legalism – Page 2 – Grace Evangelical Society

January 11, 2022

What Does the New Testament Teach About Apostasy or “Falling Away”?

2Thess 2:3, Col 2:16-23, legalism, Mosaic Dietary Laws

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. On this episode, Bob and Shawn will be dealing with the sin of “apostasy” or more commonly known as falling away. The guys will focus on this issue in light the mosaic law, giving special attention to the dietary laws. We will hear them discuss these issues in light

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Michael Eaton on the Legalism of the New Perspective on Paul

October 5, 2021 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - legalism, Michael Eaton, new perspective on Paul, works salvation

Seminary students and pastors will have heard of the “New Perspective on Paul” (or “covenantal nomism”) championed by scholars such as N. T. Wright, James D. G. Dunn, and E. P. Sanders, and reflected (I think) in popular movements such as the “Federal Vision.” The critical issue with the New Perspective is that it promotes

The Problem of Basing Your Religion on Feelings: Hannah Whitall Smith’s Story, Part 2

August 2, 2021 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Assurance, emotions, Feelings, Hannah Whitall Smith, legalism, Quakerism, works salvation

When Hannah Whitall Smith grew up among the Quakers of Philadelphia in the 1830s, she found that their legalism and emphasis on inward feelings and impressions combined to make a perfect formula for religious doubt: The sort of introspection I had imbided from my Quaker teaching was calculated to lead to constant self-examination of the

The Problem of Basing Your Religion on Feelings: Hannah Whitall Smith’s Story, Part 1

July 30, 2021 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - emotions, Feelings, Hannah Whitall Smith, legalism, Quaker, Quakers, works salvation

Some brands of legalism are focused on obeying external rules. Think of the Pharisees trying to obey all the laws of Moses plus all the additional rules, regulations, and applications of the oral law. But other types of legalism are inwardly focused and highly subjective. An example of that is described in Hannah Whitall Smith’s

June 25, 2021

The Misunderstood Word – Falling From Grace Galatians 5:4

Christian Liberty, Falling from Grace, Gal 5:4, Grace, legalism, Receiving Grace

In our last episode of Grace in Focus radio, we heard Bob and Shawn discuss the term “grace.” Today they are continuing this conversation by giving special attention to Galatians 5:4. What does it mean in this passage when it says some of the Galatians were falling from grace? Does this passage mean that we

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How Wrong Interpretation Can Destroy Assurance

June 12, 2019 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Assurance, James 2:14-26, legalism, Lordship Salvation

I thought this was a good question about James 2: Have you seen any articles/books expand on the fact that the traditional interpretation of James 2:14-26 (saving faith has works, and non-saving faith doesn’t have works) leads to legalism and lack of assurance of salvation? Recently I read a Free Grace book (can’t remember which

Institutionalized in Galatia (Galatians 5:1, 6)

November 22, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - circumcision, Galatians, legalism, Shawshank Redemption

There’s a scene in The Shawshank Redemption in which an old inmate named Brooks is about to be paroled after fifty years of incarceration. But he’s scared of getting out. Prison is all he knows. So he attacks another inmate in order to stay. Some of the other prisoners think that Brooks has gone crazy.

The Difference Between a Promise and a Law (Galatians 3:17-18)

October 16, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Galatians, legalism, promise

The Galatians were being foolish. Or, more literally, they were not thinking things through. The whole province was slipping into legalism, but they should have known better. In Galatians 3, Paul listed some of the theological reasons why the Galatians should not have been deserting Christ and falling for a false gospel. One reason is

Think Things Through (Galatians 3:1-14)

October 10, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - doctrinal rational, doctrine, Galatians, legalism

“O foolish Galatians!” (Galatians 3:1) Have you ever acted foolishly? What does it mean to be foolish, anyway? The Greek word translated “foolish” is anoētos. It means “non-thinking,” or “not thinking things through.” The Galatians were deserting Christ and accepting legalism and a salvation-by-works gospel. Paul charged them with not thinking things through. They were

God Did It (Galatians 1:1-5)

September 12, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Grace, legalism, Salvation

Legalists from Israel were corrupting the Galatian churches, teaching them they needed to be circumcised and to keep different laws to be saved. Paul hit back. Hard. Paul’s greeting to the Galatian churches (1:1-5) strongly emphasized that God is the main actor in salvation. God sends the preacher (v 1a). God raised Jesus from the