Misunderstanding How the Bible Defines Legalism

This is a portion of what a man posted in EBF's "End of the Church Age" group:

"They don’t know the laws the rules. They’re not bound by legalisms. They’re obeying the Lord.

This is a picture I believe we see in the latter rain. Many will be testifying faithfully with what ever truth God gives them. God is in control"

McCann reply:

I don't think you are understanding the latter rain correctly nor how the Bible would define legalism.

The latter rain gospel was a purified gospel. It corrected numerous church errors (high places) and especially refined the Bible's teaching on salvation by Christ's work of faith alone and none of man's.

For matters that you seem to be dismissive of in some of your posts – God ended the Church Age. So apparently the church's lack of "rule" keeping was rather significant to God.

And so too is it significant to God regarding the lives His elect people live AFTER salvation.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

In the verses above the Lord makes it clear that we are saved by His grace and Christ's faith. And NOT of WORKS.

Legalism is the gospel that teaches that one must keep the law in order to become righteous with God. That gospel is abhorrent to God's elect people. That gospel, therefore, is abhorrent to E Bible Fellowship.

I don't know how many times over the years I, and others at EBF, have said and emphasized and emphasized again, and again, and again, that salvation is all Christ's work. He did it all. He gets all the glory.

In fact, there is no other Bible ministry in the world that I am aware of at this time that emphasizes this truth more than EBF does.

And yet, we also emphasize all the Bible's truths.

For example, immediately after telling us in Ephesians 2:8,9 we are saved by grace through faith that is not of ourselves (because it Christ's) and that salvation is not of works lest any man should boast/glory, God says this:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The elect of God saved by the faith and work of Christ – and not of their own works – are then commanded to perform good WORKS that God has ORDAINED for them to walk in.

What are these good works we are to walk in? They are, of course, God's commandments.

2 John 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

The very things you call "rule keeping" and tie to "legalism" are the things God has ordained for His elect people to do.

These commandments are the doctrines (teachings) we learn from the Bible. Such as Sunday is the Sabbath day. And that we are to feed to sheep. And men are to teach the gospel. And Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And saving faith is always Christ's faith. And on and on.

Keeping these things AFTER salvation is NOT legalism. It is the thing God has willed for His people to do.

Again, legalism is trying to get right with God by keeping the law. That is legalism.

Keeping God's commandments AFTER salvation – is the outworking and wonderful expression of the child of God's love to Christ.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Why do you disparage the keeping of God's commandments as "rule keeping" and "legalism"? You know EBF teaches the true Gospel of the Bible in regards to salvation being by Christ's saving work alone.

Do you somehow think that after salvation we're not to keep God's commandments? Your position is confusing.

If you think EBF teaches a legalistic (works) based gospel, then that would mean we are a false gospel. And if I thought that I would have nothing to do with it. But I don't think you think this.

Which means you have a confused understanding of what legalism is and isn't.

Please explain how a child of God is to show forth love for Christ if not by "keeping His commandments"? Is it feeling based? Is it mouthing words of love and tenderness about His name? Does that reveal love for Christ? Not according to the Bible that speaks of those who praise God's name yet their hearts are far from Him.

Biblical love is action. And the action in view is the action of doing the will of God. And the only way of knowing what the will of God even is – by reading the Bible and learning God's commandments. Then, AFTER we've already been saved, we desire to do them more and more in our life to show forth love to our Savior Jesus Christ.

And even then, we only love Him in this way, BECAUSE He first loved us:

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.