How do we discern what is legalism and what is allowed?

[Lucian Hodoboc]

I keep coming across these YouTube channels of Christians who expose evil and they seem to find it in everything. Messages like "follow your heart" and "break the rules" from Disney animated movies are satanic, there's always a secret agenda in Hollywood to turn everyone away from God, to twist God's word etc. Watching most movies, listening to most music and, well, considering the indecent ads that YouTube has nowadays, pretty much watching anything online nowadays is a sin. Don't even get me started on video games and books. Most of them are about fantasy monsters (orcs, aliens etc.), so they're obviously satanic.

I have no idea how to discern what is legalism and what is allowed to do as a Christian. Should I just live like a medieval monk and do nothing but pray, read the Bible and eat?

 

[Michael74]

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 New King James Version

 

[Edward]

I keep coming across these YouTube channels of Christians who expose evil and they seem to find it in everything. Messages like "follow your heart" and "break the rules" from Disney animated movies are satanic, there's always a secret agenda in Hollywood to turn everyone away from God, to twist God's word etc. Watching most movies, listening to most music and, well, considering the indecent ads that YouTube has nowadays, pretty much watching anything online nowadays is a sin. Don't even get me started on video games and books. Most of them are about fantasy monsters (orcs, aliens etc.), so they're obviously satanic.

I have no idea how to discern what is legalism and what is allowed to do as a Christian. Should I just live like a medieval monk and do nothing but pray, read the Bible and eat?

Why do you think that Enoch basically just moved into a cave, away from men to be with God?

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

Why do you think that Enoch basically just moved into a cave, away from men to be with God?

Well, that's what some Orthodox monks do too. They are called hermits. Should I try to do that?

 

[Edward]

Well, that's what some Orthodox monks do too. They are called hermits. Should I try to do that?

I really could not say. My gut says no, but who knows what the Lord has in mind for you?

What I believe to be a good direction for those of us with no clear calling yet, is to develop our spirit and our spirituality. We were taught to care for our bodies and to develop our intellect, but we were never instructed how to develop our spirit after we become born again.

 

[Bull of the Woods]

I understand legalism as a created rule that is applied to help achieve salvation, maintain salvation, or to maintain a "right relationship" with God.
Classic ones were things like dancing, going to movies, card playing.
Some folks come up with rules like wives should not work outside the home.
Or women should not wear pants.
There are rules about going to every church service or event.
Never skipping church to attend a sporting event.
I know Christians who doubt the salvation of anyone with some degree of tattoos. I think some picked up in the military are ok with them though.
There are obvious things that scriptures encourage us to do or not do.
I think God is big on showering grace more so than condemnation.

 

[KevinK]

Or women should not wear pants.

One question, did Scripture actually proscribe pants, or did it just say men's attire?

 

[Edward]

One question, did Scripture actually proscribe pants, or did it just say men's attire?

I don't know the citation offhand, but I am sure that it did say pants (or the equivalent) because I remember reading it.

I never told my wife how to dress and did not think it was important enough to make an issue of with her (and invite contention!), but I did make it a point to tell her, hey you look real good in that dress and so forth to encourage her in that direction on the occasions that she did wear a dress or skirt.

There is bigger fish to fry than things like this in these times.

 

[Bull of the Woods]

One question, did Scripture actually proscribe pants, or did it just say men's attire?

No. Legalism is often if not mostly a forbidding of things not forbidden by scripture.
It's often superficial stuff.
Very often things that the person coming up with these rules can obey while failing in the real things of showing grace and love and compassion.

 

[Edward]

I keep coming across these YouTube channels of Christians who expose evil and they seem to find it in everything. Messages like "follow your heart" and "break the rules" from Disney animated movies are satanic, there's always a secret agenda in Hollywood to turn everyone away from God, to twist God's word etc. Watching most movies, listening to most music and, well, considering the indecent ads that YouTube has nowadays, pretty much watching anything online nowadays is a sin. Don't even get me started on video games and books. Most of them are about fantasy monsters (orcs, aliens etc.), so they're obviously satanic.

I have no idea how to discern what is legalism and what is allowed to do as a Christian. Should I just live like a medieval monk and do nothing but pray, read the Bible and eat?

I once prayed that the Lord teach me discernment. He answered immediately and told me, to practice discernment, to practice listening and discerning His voice speaking to me through others...(people!)... that just blew my mind! He really does speak to us through other people at times. But, I digress, I think the answer to your question is to walk in the Spirit, constantly and moment by moment. In Galatians 5, it talks about it...

verse 16
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

verse 18
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

verse 25
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.../

When we walk in the Spirit and are led by the Spirit then we don't even have to worry about anything like that. We also have to...obey the Spirit.

I figure we have at least 3 voices inside of us. Our flesh mind, the enemy and our own spirit or maybe this one is the Holy Spirit I'm not positive, but I do know that our conscience (which is probably our spirit) is always in agreement with God's will and God's Spirit...because our spirit has always had a direct connection with our Lord (being a spirit) and scripture does state that the Holy Spirit bears witness (talks to) our spirit. So no wonder our conscience agrees with the Spirit of the Lord.

