legalism

On Legalism: Some Quotes

This past Sunday, Justin spoke on legalism and Acts 11. This morning I wanted to know some of the method behind the madness and took a peek at the Sermon Notes from this lesson and found some gems that would be helpful for me to share with you. If you haven't listened to the sermon, you can listen to it below. I'll then leave the quotes with no further comment. Please listen to the sermon for further edification and clarification regarding context!

At the moment the really important thing seems to be that you were brought to realise (in the strictest sense) the impossibility of rejecting Christ. Of course He must often seem (to us) to be playing fast and loose with us. The adult must seem to mislead the child, and the Master the dog. They misread the signs. Their ignorance and their wishes twist everything. You are so sure you know what the promise promised! And the danger is that when what He means by ‘win’ appears, you will ignore it because it is not what you thought it would be—as He Himself was rejected because He was not like the Messiah the Jews had in mind.
— C.S. Lewis
If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it; for it is hard to be sought out and difficult.
— Clement of Alexandria quoting Heraclitus
The Legalist places the Law ahead of the Lawgiver. In so doing, he fails to enjoy the the Giver because of the assumed weight of the holy law. He seeks the Fathers things instead of the Father, and trips over the rules on his way to building a tower to the sky.
— Justin Gruber
Joy comes from a mental shift first and the doing of things second. (Phil 4:8 [think], 9 [do])
— Justin Gruber