The following is excerpted from David R. Miller's Breaking Free: Rescuing Families from the Clutches of Legalism (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992):
Legalism is a "schism" that can afflict, and in fact has afflicted most religions. Legalism is the adding of basic presuppositions to a faith to make that faith more exclusive or less available to "outsiders" who do not think, act, or believe as do the "true" believers. Legalism is one of many power maneuvers by faith leaders who seek to consolidate religious authority in the hands of a very few.... Christian legalism found a fertile seedbed in the exclusivity and retreatism of American fundamentalism.... Christian legalism is seen in many groups who enthusiastically add rules and regulations to what traditionally has been standard Christian practice. The best definition of legalism is that which emanates from the mouth of Jesus [in Matt. 15:9]: But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (p. 7).
Legalism is a snare for Christians, but it is for many a soft, warm, comfortable snare, one that feels safe and is secure as long as things are going well. Legalism, with the need for spiritual security that lies behind it, is an opiate for many Christians, a spiritual narcotic designed to compensate for a largely graceless form of religious belief. Legalism offers Christian families security as long as they practice what a church, Christian institution, or authority figure commands.... And legalism, in the short term and under special circumstances, can deliver on these promises. It would be a mistake to believe that Christian legalism has no merit. It has merit and can deliver - but at a very heavy price.... Legalism works to keep things under control and to give an appearance of goodness - well-behaved children for proud parents to show off or a well-ordered life with no hint of the turmoil shaking the foundation (p. 9)
But the absence of obvious "degenerates" doesn't necessarily mean everything is great. Facing legalistic Christian families are other less obvious problems, but problems with equal or greater potential for damage than the excesses of liberal religion or no religion at all.
Legalistic Christians have their own "gurus," authority figures in church or Christian college happy to prescribe rules for living. They will say why beards on men are not "Christian," why slacks on women are not "Christian," why divorced people are not allowed to sing in the choir or serve as ushers. Certain camps of conservative and legalistic Christianity go so far as to institute "morality police" scattered throughout the Christian community who informally are encouraged to keep an eye on alumni, church members, and other preachers and speakers, then to report it back to "headquarters."
Authority figures have answers for everything. Families have good feelings about themselves, but no freedom to question. [Such as], "Were those rules Bible based or just the preferences of an authority figure somewhere?" (p. 10)
I recognize that legalism sometimes works for families in the system, families who for any number of reasons are not called upon to deal with the more difficult issues of Christian living. They are happy in legalism. Their children do not ask difficult questions and perhaps will not.
What I write is a reflection of my family's experiences and our growing concern for those trying to break free and recover from the oppression that accompanies legalism. I do not try to persuade Christians to change their lifestyles or leave a church, mission board, or Christian college or university. My purpose is that of a counselor.... My purpose is to comfort, show compassion, stimulate careful thought, and encourage healing.
I will, however, suggest that no authority figure, pastor, college president, television evangelist, nor anyone else has the right to tell other Christians how they should manage their families.... The gray areas of Christian living are best left to the individual families themselves, and God has promised his Holy Spirit to help in their "discerning" matters (pp. 11-12).
Legalism emphasizes externals more than internals, while it proclaims just the opposite. Legalists of all stripes are comfortable with the idea that to observe a person's behavior is to know that person's character, while they ignore the motives behind the conformity. Legalism preaches, whether implicitly or explicitly, the importance of each one watching another - to keep each other close to the Lord of course, but watching, nevertheless. Frequently it encourages reporting back to an authority figure so the "body of believers" can be kept pure.
Legalism is a perversion of true Christianity. In examining it Christians must ask themselves if they have assigned their God-given freedom to run their lives and manage their families according to their understanding of God's leading over to an authority figure. Being freed from Christian legalism means going back to the freedom God has promised in true Christianity. Being free means that each Christian today can expose the secret pharisee hiding in all, just as Jesus helped his people to do in the days he walked the earth.
Being free from legalism does not mean our family has changed our religious beliefs, but rather that we no longer have to look outside our own family and our own Bible for direction. Our lives are still consistently Christian, still conservative and evangelical, but now for different reasons (p. 13).
We are [now] free to answer God's call on our lives without checking with an authority figure first.... Being free from the security trap of legalism is the most refreshing and invigorating experience we could have imagined. It is our testimony that such freedom can only be found in Jesus (p. 14).
