I really enjoyed this conversation! And it hit home for me; before I was saved, I spent nearly seven and a half years as a practicing Muslim, so I know all too well about legalism and trying to earn your way to God. It creates such a prideful and fatalistic mindset. It also causes those trapped in it to have a very negative view of the Lord; often viewing Him as some distant and demeaning figure. Praise Him for the good news of the Gospel! Thank you for this conversation, gentlemen! 🙏🏽💯
I really appreciate this video. It’s been so helpful in putting some things into perspective for me. I had an experience today that really highlighted the importance of discernment when it comes to what’s going on in a church. I was already aware of the dangers of the prosperity gospel, but I was completely caught off guard by the other extreme-legalism. I’ve been saved for seven years, but I’ve always been hesitant about going to churches. Today’s experience reminded me why it’s so important to be aware of both sides. This video has given me a lot of clarity, and I hope it helps others in the same way it helped me. Thank you for putting this together!
These topical conversations are so rooted in scripture and provide great detail into what legaslism is, what it does, and how to confront it. We need way more of these!
Excellent video. Just this week I had a question in my Bible study that asked “what motivates you to follow Jesus” and my thought was I don’t need motivation, I am compelled by His love for me!!! I don’t need to be motivated to love my kids! I’m compelled out of love for them too. I follow and desire to obey Him because He first loved me and gave himself for me! John 14:15 “if you LOVE me, keep my commandments”.
So many years ago my parents sent my brother and I to a week long Bill Gothard Seminar. I still remember the syllabus: it was huge. Basic Youth Conflicts? I think that was the title. That stuff, which this video so adeptly describes as legalism, literally cut over 100 ulcers in my intestines. It was deadly for me. Thank you both Costi Hinn and Jeremey Vuolo (sp?) for sharing this.
I think that legalism really appeals to people who have a more anxious personality, just like liberal Christianity appeals to people who are higher in openness and (maybe) agreeableness. We all are susceptible to some kind of problematic belief. It makes sense...Christianity is based on trust, which can feel ambiguous, so it's easy to come up with a bunch of rules to follow to feel better. Unfortunately, what start as helpful guidelines quickly turn into mandatory commandments. I also think that legalism gets overlooked because it seems more faithful than liberal Christianity. Some guy on stage saying that Jesus wasn't God and maybe not real and also you can't trust the Bible and God is evil is obviously going outside orthodox Christianity, but some guy on stage saying that sexual sin is wrong and we should strive for purity and also we shouldn't even look at the opposite sex and we should never ever listen to non-Gospel music otherwise we'll burn in hell is MUCH better disguised. The big frustration I have is how legalism drives people away from Jesus. Following Jesus is hard enough! We don't need to add to the burden! Soooo many of the ex-Christians I know grew up in legalistic groups and think that's what Christianity is. So many non-Christians who attack the religion seem to think that legalist groups are Christianity.
In a nutshell, BOTH legalism & permissiveness is following man. Example: legalism says, "I don't do drugs because I obey so-in-so who told me not too -or- I'm going to heaven if I don't do it". Permissiveness says, "I can do drugs because there's no verse in the Bible that says specifically I cannot, besides Jesus did away with the laws." A mature believer in Christ says, "I don't do drugs because God says my body is the temple of God & I choose to please the Lord who died for me & honor His precepts (laws). ...Of course, these attitudes can be applied to anything from the wardrobe, social media, sex & gender, alcohol, etc ... not just drugs. This is about application of the Bible & attitude. Legalism can go so far as to add laws or to say you're not saved unless you obey them. And permissiveness is using salvation as either a license to sin or to see what we can get away with....Both are wrong!
Oh my….yes!!! I remember the church I went to for years, as long as you showed up to church and stopped listening to secular music made you look holy to the church “leadership”, yet amongst us, there was a filthy life, everything we talked about had to include some sort of sexual innuendo…crying during the service made us feel clean. So deceiving!!!!
