[Faith-talk] Legalists?

[Timothy Clark Ministries]

Legalism, in Christian theology, is a usually pejorative term referring to an over-emphasis on discipline of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigour, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of thegrace of God or emphasizing the letter of law at the expense of the spirit. Legalism is alleged against any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. On the Biblical viewpoint that redemption is not earned by works, but that obedient faith is required to enter and remain in the redeemed state, see Covenantal nomism 
 holiness on the other hand shows God in sobering terms. Among the myriad titles given, he is called "a consuming fire," "Judge of all the earth," and the "Lord of hosts"—a title that portrays God poised for battle, at the head of a heavenly army. In addition, the Bible stresses God's discontinuity with humankind. "God is not human that he should . . ." is almost a refrain in Scripture. We might imagine that God is a sort of Superman, just like you or me but with additional powers. But that kind of thinking betrays a dangerous illusion. God is radically different from us, in degree and kind. He is ontologically dissimilar, wholly other, dangerous, alien, holy, wild.
When God shows up in Scripture, people cower and tremble. They go mute. The ones who manage speech fall into despair. Fainters abound. Take the prophet Daniel. He could stare down lions, but when the heavens opened, he swooned. Ezekiel, too, was overwhelmed by his vision of God. After witnessing Yahweh's throne chariot lift into the air with the sound of a jet engine, he fell face-first to the ground. When Solomon dedicated the temple, the glory of the Lord was so overpowering, "the priests could not perform their service" (1 Kings 8:11).

New Testament types fared no better. John's revelations left him lying on the ground "as though dead" (Rev. 1:17). The disciples dropped when they saw Jesus transfigured. Even the intrepid Saul marching to Damascus collapsed before the blazing brilliance of the resurrected Christ.

 SEE HTTP://WWW.CHRISTIANITYTODAY.COM/CT/2014/MAY/HOW-WE-FORGOT-HOLINESS-OF-GOD.HTML 
 GOD BLESS
Timothy Clark Ministries 
  
  
  
  http://www.timothyclarkministries.blogspot.com

On Kislev 26, 5775 AM, at 22:48, Linda Mentink via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi Christine and all,
> 
> I respectfully ask that you refrain from calling us legalists who believe the Bible and try our best to live by it. Please take care how you use the term. Bible-believers live how they live because they try to obey that which they read and are taught from the Bible, and we joyfully do so, not out of guilt, but out of love for our Lord and our fellow men, or men and women if you prefer. I'm sure that, if you look up legalist in the dictionary, it will not say a person who follows the precepts written in the Bible, so please refrain from using the term incorrectly.
> 
> Respectully,
> 
> Linda
> 
> 
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