Video teaching on ‘Pulling the “legalist” card, what legalism is, and what legalism is not,’ by Bill Rhetts

One of the increasing trends of the emergent church, is dispersing ad-hominem attacks to silence the truth. Or pulling the “legalism” card, or “you’re a legalist” card, when the Christian is not being a legalist. A few years ago a Pastor told me that it was “legalism,” to tell a couple that they were ‘in sexual sin’ for engaging in sex outside of marriage. In the below video I discuss what legalism is, and what legalism is not.

Update: In today’s Christendom, many are quick to slanderously pull the legalism card as fast as the woke crowd calls a conservative a racist. Here Jim Savastro gives an excellent definition of what legalism is, and is not.

“Legalism is not a strict and conscientious life of obedience to the commands of Scripture. Legalism is not pressing Biblical duty upon a person. To expound the Word of God and then apply that word to the hearts and consciences of the people of God is not browbeating and it is not legalism.
Legalism, basically speaking, has three prongs to it. First, it is the mentality of a works righteousness – that is, the idea of my good works earn my salvation or secure my salvation before God.
Second, and this is closely related, it is enforcing into practice regulations which God has fulfilled in Christ. This was part and parcel of the Galatian heresy – dietary laws, circumcision, feast days, and sacrifices were added to the work of Christ to ensure that one was truly saved.
Third, legalism is when those in authority preach their own traditions in place of the Word of God. In Matthew 15:9, Jesus calls this, “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

(A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (Ventura) Page 386)