So if we always listen to and obey our spirit/conscience, the Holy Spirit...then we walk in the Spirit and there is no law. Legalism is not even an issue then. As long as we do not lose our sensitivity of awareness of the presence of God with us and, essentially, turn our back on Him and begin making our own decisions.

Does that make sense?

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

What's so wrong about having an imagination? Imagination is just the mind having fun you know, and if God didn't want us to have it then He wouldn't have given it to us in first place. Right JohnDB?

 

[for_his_glory]

I don't know the citation offhand, but I am sure that it did say pants (or the equivalent) because I remember reading it.

I never told my wife how to dress and did not think it was important enough to make an issue of with her (and invite contention!), but I did make it a point to tell her, hey you look real good in that dress and so forth to encourage her in that direction on the occasions that she did wear a dress or skirt.

There is bigger fish to fry than things like this in these times.

Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

I think we need to consider the culture an style of clothing back in those days for men and women as no one would have even worn pants in those days as there were none. IMO being that this is part of the Levitical laws it would also stand as law today within men's and women's clothing styles. There are pants tailored for men and others tailored for women.

 

[for_his_glory]

Lucian Hodoboc

I think we can all find the answer to this in the below scripture. As a child of God we need to be seeking out entertainment that is pure and wholesome that would be pleasing to the Lord.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

[Bull of the Woods]

What's so wrong about having an imagination? Imagination is just the mind having fun you know, and if God didn't want us to have it then He wouldn't have given it to us in first place. Right JohnDB?

Well Jesus said if a man look at a woman with lust he has committed fornication.
Obviously the man in question is imagining something.
I think the matter of the imagination is like physical acts. It all depends on what one is thinking about or doing.
Jesus seems to say imagining some things is as much a sin as doing them.
But imagining you are flying, or bravely saving someone or whatever I don't think is discouraged.

 

[evenifigoalone]

Legalism is extra-biblical stuff that is held to as if it were an objective standard. (The technical definition is that it's extra-biblical stuff held to as a condition for salvation, but it's often used for just being overly strict.)
I grew up in a rather legalistic family, as a kid I wasn't allowed to watch the stuff other kids my age were and lots of stuff was considered evil. As we got older my dad became less strict and allowed himself and us to enjoy more, broader things. My mom is still pretty legalistic, but my brother and I are adults now and we act according to our own discernment.
I will say that I didn't have a bad childhood overall, even if I was forced to enjoy more old fashioned forms of entertainment a lot of the time, that wasn't too bad. But my mom tried so hard to shelter me from all evil that going out into the world was a culture shock. Her efforts to shelter me in general, treating me as I were still a child, may have also held me back from developing at the same pace as my peers.

You can conceivably find evil in anything, even having a flower garden. IMO.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Legalism is extra-biblical stuff that is held to as if it were an objective standard. (The technical definition is that it's extra-biblical stuff held to as a condition for salvation, but it's often used for just being overly strict.)
I grew up in a rather legalistic family, as a kid I wasn't allowed to watch the stuff other kids my age were and lots of stuff was considered evil. As we got older my dad became less strict and allowed himself and us to enjoy more, broader things. My mom is still pretty legalistic, but my brother and I are adults now and we act according to our own discernment.
I will say that I didn't have a bad childhood overall, even if I was forced to enjoy more old fashioned forms of entertainment a lot of the time, that wasn't too bad. But my mom tried so hard to shelter me from all evil that going out into the world was a culture shock. Her efforts to shelter me in general may have also held me back from developing at the same pace as my peers.

You can conceivably find evil in anything, even having a flower garden. IMO.

I agree, but what's evil about having a flower garden? Weeds?

 

[evenifigoalone]

I agree, but what's evil about having a flower garden? Weeds?

Some older church denominations were against it, apparently. I forget exactly why, but I've seen it come up in the literature I've read. (Specifically, To Kill a Mockingbird has a scene where this comes up.)

edit: I think the book called the people against flower gardens footwashing baptists?

 

[evenifigoalone]

A website I'd actually recommend, especially for anyone who wants to enjoy tv, movies, video games, or anything from geek/nerd culture and still follow Christ, is Geeks Under Grace. They do reviews and tell you about anything you might object to in the material.

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

Legalism is extra-biblical stuff that is held to as if it were an objective standard. (The technical definition is that it's extra-biblical stuff

But it's not extra-biblical. 1 John 2:15 tells us to not love "the world" or anything from it. Do people usually watch movies, listen to music, play video games etc. because they hate them? No. It's because they like them. Liking is love of a lesser degree.

 

[King Dan of Great the 1st]

The flesh is weak but the spirit is power.

We love God and try to keep peace with our neighbours.

It's not hard to see the spiritual forces influencing this world but it lost before the foundation of the world.

I love God. I love you. I love everyone.