I was saved in the early ‘80s and remember people being swept up by Bill Gothard’s teachings. I didn’t see it all as ‘bad’ but began to feel very uncomfortable when so many people were constantly quoting him saying such things as “Well, Bill Gothard says…” and I remember thinking “but what does Jesus say?”. After 40+ years of being a Christian, I still see the same thing. It may not be Gothard, but it’s always someone other than Jesus or the Bible, be it ‘Reform, WoF or Calvary Chapel. What’s the matter with people? 🤷♀️
Awesome video guys!!!!!!It is a specially prevalent in the charismaniac movement!!!!!When I was a baby convert I gor sucked into that,don't eat pork,women must cover their heads,men must wear a full suite,we only sing our songs and and and.... I confused legalism with fundamentalism!!Praise God for opening my eyes.God bless.
SO Good!! One of the most seductive and successful ploys of Satan is to take something that seems to make sense and seems to be on God’s side, and then once you’re hooked, he perverts it like he always does🖤
Legalism is birthed out of a lie. It's steeped in deception, and if we believe the lie, it shapes our whole Christianity and view of Christ and the Father. The list goes on and on, including the wrong view of God, of Christ, of Scripture, of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, of true spiritual warfare, of true worship, of the gifts of the Spirit. Thanks for sharing.
I truly believe that if you come to Christ and get to know him, the Holy Spirit will convict you to dress modestly. Yes you can tell someone to dress modestly but if they do not do it out of conviction and to pursue holiness, then that might just be evidence of unconversion. What I would do is try to get that person to really get to know Christ instead of telling them how to dress. I grew up in a legalistic type church and let me tell you, even though the women were forbidden to dress a certain way, some of them were still rotten inside despite an outward modest appearance . I think this is where the need for balance comes in and the emphasis should be on getting to know Christ. I truly believe that when the Holy Spirit is in you, you will start to clean up your life, no one will even have to tell you to do so although we all need guidance but the will to be holy comes from within.
This was wonderful until the advice to someone asking, "What shall I do to be saved," and the answer given was "Call out to the Lord and ask him to rescue you." Why not say what the Bible says: BELIEVE and be saved. The most important part of the video. :-(
Thank you. This gives me such joy. I was just talking to my boys about the love of God. We came out of charismatic, self glorifying churches and now in a true and genuine Christ loving church. Our children see the differences. We discuss the genuineness of Christ love in our new church being taught and lived out. I had admitted to them that I have been missing the love of God in my parenting. Great discussion. More truth for my heart. ❤ thank you both as well as your wife's experience Jeremy. Also good job for fighting for truth for your wife and family and now us who are listening.
You can depend upon the Messiah of Israel and deeply desire to let His life flow through you in a way that makes you obedient due to surrender. Obedience is not Legalism, agreed?
TRUE CHRISTIANITY IS LEGALISTIC. Why? Because we have to obey the Word of God, which is the Law of God for Christian living, in order to show that we are true Christians. Our obedience of the Law is part of our testimony as true Christians. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him. (1 John 2:4-5 ESV) LEGALISM: strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code. (Merriam-Webster) We don’t obey the Law to approach God, we obey the Law because we have already approached God. The flesh makes us reject the Law, the Holy Spirit makes us obey the Law. “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7-8 NIV) JESUS did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill the Law, and to give us the Holy Spirit who helps us to accomplish the Law. JESUS SAYS… “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19 NIV) True Christians keep the Law, which is the Word of God, willingly. JESUS SAYS… “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.” (John 14:23-24 ESV)
Yes, legalism is when churches are narrower than the Bible eg my church is tad legalistic, they teach that women must wear dresses, that drinking is a sin and other matters that are not Biblical…
There is a difference in the motivation of the heart between a legalistic and a true Christian. The legalist follows the law, but his heart is far from God. The true Christian loves God and it pleases him to obey God because he recognizes the love of God and what Jesus did for him at the cross, atonement for sin which was not his own, out of a love so strong that he would sacrifice his Son, in order for us to be forgiven and receive eternal life. That is grace beyond measure, we don’t deserve it, we can’t earn it, we can do nothing on our own. The only thing we can do is trust in the Lord with all our heart. Then obedience follows naturally out of love for who He is and what He has done. That is the gospel. ❤
@caminandoensuverdad..... I agree and disagree with you. True Christians will have a desire to follow God's beautiful and perfect law. But you said "we are given the Holy Spirit to help us accomplish the law". I would say that there is only ONE Who can accomplish the law.... Jesus Christ. He did accomplish it, that's how He fulfilled the Law. He kept every tiny piece of it, perfectly. James tells us that if we fail in keeping one single point of law, then we are guilty of all of it. We actually cannot 'accomplish' God's law. You are so right though, that those who love God will keep His commandments, although imperfectly. The Holy Spirit in us prompts and pushes us to obey God. But keeping that law has zero to do with our justification before God. (which you seem to agree with) I just think it's really important for us to, in humility, recognize our human limitations..... Our inability to keep God's law as He requires (perfectly), and this is why we rely on the One Who did keep it perfectly, trust Him, and receive His perfect righteousness righteousness that is laid upon us/wrapped around us/credited to our account.
