How Can I Be Set Free From Legalism?

Legalism is any attempt to gain God’s acceptance or forgiveness through your own works or merits. Legalism and living under the law are synonymous.

5 Signs You’re Still Entangled in Legalism

1. You believe God loves you, but doesn’t like you.
2. You are not 100% sure of your salvation.
3. You praise others only for their good deeds.
4. You condemn and judge others for their bad deeds.
5. You read the Bible just to check it off your list.

How to Get Untangled

1. Replace Your Thoughts with His Thoughts“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

• Can we depend on the Word of God to replace our thoughts?
• What does the Word of God judge?

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

• How should we be transformed?
• For what purpose?

2. Live in the New Covenant of Grace and Life

“These are the statutes and ordinances and laws which the Lord established between Himself and the sons of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai.” (Leviticus 26:46)

• Who was the law given to?
• Was it given to 21st-century Gentiles?

“…when Gentiles, who do not have the law…” (Romans 2:14)

• Do Gentiles have the law?
• Who was the law given to?

“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

• If you are under the law, who is your master?
• Is sin your master under grace?
• Where is the power of sin found? 1 Corinthians 15:56
• What does the law arouse? Romans 7:5

“Christ is the end of the law.” (Romans 10:4)

• When did the punishment of the law end?
• Who took the punishment of the law for all people?

“By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)

• What is the first covenant referring to?
• What is outdated?
• What has been made obsolete?

3. Put Faith in What You Believe

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

• Is God counting your sins against you?
• What message has God given us?

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14)

• How did you come into this world?
• What does it mean to be dead in your sins?
• Has God canceled the charge against us?

4. Stop Asking for What You Already Have

If you believe that Jesus has already taken away your sins, there’s no need to keep asking God for forgiveness. Place your faith in that truth.

5. Believe It and Be Happy

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works.” (Hebrews 4:9)