• Adding basic rules to a faith which makes it more exclusive and isolated from "outsiders" who do not think, act, or believe as the "true" believers do is called LEGALISM.

• Legalistic groups have their own authority figures who provide the rules "their" people are to live by. These leaders have answers for everything and their rules are considered nearly equal to the authority of the Bible.

• Legalistic leaders see themselves as more than just leaders. They feel better, more spiritual and have fewer failings and tempations than "their" people. They become spiritual detectives looking for raised hem lines or hair over the collar as if these things prove what "their" people are really like inside. Abuse of power follows.

• Members are to look to their leaders for the "standard"; how they should think, what they should do, and how they should dress.

• The system teaches that the leaders know best and to challenge them is to challenge God.

• Legalistic groups can be subtly influenced, over time, to accept irrational ideas.

• Legalism is NOT of God, though legalists believe they are God's special people.

• Members who would dare to question their leaders would be perceived as rebellious, not spiritual, and lacking in faith.

• Legalists view tradition as synonymous with safety.

• Members in legalistic groups are encouraged to avoid conflict with the "world." While avoiding the "worldly people" they become smugly self-righteous in their perceived superior spirituality compared to their neighbors and coworkers and they retreat to the safety of their homes and church activities.

• Members feel comfortable being told by their leaders what is "true and correct." They willingly accept their leaders' beliefs and answers.

• In a legalistic system the members are expected to be obedient, adequate and an achiever to feel worthwhile but they worry about their own unbelief and they know that admitting their doubts is unacceptable. They worry because their trust in God is only a sham. "Out little group of saints will remain pure and we know the world will get its just reward!"

• As one chooses to become part of a legalistic system his or her freedom to choose is quickly lost. Appearances and associations become most important. If a member is confused about something the fault is with the member and not with the group.

• There is a negative mind set within legalism.

• Legalism emphasizes externals more than internals and people learn that appearance is more important than what they are on the inside and one's life becomes a performance benefit for those who may be watching.

• The men in legalistic groups may abdicate their role since the church leaders make the rules. As a result their wives may lose respect for them; yet legalism teaches that women should be "in their place" and submit to men.

• Legalistic leaders may feel threatened by educated members so they may suggest that "too much education is a dangerous thing."

• Emotions are to be controlled and personal opinions must always be carefully evaluated before being expressed for fear of being criticized or punished.

• A congregation bound in legalism will rarely challenge its ministers even if they are deep in moral sin.

• Dysfunctional families where children grow up dissatisfied and unhappy are often caused by legalism.

• Children in legalistic families become overwhelmed with the rules and restrictions of their legalistic lifestyle. Children are usually well-behaved but they may lose their individuality, creativity and curiosity as they become smothered by the demands of the system. They may engage in self destructive behavior as their inner rebellion grows.

• In a legalistic group the children may feel superior to other children. They learn that their church is the only one that pleases God; that their Bible version is the only acceptable Word of God.

• In legalistic families there is a reluctance to share problems because they have been taught that problems are sin based. Parents often discipline with unreasonable harshness to get their children to conform and the children may feel ambivalent, uncertain, and uptight and communication within the family becomes strained. Honest emotions are repressed and often dishonesty is the result.

• Family problems are hidden from public knowledge and there may be violence, and/or sexual abuse within the family.

• Parents are warned against flattering or praising their children as it is believed to contribute to "fleshly pride." As a result their children may develop low self-esteem, and feelings of guilt, fear, insecurity and self hatred to such an extent that they cannot accept the unconditional love of God. Some may feel suicidal; believing themselves to be failures no matter how hard they try.

• Legalistic families often exhibit a dominant/inferior relationship between the parents creating resentment and bitterness.

• LEGALISM is really a system about CONTROL !

• Starting with the leaders of a legalistic system certain subtle techniques are used to ensure that the people in the group conform to the unwritten rules.

• Guilt, shame, fear intimidation and illogical reasoning are all used to bring the members into submission.

• There is likely to be dishonesty, secrecy, shunning and threats.

• Prophecy and special revelation may play a role.

• Emotional coercion is used and excommunication is feared.

• The leaders are elevated above the rank and file.

• Any immoral or dishonest behavior by the leaders is covered up.

"I can relate to the way the workers make people feel...it's like we always were supposed to be walking examples of righteous piousness. For me, I just wanted to be a walking example of a normal teenager!! But of course, that was not allowed."

......phoniness, rules for appearance, clothing, and social interaction. It feels comfortable to people who are accustomed to rejection, manipulation or abuse. Legalism is an attraction to people from dysfunctional families.

It may appear Biblical and always employs Biblical words, clichés, and verses but it subtly twists God’s Word to put man in charge of other men. Legalism gives those who are hiding their sins hope that perhaps through following a rote series of Christian rig-a-ma-role God will miraculously change their problems or make them go away. Tenaciously they may go through life obeying all the rules man has given them, but still retain all their hidden immoral behavior, dishonesty or whatever other character flaw they may have.

Legalism drives children away from God and His Word. Many atheists today were once children or grandchildren of Legalists. They view people raised in legalistic churches as nothing but a bunch of phony mind controlled idiots.

