Freedom, Liberty, and Legalism (Part 1- Definitions)
The term “legalism” is sometimes misunderstood among Christians because they wrongly think it refers to every effort to keep God’s law. But, Christians who faithfully work to keep God’s law are followers of Christ, not legalists.
David, a faithful Old Testament follower of Christ, wrote, “Oh how I love Your law” (Ps 119:97). Paul, a faithful New Testament follower of Christ, declared, “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Rom 7:12). Scripture teaches that God gave us His law as a “rule of life” in order to show us how to express our love for the Savior (Deut 5:10; Jn 14:5). God’s Word teaches us to obey the law out of gratitude for what Christ has done (1 Jn 4:17-21), for our own good (Deut 10:12-13), and for God’s glory. Far from being a burden to the believer (1 Jn 5:3), God’s law is a gracious gift, which should be cherished, esteemed, enjoyed, reverenced, studied, and diligently and meticulously obeyed (Rom 7:12; Ezra 7:6, 10).
The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1677/1689) rightly says, “The moral law forever binds all, [including] justified persons as well as others, to the obedience thereof . . . neither does Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation” (Rom 13:8-10; Jas 2:8, 10-12; Matt 5:17-19; Rom 3:31). So, if “legalism” is not synonymous with faithful law keeping, then what is “legalism?”
The word “legalism” does not appear in the Bible, but the concept of legalism does appear. “Legalism” is a word coined by theologians to label “any abuse of law.” “Legalism,” therefore, is a term that is rightly applied to all unbiblical assertions and applications of law. 1 Timothy 1:8 says, “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully.” Scripture describes two main abuses of law, both of which are sinful and idolatrous. The first abuse stems from misunderstanding justification. The second abuse stems from misunderstanding the sufficiency of Scripture.
Legalism vs. Christian Freedom
The first form of legalism teaches that we have to keep the law for our justification. But this idea is flatly unbiblical. Galatians 2:16 says we are “not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 2:21 warns, “If justification were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” Any form of teaching that says we must keep the law either to “get in” or “stay in” right standing with God is legalism.
This first form of legalism robs us of Christian freedom. Christian freedom is the biblical teaching that we are free from the legal guilt and condemnation of the law because Christ was condemned in our place and because His righteousness is credited to us. Galatians 5:1 says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Legalism vs. Christian Liberty
The second form of legalism misunderstands the sufficiency of Scripture because it teaches that we are required to keep extra-biblical commandments. The Galatian Judaizers, for example, went beyond Scripture in requiring the Galatians to be circumcised and to observe Jewish food laws, even though there are no such biblical requirements for new covenant Christians. The Pharisees also went beyond the Scriptures by adding their own laws to the Bible’s law. But, Scripture opposes all man-made additions to the law of God. In Mark 7:7, Christ opposed those who taught “as doctrines the commandments of men.” Deuteronomy 12:32 warns, “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” There God positively forbids us to add to His laws and commandments. What God has already revealed is enough. Legalists of this second kind “tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders” (Matt 23:4). They abuse the law by adding their own laws to those of the Bible.
This second form of legalism robs us of Christian liberty. Christian liberty is the biblical teaching that we are free to do whatever we please as long as our actions are obedient to and violate no law of the Bible. Augustine said “love God and do as you please.” To love God, we must keep His commandments (Jn 14:15). But beneath God’s revealed commandments, there is liberty! Scripture says, “where there is no law there is no transgression” (Rom 4:15).