I appreciate the video. I don't think it's very humorous that the ppl who are stuck in legalistic are stuck there. Especially the pharisees. They started out with the intention of wanting to please and obey God, they were just off. How many times in my life have I been truly wanting to please God but in the wrong way. Costing seems to almost be mocking the victims of this. Even in the pilgrims progress, everyone takes a trip to the mountain of legality. I also am familiar with bill gothard. They played his videos to us in prison. But, God knows those who r His and He won't leave them in error
Lmao where did you pul that definition of asceticism from? It's nothing to do with "making up for something" or trying to earn salvation - that's a total straw man. It's simply learning discipline and doing penance, both of which are ancient Christian practices. And frankly, things like fasting don't have to do with sin. It's simply spiritual exercise: learning to say no to yourself so that when you are tempted, it's easier for you to say no, through Christ's grace.
I really enjoyed this conversation! And it hit home for me; before I was saved, I spent nearly seven and a half years as a practicing Muslim, so I know all too well about legalism and trying to earn your way to God. It creates such a prideful and fatalistic mindset. It also causes those trapped in it to have a very negative view of the Lord; often viewing Him as some distant and demeaning figure. Praise Him for the good news of the Gospel! Thank you for this conversation, gentlemen! 🙏🏽💯
I really appreciate this video. It’s been so helpful in putting some things into perspective for me. I had an experience today that really highlighted the importance of discernment when it comes to what’s going on in a church. I was already aware of the dangers of the prosperity gospel, but I was completely caught off guard by the other extreme-legalism.
I’ve been saved for seven years, but I’ve always been hesitant about going to churches. Today’s experience reminded me why it’s so important to be aware of both sides. This video has given me a lot of clarity, and I hope it helps others in the same way it helped me. Thank you for putting this together!
Convicted and encouraged simultaneously. Thank you for this
These topical conversations are so rooted in scripture and provide great detail into what legaslism is, what it does, and how to confront it. We need way more of these!
Excellent. I feel refreshed and excited.
Excellent video. Just this week I had a question in my Bible study that asked “what motivates you to follow Jesus” and my thought was I don’t need motivation, I am compelled by His love for me!!! I don’t need to be motivated to love my kids! I’m compelled out of love for them too. I follow and desire to obey Him because He first loved me and gave himself for me! John 14:15 “if you LOVE me, keep my commandments”.
Such wisdom in your words! You say it just right.
Thank you very much for all the episodes. GOD bless you abundantly. Much love from Uganda🇺🇬
So many years ago my parents sent my brother and I to a week long Bill Gothard Seminar. I still remember the syllabus: it was huge. Basic Youth Conflicts? I think that was the title. That stuff, which this video so adeptly describes as legalism, literally cut over 100 ulcers in my intestines. It was deadly for me.
Thank you both Costi Hinn and Jeremey Vuolo (sp?) for sharing this.
Thank you.
I think that legalism really appeals to people who have a more anxious personality, just like liberal Christianity appeals to people who are higher in openness and (maybe) agreeableness. We all are susceptible to some kind of problematic belief. It makes sense...Christianity is based on trust, which can feel ambiguous, so it's easy to come up with a bunch of rules to follow to feel better. Unfortunately, what start as helpful guidelines quickly turn into mandatory commandments.
