Legalism: Wednesday's Word Of The Week


Legalism:


Inflexible and obstinate ceremonialists. Deaf rule keepers who are not willing to hear the truth of liberty. Having no faith, they stubbornly insist on their own ceremonies as a means to have a right relationship with God. Legalists must be resisted. In fact, even the opposite should be done, in bold and shocking ways, so that their ungodly views do not lead more people into error. In the presence of these people, one should feel free to eat meat, break fasts, and in the spirit of liberty given by faith, do things they consider to be the greatest of sins. (According to this principle, Paul would not circumcise Titus, in Galatians 2:3, when some of the leaders insisted that he should.)


Source: Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian 


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