Legalism and the body of sin
"Unbelief and a legal spirit, are the very soul or life of the body of sin." - John Colquhoun, A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel
A beautifully produced book, by the way. I mean the edition itself by Soli Deo Gloria Publications.
I'll rephrase the quote: Unbelief and a spirit of legalism, are the very soul or life of the atheist as-well-as the common unbeliever.
There is no more earnest and pious and belligerent a moralist than an atheist. Often they are even purse-lipped.
But anyone who is in rebellion to God - to whatever degree of being awake to that fact that they are - and who is worshiping some common idol, will always be a moralist. Think of an environmentalist. "Dude, did you just throw those french fries to seagulls? That's like totally toxic to the environment. You know we know you did something wrong. You know we saw you. What have you done for the environment, if ever? Why should you be suffered to live?" Sorry I couldn't think of a better example, but you get the point. Legalists.
3 Comments:
Colquhoun is pronounced ka-hoon, by the way.
Someone who obsesses over Work doctrine isn't in rebellion?
Now you're just being shallow. Or maybe you're confused by the word 'Work.' It has nothing to do with works vs. faith. Or works righteousness.
Is a Christian, a Calvinist say, who reads Meister Eckhart in rebellion? The Imitation of Christ?
If I want to know what Jesus' teaching in the Gospels means, to greater depth, to the practical level, regarding spiritual warfare and progressive sanctification, and the Holy Spirit leads and guides and teaches and illuminates (as Scripture says the Holy Spirit will do) is that rebellion? See, you are being too facile. Too shallow. It's boring and banal. It's vain as well. That means empty.
I don't fear man. I fear God alone. That is the beginning of wisdom. Why? Because when you fear God alone and hence you don't fear man you don't allow yourself to be put off of anything that man would put you off of.
Do you have the Holy Spirit in you? Yes? Then use that discernment - and guidance - pilgrim.
By the way, if that all you got out of my post? That's disappointing. A post showing how moralism is a foundational feature of unbelievers gets a reaction of moralizing.
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