There is much talk about legalism, but little thought and little definition. Legalism is not when you want to follow Christ’s commandments and know that you are lawfully subject to Christ. Decisive faithfulness and punctual obedience are not legalism.
Legalism is a question of inner attitude. If we submit to a commandment, a law, in order to exalt ourselves, then we are legalistic.[1] We uphold a rule in order to appear better than others and to set ourselves apart from them. This is a wrong attitude that does not please God. We are to do everything for the glory of God.
The problem is that this attitude can be very similar in appearance to an attitude of faithfulness and devotion. We must not make the mistake of labeling those who want to be very precise (for the glory of God!) as legalistic, nor should we consider the legalistic to be particularly faithful.
“It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace” (Hebrews 13:9).
Footnotes:
- However, this is not a complete definition either. One could also describe someone who makes false use of the law of Sinai as legalistic: it depends very much on the intention with which someone uses the term “legalism.”