I also think that legalism gets overlooked because it seems more faithful than liberal Christianity. Some guy on stage saying that Jesus wasn't God and maybe not real and also you can't trust the Bible and God is evil is obviously going outside orthodox Christianity, but some guy on stage saying that sexual sin is wrong and we should strive for purity and also we shouldn't even look at the opposite sex and we should never ever listen to non-Gospel music otherwise we'll burn in hell is MUCH better disguised.
The big frustration I have is how legalism drives people away from Jesus. Following Jesus is hard enough! We don't need to add to the burden! Soooo many of the ex-Christians I know grew up in legalistic groups and think that's what Christianity is. So many non-Christians who attack the religion seem to think that legalist groups are Christianity.
Well said, thank you!
What a great teaching. Gods grace is so amazing! The Gospel is our power for living!
Thank you both ❤
A great discussion!
In a nutshell, BOTH legalism & permissiveness is following man. Example: legalism says, "I don't do drugs because I obey so-in-so who told me not too -or- I'm going to heaven if I don't do it". Permissiveness says, "I can do drugs because there's no verse in the Bible that says specifically I cannot, besides Jesus did away with the laws." A mature believer in Christ says, "I don't do drugs because God says my body is the temple of God & I choose to please the Lord who died for me & honor His precepts (laws). ...Of course, these attitudes can be applied to anything from the wardrobe, social media, sex & gender, alcohol, etc ... not just drugs. This is about application of the Bible & attitude.
Legalism can go so far as to add laws or to say you're not saved unless you obey them. And permissiveness is using salvation as either a license to sin or to see what we can get away with....Both are wrong!
Loved this!
Very helpful thank you
Oh my….yes!!! I remember the church I went to for years, as long as you showed up to church and stopped listening to secular music made you look holy to the church “leadership”, yet amongst us, there was a filthy life, everything we talked about had to include some sort of sexual innuendo…crying during the service made us feel clean. So deceiving!!!!
Love the message! Needed to hear this message! ✨
I was saved in the early ‘80s and remember people being swept up by Bill Gothard’s teachings. I didn’t see it all as ‘bad’ but began to feel very uncomfortable when so many people were constantly quoting him saying such things as “Well, Bill Gothard says…” and I remember thinking “but what does Jesus say?”. After 40+ years of being a Christian, I still see the same thing. It may not be Gothard, but it’s always someone other than Jesus or the Bible, be it ‘Reform, WoF or Calvary Chapel. What’s the matter with people? 🤷♀️
Awesome video guys!!!!!!It is a specially prevalent in the charismaniac movement!!!!!When I was a baby convert I gor sucked into that,don't eat pork,women must cover their heads,men must wear a full suite,we only sing our songs and and and....
I confused legalism with fundamentalism!!Praise God for opening my eyes.God bless.
SO Good!! One of the most seductive and successful ploys of Satan is to take something that seems to make sense and seems to be on God’s side, and then once you’re hooked, he perverts it like he always does🖤
Legalism is birthed out of a lie. It's steeped in deception, and if we believe the lie, it shapes our whole Christianity and view of Christ and the Father. The list goes on and on, including the wrong view of God, of Christ, of Scripture, of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, of true spiritual warfare, of true worship, of the gifts of the Spirit. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the video! We always appreciate your work! @AC
wow just when I thought I would get you today
There is a fine line. Some one who comes to Christ who wears revealing clothes need to be taight how to dress like a woman who profess tonlove Christ.
I truly believe that if you come to Christ and get to know him, the Holy Spirit will convict you to dress modestly. Yes you can tell someone to dress modestly but if they do not do it out of conviction and to pursue holiness, then that might just be evidence of unconversion. What I would do is try to get that person to really get to know Christ instead of telling them how to dress. I grew up in a legalistic type church and let me tell you, even though the women were forbidden to dress a certain way, some of them were still rotten inside despite an outward modest appearance . I think this is where the need for balance comes in and the emphasis should be on getting to know Christ. I truly believe that when the Holy Spirit is in you, you will start to clean up your life, no one will even have to tell you to do so although we all need guidance but the will to be holy comes from within.
Is legalism the same as works-based?
