Legalism and Liberalism

Legalism and Liberalism. Two seemingly polar opposites might not be as far apart as you think, or it could be that one has gone so far to left and the other to the right that they are meeting each other head on. Let me explain.

John Piper says that while these two ideologies are different the spirit that compels them is the same. Let us first look at the legalist. The basic understanding when talking about a legalism is this: taking a law from the Bible such as do not be drunk, and then imposing mans law to guard the Biblical law form being broken, such as do not drink. The basic thought behind this is if we do not drink then we won't ever get drunk and if we don't get drunk then we will be in right standing with God.

Well what is the problem with this equation? I will tell you. It is the open the rebellion against God. I realize that this may be a little harsh but I do think that is in fact what it is; or maybe the spirit behind legalism (the same that is behind liberalism) is the rebellion. The thought that we need to add to God's law and His word to enter into right standing with Him is not only the wrong way to view God but it also an affront to His grace.

To brake it down the legalist has an "I can do it myself attitude", while the cry of a believers heart should be "God I need you". When we start to invent new ways to keep God's laws we are turning our backs on the very grace offered to us by Jesus through the cross. When God says do not be drunk He means do not be drunk. If this is something we have an issue with the answer is not to ban drinking in an effort to will ourselves into keeping God's law through self reliance. The answer rather is to cry to God for the grace to make us more like Jesus. God has given us victory over sin and the grave; we do not attain it by works, but rather by faith. Faith in the God who has given us grace sufficient to please Him. For what can please perfection other than perfection? We are certainly not perfect, so God must work through us, His empty vessels, to produce something He is pleased with. If we try to achieve this through our own merit than we have cheated His grace and diminished the cross.

Heed the words of the apostle Paul in Roman 11:6:

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

So what does this have to do with being a liberal? Well let's look at this ideology the same way we looked legalism.

The liberal mindset is this: I know that you have a set of rules, but I think that I can make my life better without them.

When relating to God this is thin ice to be walking on. The legalist thinks they can make life good in their own power (mans extra rules) and the liberal thinks that life will be better in their own power (lack of rules). Both of these "I can do it myself” attitudes are offensive and adverse to God and the grace that the Bible teaches.

The liberal who thinks that God's law doesn't apply to them is just as rebellious as the legalist who thinks God's law is not enough to preserve them. The Bible teaches that only way to earn favor with God is to take hold of His righteousness, by faith, which is offered to us.

Both these seemingly different ideologies have the same spirit at their root: I can do it better.

God calls us to put all our eggs in His basket, to source our life in Him nothing more and nothing less. When we start making our own rules this shows a lack of trust in God and His word, and when we start living by our own rules this too is a lack of trust and rebellion against God.

We need to do all things through God’s grace knowing that we find ourselves in right standing with Him only by the blood shed by Jesus on the cross. Nothing more. Nothing less.