Legalism gives too much power to people who have a lust for power, control or the adulation of men. Legalism destroys our freedom in Christ. Legalists hate the word "Legalism" because it defines their own sin too well. One church leader actually said that "Christians can’t handle freedom."

• You may feel that God can't possibly accept you because you have failed Him too much or because you are too weak or because you have done something terribly wrong. Perhaps you feel unworthy or rotten; undeserving of God's love because you are not meeting a certain standard; not measuring up.

• If so, there is a reason why you feel unworthy. If you are looking for God's aproval on the basis of your OWN performance ("When I become so good and so perfect THEN He will approve of me") you will never feel worthy or good enough.

• God knows that you will never be perfect. He is not waiting for you to reach some righteous plateau before he approves of you. God wants you to put away your self-righteous efforts and rely on the Gift He gave you--the Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died to save you from your sins.

• Peace comes by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, not be keeping rules and reluglations by your own strict efforts. Jesus died to take away your sin. To try to earn God's forgiveness is really an insult to God because HE has provided the way of escape for you by Jesus' death on the cross. He wants you to TRUST IN JESUS' SACRIFICE and NOT TO TRUST IN YOUR OWN GOODNESS.

• God's blessing is not dependent upon your goodness, your righteousness, or your faithfulness. God's approval of you depends solely upon His desire to bless you. Your part is simply to receive God's free gift of Jesus' death--He took your place on the cross! Jesus, the sinless One, took YOUR place on the cross.

• Ever since Adam sinned in the garden all man has been sinful. Since God cannot tolerate ANY sin (not even one sin in a lifetime) we are ALL condemned to a lost eternity. This is bad news!

• This really would be terrible news if it wasn't for God's GRACE!

• By God's GRACE He provided a way for us to escape eternal damnation. He provided His spotless Son, Jesus Christ, to take our sin upon Himself. By God's Grace, and our faith in what Jesus did, we WILL be saved. Our salvation will never be dependent on anything WE do!

• Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

• Our part in salvation is to receive and accept the free gift that God has given us; to believe, by faith, that Jesus HAS taken away all our sin; past, present and to come! What a Gift!! All of this is provided because of God's GRACE.

• We do not deserve this pardon but by God's Grace, and our faith in what He has ALREADY done, we are accepted by Him as righteous. We are not righteous based on anything WE do, or standard WE meet but we are deemd righteous by Him because we ACCEPT Jesus' substitionary death for our sins.

• GRACE IS THE UNDESERVED MERIT AND FAVOR OF GOD.

• Your relationship with God will be steady and secure once it is no longer based upon your performance. Your relationship must be based upon the work of Jesus Christ. He took your sin upon Himself and died in your place to make your salvation by faith a reality.

• It is up to you to leave behind the mentality that says "God only loves me when I am good and rejects me whan I am bad."

• In all religious systems that do not understand God's grace people will sooner or later find that they are under the lordship of men.

• Your standing with God isn't based on your own righteousness or your works or in keeping rules, but upon your believing in God's sacrifice; the death of His son--for YOU!

• Your behavior has nothing to do with God's acceptance of you.

• If you are trying to please God by being good enough you will find defeat and frustration. Once you trust in God's grace to transform you, you will have peace.

• If your relationship with God depends upon being righteous and good, you will never be accepted by God and if you are being good only out of fear, that is not true righteousness.

• Your works of righteousness have nothing to do with whether or not God approves of you and so, if you depend on your own self righteousness you will not be able to relate to God. God's approval of you is based on His grace, His unmerited favor of you.

• Any attempt at godliness that comes from your own strength is detestable in God's sight and you will live a life far removed from God of you think you can please Him by your own efforts.

• We must each realize that we can't please God in our own strength but when we cry out to God in desperation He will work His gracious deliverance.

• We cannot know the peace of God in our lives until we experience the Grace of God in our lives.

• God extends His grace, love, mercy and goodness to us even though we are undeserving sinners.

• GRACE IS GOD GIVING TO YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU CANNOT OBTAIN ON YOUR OWN.

• GRACE IS GOD'S ACCEPTANCE OF YOU EVEN THOUGH YOU DO NOT DESERVE IT AND ARE NOT WORTHY OF IT.

• We are all sinners saved ONLY by God's grace through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died to take away your sin but you must accept that fact by faith to be acceptable to God. And you must rely on what He has already done for you and not in anything that you can do to prove your worth.

A man dies and goes to heaven.  He is met at the Pearly Gates by a 
Heavenly custodian.

The custodian says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to
make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give
you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was.
When you reach 100 points, you get in."

"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and
never cheated on her, even in my heart."

"That's wonderful," said the Custodian "that's worth three points!"

"Three points?" he said. "Well, I professed all my life; never missed a meeting!
And I supported the ministers financially and any other way I could."

"Terrific!" responded the Custodian.  "That's certainly worth two points." 

"Two points?!  I worked every year at the annual convention and in 
preparation for the convention for several days too; for years and years!" 

"Fantastic, that's good for two more points, " he said..

"Two points!" the man cried. "At this rate the only way I’ll get into heaven 
is by the grace of God."

"Bingo, 100 points! Come on in!"