LEGALISM IN THE EARLY CHURCH

LEGALISM IN THE EARLY CHURCH

 By: Jack Guyler

Legalism is older than the church itself.  Legalism was initially addressed in the early church as recorded in Acts 15 at the first Church Council in Jerusalem.  There were Jews who were requiring Gentiles (non-Jewish people) to follow Jewish laws if they were going to believe in Jesus. In other words, for Gentiles to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they also had to follow Jewish laws and customs, even though they weren’t Jewish.  It was decided at this church council that Gentiles didn’t have to follow Jewish laws to believe in Jesus as their Savior.  They declared that believing in Christ was enough for one’s salvation. That nothing else had to be added to this.  Legalism was defeated at this church council.

 However, while legalism was defeated it wasn’t dead.  It began to make its way through the church. The book of Galatians is all about the church reverting back to legalism.  As the church grew and became more institutionalized, legalism continued to grow with it. In 1517 Martin Luther realized legalism had over taken the church and it led him to start the Protestant Reformation. He realized even in his own life that he couldn’t do enough good works to earn his salvation and concluded that salvation was by “Christ alone…faith alone and grace alone.”

To this day, many churches and leaders within Christianity emphasis rules, regulations and law over Christ.  They think by keeping rules they are earning their salvation. They have not learned what the New Testament teaches nor have they learned from church history that legalism puts people in bondage. Only trusting in Christ leads to true freedom.