Quote:
Originally Posted by NorCal
Are you not being "Legalistic" if you say you "MUST BELIEVE" to be saved? Isn't that in itself a "Law"?
You must "Accept" the Gift freely given? That is a "Requirement".
Must you not believe that God "IS"? Sounds like a law to me.
Your definitions of legalistic is off. A legalist believes that you are saved by following the law. A true Christian follows the Law, because he IS saved.
Isn't that the difference between "Following" and "Fulfilling"?
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You are correct in saying legalism is being saved by law keeping. However, keeping a law after we are saved does not perfect us either. It is not a law we are keeping after we are saved, but rather a life of faith. The new testament contrasts law-keeping from Spirit-led and empowered living. Yes, there is a law of the Spirit of life, but that is not a law in these sense that Paul speaks against mosaic law-keeping. Law in the sense of law of the Spirit simply refers to an ordered set of cause and effect. Law, as in Mosaic law, refers to rule keeping. Rule keeping implies self improves self, so rule keeping is not involved as though we read from a codebook of rules to serve God.
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