This post was first published November 2, 2008 at my old blog, WordnVerse.
While I know that at its fundamentals, legalism is defined as an adherence to laws and works versus grace for salvation, there’s a loose definition that defines it thus: “if I do this for God, God will do that for me”.
In which case, in light of accusations by those who subscribe to new-fangled Christianity that includes the accursed prosperity message of being a “legalistic fundamental” — aren’t these folks themselves practicing a perverted form of legalism?
Worse yet, it’s a form of legalism that is wrought out of the twisted greed in man’s hearts and not adherence to God’s laws per se, with false promises proceeding out of man’s lips that if you do this for God, God will do that for you.
In the process, an idol is shaped — their own god who counts what little or much you give and is then obligated to return the favor many times over so that whatever you pray for will be fulfilled. To achieve “breakthroughs”, you need to give more or an “unusual” offering — when you achieve a breakthrough in your giving, this god will reward you with a breakthrough too.
What a powerless idol you have, who has to respond to man’s whims whenever a gift of mammon is given!
As for me, I rest on the promises of my God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — He who causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on even the wicked, that in all things His will be done, and He who promised me that all things work for good for those who love Him and are His (Romans 8:28-29). It’s by grace that His blessings shall be upon me, and even His chastisements on me speak of His love.
In which case, I wonder who the real legalists are.
Soli deo Gloria!
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Now ain’t that something I’ve never thought of before. Great insights, Bro. Isaiah…
I heard about this concept a few months ago from a church-mate. yes even prosperity is a sort of legalism.
Those who claim that salvation by God includes Jesus Christ's bringing unlimited $ wealth and health, as a God's blessing to all on earth who believe in Jesus and then justifies that by misinterpreting scriptures, is far from the truth and is no difference from the legalistic Pharisees of Jesus' days.
'To the Pharisees, being rich was a sign of holiness. In other words, “I’m rich because I’m so righteous that God is blessing me.” When the Lord said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 19:24), that was absolutely and utterly shocking. To the Pharisees, riches were the stamp of divine approval on one’s life because God gave riches to those who were righteous. To say that a rich man could no more enter the kingdom than a camel could go through the eye of a needle was really a shocking statement because they equated money with the blessing of God. So they greedily gathered money, and the richer they became the more they pretended to the people that they were spiritual.' John MacArthur, Overcoming Materialism Treasure in Heaven–Part 1
Thanks, bro. Soli Deo Gloria!
Great quote, bro. I just read it at your blog too!
Yes. And its carnage is tragic. A friend and fellow churchman was telling me last night about a coworker of his who has an adult child in a travesty of a marriage, and she prays intently for them. But she lamented recently that things had worsened, and she felt it was because she had not prayed for them for four nights straight, as if God’s intervention in that marriage were dependent on whether or not she personally demonstrated how badly she wanted for them to have help by how much she prayed for it. That perceived level of control and sovereignty is a horrible, heavy burden for a mere creature to have to carry.
I hadn’t thought of the prosperity “gospel” in those terms before. You’re right on though…I saw one of the prosperity hucksters talking about BMWs the other day. I wonder what Paul would have done with a BMW ?
“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:17-18
Blessings to you -