John's Law

For Internet discussions and debates, there is something called "Godwin's Law." This was coined in 1990 by attorney Mike Godwin, who even back then was frustrated at the comparisons of their opponents Internet debaters would make with Hitler or the Nazi's. It goes like this: "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one." Read more about it at: Godwin’s law | Dictionary.com

Now we at Baptist Board are too Christian to do this, of course. We're nicer. Instead, we accuse people of other things. The thing I have been most accused of here is legalism. (It happened again very recently.) Therefore, I suggest John of Japan's Law: On a Christian forum, the longer a discussion goes, the more likely someone will be accused of being a legalist or promulgating legalism.

This occurs because of an ignorance of what legalism actually is theologically. It is not rule-making. It is not certain standards of Christian living, such as "I don't drink, smoke, or chew, or run with gals that do." Here is a well-known theologian's definition: “Legalism is a slavish following of the laws in the belief that one thereby earns merit; it also entails a refusal to go beyond the formal or literal requirements of the law” (Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 3rd ed., 908). In other words, legalism stems from a belief that certain works or abstaining from certain works makes you holy. That is very wrong. Only God can make us holy. But again, only God can know what we are thinking. Two people may say the same thing, with one being a legalist and the other not.

Here's what you have done when you accuse someone of legalism: you have presumed that you know their motives. But only God knows the heart: "For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Thus, when you accuse someone of legalism, you are saying that their position is due to their desire to look good, or their pride, or some other human motive. However, many times one person takes a genuine, heart-felt position that he or she believes is right according to the Word of God, but is then attacked for legalism. That is flat out wrong, and judgmental. Only God knows the heart. Deal with their position, not what you think their motives are.

As my dear mother used to say, "A word to the wise is sufficient."

 

Dunno. So far I've never been called antinomian and don't remember calling anyone that.

But they're out there, those antinomians, you betcha.

 

I don't go there.

 

I'm pretty sure you're right.

 

Alas.