Something I've Been Thinking About

Legalism and the Christian School Movement (from SharperIron)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

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Scenario 1

You are just about to start your bible study lesson for a care group consisting of much younger believers than you. As the rest mill about waiting for things to get started, you notice one of the girls who had just come in wearing an outrageously low-cut top, which barely covers her cleavage. How would you deal with her?

A. Tell her expressly that she should never wear anything less than a dress that covers her completely from head to toe.
B. Tell her that such immodest clothes are unbecoming and that in future she should dress up.
C. During your bible study preach about lust, modest dressing and causing others to stumble.
D. Ignore it.

Scenario 2

You are a preacher in a local church and recently there has been shown on TV a wildly popular series that depicts loose sex, rebellion against authority, blasphemy, violence, etc..... Do you,

A. Rail against it and forbid all your members from watching TV ever.
B. Speak out against it and inform your members that they should not be watching said series.
C. Speak out against the acts themselves without mentioning the series.
D. Ignore it.

Now in considering both scenarios (and admittedly they could be refined further in so many ways), one could easily dismiss option A as over-reacting (though there are those who do choose that option). Choosing option D would probably constitute a dereliction of duty for any man called to shepherd God's flock. And so we're left with either option B or C.

The issue at hand is this. To what extent does God's Word govern our lives with regards to rules and regulations? To some, any mention of the words "Don't do ____" immediately results in cries of legalism. Granted, the dangers of falling into a legalistic spiral are all too real when one employs such language.

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" ( referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

- Colossians 2: 20-23

And no doubt that there are some "rules" which the Apostle himself does not consider of much importance.

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

- Romans 14: 5-6

But what then should we make of "biblical" rules? No doubt the Bible itself does contain "rules" and "regulations" imposed upon men. One thinks of the ten commandments and it's prohibitions. One thinks of the many exhortations and instructions left by Paul in his epistles.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

- Ephesians 5: 3-4

Now some will say, "Oh these are but biblical guidelines. After all the Bible doesn't talk about drugs or smoking or internet pornography or racy TV programmes per se does it? We can't regulate these since there is no direct biblical basis against these." But surely there is enough biblical warrant to say that, while not dealing explicitly with such issues (especially since most weren't really invented till centuries later), such things are, in essence, evil or sins in the eyes of God.

I guess my current train of thought is this. How do we apply the biblical "guidelines" in our day and age? Are these applications then binding for all future ages? What then of past applications of these "guidelines"? When we decry the sex and violence in a certain TV show, and implore/persuade/tell others not to watch it, are we being legalistic? When we draw up a "list" of things which are not becoming/helpful/edifying for a believer (though what would be on that list would be highly contentious), are we then guilty of producing an "extra-biblical" set of rules? Or is it merely a personal list, dependent solely upon the whims and fancies of the individual (Watching this show is ok cause I can filter out mentally all the sexy bits). Should a pastor warn his flock of certain things or activities which would be harmful to them, or would that place a legalistic burden upon them?