, loving him as yourself.

Of course, there is an exact verse for this, as there ought to be, since it is one of the two greatest commandments upon which “hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:40 & 7:12). What law? The law that includes, “Thou shalt not kill.” It hangs on – and points to – a greater law (or principle). And this is only one of many such Biblical testimonies against legalism, no matter in what form it comes.

* – The Library of Christian Classics, Volume XX – Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion I, by John Calvin. (Editor: John T. McNeill; Translator: Ford Lewis Battles; Publisher: The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and the S. C. M. Press, Ltd., London, England, Great Britain; copyright, MCMLX by W. L. Jenkins.)