You said…”legalism isn’t being strident about a commandment.”

But the dictionary says…

http://www.m-w.com (that’s the dictionary online)

Legalism – Noun –
Main Entry: le·gal·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈlē-gə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1928

1 : strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code
2 : a legal term or rule

Just a suggestions to double check before jumping to conclusions…

these are some great notes, but i have two major issues with it.

1), the most pro-choice OBGYN will tell you that the chances of you keeping a fertilized egg if you are on the pill are extremely slim. the pill makes your body into a hostile environment that can’t support a baby. knowing that it’s even a possibility and still using it is sinful!! how can he say it’s not? christians should have convictions about this. 130 years ago, there was no denomination whatsoever that even used birth control. one has to look at the reasons why it is so widely used and accepted. when something in the church suddenly changes after 2000 years, you have to look at it. in the case of the pill, you wouldn’t fill your house with carbon monoxide knowing that most likely it would kill your kids, would you?? “well, i don’t know for sure that they’ll die though; they might make it!” that’s a stupid reason to do something, betting on the chance they will live. i’m disappointed mark driscoll said that, because i like a lot of things about him.

2) the way he was throwing around the word “legalism” is dangerous. i think, Michelle, he was using the home school example a lot in correlation with that word because he’s had the experience of a lot of home schooling parents saying that it’s the only right way to do school. he is saying basically that legalism is when you declare something your conscience has weighed on you the truth for other people. here’s the problem with that. first of all, the “conscience” is the holy spirit in believers on matters of faith and morals. not some psychological process. as believers, we SHOULD be sharing about matters we feel the holy spirit has convicted us of, especially as a result of the Word! this is GOD’s Word! now i don’t think you can tell someone straight across the board that they can’t use any form of birth control, because it isn’t totally substantiated by the bible. but, it IS super important to check your reasons. God’s words in Genesis were a command that would bless us.
“Command – instruction, directive, direction, commandment, injunction, decree, edict, demand, stipulation, requirement, exhortation, bidding, request.” if someone just plain doesn’t want kids for selfish reasons, well why are we not wanting to call it sin? sin almost always seems to come from not believing God about what he says is good and what he says is bad. trying to do it our own way. i’m not saying everyone SHOULD have 13 kids, i’m saying that people especially in the church ought to THINK more.

legalism isn’t being strident about a commandment. it’s an abuse or distortion of the law. for a believer to tell another believer that it is not right ot take the pill is not legalistic! i’m surprised he would say that….and disappointed. people love to talk about the great commission. here is what they quote:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” but they leave off the end! he wasn’t done!
“and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

we’re not meant to not think, or not be taught! we ought to LOVE God’s law! it was never an evil thing; it just wasn’t meant to justify us or accomplish salvation!
Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
it’s not just an old testament thing…

“Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ”

there are lots of super liberal churches that are ALSO legalistic. you don’t have to be fundamental or conservative to be legalistic, as mark made it seem. super liberal churches are distorting God’s law and misusing it just as much!

…anyway, that’s my 2 cents. okay, 20 cents.

http://777denny.wordpress.com/

Thank you,
777denny

http://777denny.wordpress.com/

Thank you,
777denny

Please, please, PLEASE take a moment and do this now.

It’s an easy, simple step, please affiliate your HOME REGION as Maryland.

It’s easy to do, and what it does is make every word you write count for Maryland stats. While you may not think this is important, it really is. We want recognition for our work, our combined efforts. I won’t tell you about last year, but suffice it to say because many didn’t know, we came “so close” but no cigar, simply because the “home region” wasn’t designated by so MANY!

So take a sec and do this:

On the top link bar notice the “My NanoWriMo” — click it.

In your profile on the left you’ll see another link — “Regions” — click it.

It will give you tabs — “Regions” “My Regions” and finally on the right “Home Region”

Click HOME REGION

Select United States-Maryland

Beneath it…click the bar that says SAVE HOME REGION

Bingo, you are done.

You will have my undying thanks for affliliating as every word counts, especially here in Maryland.

— it was only because many in Maryland didn’t take that one simple step that the Seattle “Ducks” smirked at us over the last two years after we won overall word count in 2005, which was a BIG DEAL. Come on, help me, help us bring that title back where it belongs to a small, but MIGHTY state, HOME to Maryland.

Come on, be proud, be a Mighty BLUE CRAB

Thanks in advance!

Carol (Tidewaterbound)

I’d never thought of it exactly like that before. That’s good.

One of the ways that I know of God’s patience is that He waited 30 years for me to bow before Him. I don’t like to even wait 30 seconds for my children to decide if they’re going to obey me. God bless – see you there.