Basically
Really great
This was wonderful until the advice to someone asking, "What shall I do to be saved," and the answer given was "Call out to the Lord and ask him to rescue you." Why not say what the Bible says: BELIEVE and be saved. The most important part of the video. :-(
"What He did He did for you"
Thank you. This gives me such joy. I was just talking to my boys about the love of God. We came out of charismatic, self glorifying churches and now in a true and genuine Christ loving church. Our children see the differences. We discuss the genuineness of Christ love in our new church being taught and lived out. I had admitted to them that I have been missing the love of God in my parenting. Great discussion. More truth for my heart. ❤ thank you both as well as your wife's experience Jeremy. Also good job for fighting for truth for your wife and family and now us who are listening.
You can depend upon the Messiah of Israel and deeply desire to let His life flow through you in a way that makes you obedient due to surrender. Obedience is not Legalism, agreed?
TRUE CHRISTIANITY IS LEGALISTIC. Why?
Because we have to obey the Word of God, which is the Law of God for Christian living, in order to show that we are true Christians. Our obedience of the Law is part of our testimony as true Christians.
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him. (1 John 2:4-5 ESV)
LEGALISM: strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code. (Merriam-Webster)
We don’t obey the Law to approach God, we obey the Law because we have already approached God.
The flesh makes us reject the Law, the Holy Spirit makes us obey the Law.
“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7-8 NIV)
JESUS did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill the Law, and to give us the Holy Spirit who helps us to accomplish the Law.
JESUS SAYS…
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19 NIV)
True Christians keep the Law, which is the Word of God, willingly.
JESUS SAYS…
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.” (John 14:23-24 ESV)
Yes, legalism is when churches are narrower than the Bible eg my church is tad legalistic, they teach that women must wear dresses, that drinking is a sin and other matters that are not Biblical…
There is a difference in the motivation of the heart between a legalistic and a true Christian. The legalist follows the law, but his heart is far from God. The true Christian loves God and it pleases him to obey God because he recognizes the love of God and what Jesus did for him at the cross, atonement for sin which was not his own, out of a love so strong that he would sacrifice his Son, in order for us to be forgiven and receive eternal life. That is grace beyond measure, we don’t deserve it, we can’t earn it, we can do nothing on our own. The only thing we can do is trust in the Lord with all our heart. Then obedience follows naturally out of love for who He is and what He has done. That is the gospel. ❤
@caminandoensuverdad.....
I agree and disagree with you.
True Christians will have a desire to follow God's beautiful and perfect law.
But you said "we are given the Holy Spirit to help us accomplish the law". I would say that there is only ONE Who can accomplish the law.... Jesus Christ. He did accomplish it, that's how He fulfilled the Law. He kept every tiny piece of it, perfectly.
James tells us that if we fail in keeping one single point of law, then we are guilty of all of it.
We actually cannot 'accomplish' God's law.
You are so right though, that those who love God will keep His commandments, although imperfectly. The Holy Spirit in us prompts and pushes us to obey God. But keeping that law has zero to do with our justification before God. (which you seem to agree with)
I just think it's really important for us to, in humility, recognize our human limitations..... Our inability to keep God's law as He requires (perfectly), and this is why we rely on the One Who did keep it perfectly, trust Him, and receive His perfect righteousness righteousness that is laid upon us/wrapped around us/credited to our account.
I appreciate the video. I don't think it's very humorous that the ppl who are stuck in legalistic are stuck there. Especially the pharisees. They started out with the intention of wanting to please and obey God, they were just off. How many times in my life have I been truly wanting to please God but in the wrong way. Costing seems to almost be mocking the victims of this. Even in the pilgrims progress, everyone takes a trip to the mountain of legality. I also am familiar with bill gothard. They played his videos to us in prison. But, God knows those who r His and He won't leave them in error
People love exploiting the duggars even if its indirectly. Tell your story, not hers
Hu?
That sounds legalistic .... 🤔
truly if you have truth share truth, very seldom is it productive to bring up false believers like Joel Osteen... lol
Lmao where did you pul that definition of asceticism from? It's nothing to do with "making up for something" or trying to earn salvation - that's a total straw man. It's simply learning discipline and doing penance, both of which are ancient Christian practices. And frankly, things like fasting don't have to do with sin. It's simply spiritual exercise: learning to say no to yourself so that when you are tempted, it's easier for you to say no, through Christ's grace.