Legalism is a Real Problem

In order to assist the important discussions taking place concerning justification and sanctification, the Gospel Reformation Network has published 12 Affirmations & Denials on the Gospel and Sanctification.

The problem of legalism must be stressed today in contrast with the New Perspective on Paul, which asserts that Paul was not concerned about legalism when he wrote the classic New Testament passages on justification, especially Galatians 2:16: "a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ." It has been amply shown that Sanders was wrong about Second Temple Judaism and the apostle: they did practice self-righteousness and Paul was combatting legalism, so that Paul's doctrine of justification does isolate faith from meritorious works. (2) Similarly, some scholars criticize the comparison between the Judaism of Paul's time and Roman Catholicism today, pointing out the role of grace in papal theology. While noting many distinctions, however, the comparison is generally valid, precisely because of the way that grace and works combine for justification under Roman doctrine. Ligon Duncan has written that in Roman Catholicism, "Traditions God never gave us to keep, and practices inconsistent with a gracious salvation, are required and regarded as instrumental causes of salvation along with faith in Christ." (3) This is a profound, however subtle, form of legalism in justification.

Legalism consists of more than openly claiming to be justified by works. It can be seen in an approach to sanctification that forgets the constant dependence of the sinful believer on the active grace of God, through the intercession of our Savior and by the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit. Important as regeneration is, the new birth does not place the Christian into a state where on his own and in his own strength he can obey God. Moreover, legalism can be seen in approaches to conversion that involve legal preparation. This latter issue unfolded in the nineteenth century Marrow Controversy, when the question was asked whether we must "forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ." Here, the law-work of forsaking sin is seen in advance of and as preparation to the embrace of Christ for salvation. The Marrow Controversy primarily concerned the vital question of the free offer of the gospel. Yet it also involved the legalistic idea that the good works which the Bible describes as the necessary fruit of saving grace must be instead a necessary precondition for saving grace. (4)

 

The proper pastoral response to the problem of legalism is to proclaim faithfully the biblical doctrine of justification through faith alone.  A common over-reaction to legalism, however, is seen among those who as a result are hesitant or even unwilling to teach the biblical doctrine of sanctification, by which the justified believer is called to obedience and good works (see Ephesians 2:10). This over-reaction is addressed in the denial joined to Article I: 

Here, the error lies with the word the. There is no doubt that legalism is a primary enemy of the gospel, as I have stated above. But legalism does not stand alone, apart from the corresponding enemy that is the love of sin. Biblical balance will see legalism on one side of justification and licentiousness as the ditch on the other side. No doubt, there are many people raised in Christian churches who struggle with moralism and performance religion, to whom justification through faith alone must be emphasized. But there are just as many people - perhaps more today - who are at ease in sin and place little value on personal holiness. For these Christians, the doctrine of sanctification needs to be emphasized. Indeed, both conditions pertain equally to all believing sinners, so that both problems - legalism and laziness  -  should be in the constant focus of any gospel ministry. This situation calls for the balanced emphasis on justification and sanctification that we find in the New Testament.

To generalize the situation in terms of biblical books, there is as great a need for 1 Corinthians, which calls Christians to holiness, as there is for Galatians, which defends justification through faith alone. The need today is therefore not to preach Galatians to the Corinthians or to preach 1 Corinthians to the Galatians. The answer is to proclaim the message of both books - the good news of Christ's liberating grace from both the condemnation and the corruption of sin - so that Christians are delivered from both self-righteousness and sinful indulgence. As Toplady so memorably put it, we must cry to our Savior, "Be of sin the double cure / Cleanse me from its guilt and power."(5)

Gospel Reformation Network Affirmations and Denials

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