Are you a Christian Legalist?

 

Many people are quick to cry out -- YOU ARE A LEGALIST!

 



But the sad thing is this...

They do not know what the term legalist means.  They cry it out because they have heard other people say it and they try to act, and the key word here is they "act" like they have knowledge of God's Word.

 

The first one to cry out "legalist" was Satan himself when he was speaking to Eve.

 

Ye shall not surely die.  Genesis 3:4

 

Eve believed the lie and as a result of her believing Satan, sin entered into the world.   It is true, there are people who are legalist  in the purest sense of the word.  They make up laws and rules and then try to live by those rules in order to get to heaven.  For those people, they have no understanding of the grace of God and His Good News.  There are people that say "if you don't abide by the laws that 'I' say you should keep, then you will not go to heaven."  Again, to those people, they are a legalist and do not know God.

 

Here is where the problem comes into the picture.  Just because someone says the word "legalist" does not make it so.  Let me give you an example.

 

God's Word says "ye shall not commit adultery."  That is not "me" saying that, it is God's Holy Word.  Now, did His Word stop having any meaning just because we have the New Testament?  Of course not.

 

See what the Apostle Paul said about this...

"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid."

 

Many times what you will find is the person who yells out "legalist" the most is the very person who is sinning the most.  They love their sin.  They want to commit adultery with every man or woman they can find and they do not want anyone to tell them what God's Word says about it.  In fact, they will find other people who agree with them so they feel they have an army behind them to defend their sexual perversions.  One person in particular has a man she calls her uncle (he is not a blood relative) and she says he is her "spiritual father."  He has taught her so much.  He teaches her about God along with a rock and roll type of church.  He claims to be a prophet of God.  He has no understanding of God's Word (although he pretends he does) and he is leading impressionable young girls into hell with him.  He recently got divorced and has little teen girls as his "nieces" even though they are not related to him.  It is a sick and perverted person that has girls believing "his" lies.  They are gullible enough to believe him. Why? Because they love their sin and he would never ever tell them that it was wrong to live such a sinfilled lifestyle.  A person who will not tell you the TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD is someone who HATES YOU.  A person who distorts God's Word so you can live in sin is a person of the devil himself. 

 

The Rock and Roll Church that I wrote about is one that believes it is okay for you to go out and mark your body up with tattoo's.  It is okay to use GOD'S MONEY to support someone doing the devil's work on the next customer that comes in.  The pastor is an entertainer that does skits to entertain the rock and roll people.  He will cry out "legalist" if you try to tell him that the bible says that church is to be done in an orderly fashion.  1 Corinthians 14:40 says, "Let all things be done decently and in order."  This refers to how church services are to be held.  Now, contrast that to a church that plays "Born to be Wild" on stage.  They also sing, "I've God Friends In Low Places."  Not exactly God honoring is it?

 

It is not legalistic to tell people what God's Word says.

It is not legalistic to tell people about God's Word.

It is not legalistic to tell people that the KJV Bible is God's Word.

It is not legalistic to tell people about the Words Jesus Christ himself spoke.

It is not legalistic to tell people that God's Word says that if we are not obedient to the Father, then the love of the Father is not in us.

It is not legalistic to tell people "thus saith the Lord."

It is not legalistic to tell people to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

If all of the above dictates who a legalist is, then say hello to the Apostle Paul, to Timothy, to Peter, to John, to all of the disciples.  Say hello to me!  For I would rather follow in the footsteps of Jesus and his disciples who gave their lives for Him, than to follow a person who makes provisions to sin and who winks at sin like it is a right and a priviledge that they own.

 

Not everyone who claims to be a Christian (especially a prophet of God) is saved.  Not every pastor who leads a congregation is saved (especially if he allows God's people to sin by mocking other Christians who follow God's Word). Not every girl or boy is saved when they go out a purposefully put themselves in a situation where they will sin (ADULTERY is a big one for some people!) 

 

Always remember that Jesus said, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

 

I'm sorry, was I a legalist for telling you that God says we should not commit adultery?  That to even look at another person with lust is the same thing as adultery in God's eye's?  You will get no apology from me on this one!  But those people who cry "LEGALIST" will be sure to find fault with it.  They will say that it is not my place to tell people not to sin.

 

Let me remind them of this one thing...

 



Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.  Acts 5:29

 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?   Romans 6:16

 

The first words Jesus spoke in his public ministry were -- REPENT...

John the  Baptist began by saying -- REPENT

and Peter in his famous speech at Pentecost was constantly reminding people the need to REPENT.

 

People who cry out LEGALIST do not want to hear the word repent.  They feel they have liberty to sin at will with no consequences whatsoever.  The bible tells us to judge those within the church.  Those crying LEGALIST will tell you that the bible is wrong and that it is a lie to judge those within the church.

 

Are you a Christian Legalist?

If you have man-made rules and feel you must abide by them to get to heaven, then the answer is YES, you are a legalist.

If you just share God's Word with people, all the while realizing that we are saved by faith alone and not of works, then you are saved.  But if you live in your sins and are following after false teachers and supposed prophets, then you most likely are not saved.

 

My prayer is that all will come to Christ.  REPENT! Before it's too late!