"Legalism is a word that is thrown around liberally." -- K.P. Yohannan, Head Coverings
The willfully disobedient like legalism. It is the perfect scapegoat. It is one of their favorite friends. Don't want to do something? Just say it would be legalistic to do it. Appeal to the spirit of the Law rather than the letter. The charge of "legalism" not only gives one the license to go on their merry way, but provides them with the smug satisfaction of having the moral high-ground while doing so. It acts for them like poison gas-filled bubble wrap. It protects them from the shock of being rattled, but also releases a deadly vapor into the air if someone's pokes at them become particularly pointy.
Legalism is an idea beloved by the licentious. It is a camouflage for the corrupt. They can hide in plain sight and sin out in the open without fear of being spotted. The charge of "legalism" sounds bad in anyone's ears.
The best protection of living in one ditch is the accusation of living in the other one. The best way to protect a cold heart is to accuse the warm-blooded of getting too hot and bothered. The best way to protect bold disregard is to accuse the adamant of being overly scrupulous.
Thus, legalism is used liberally to defend open defiance and liberalism is used legalistically to defend hidden defiance.
All that to say, legalism is a sin, to be sure, but so is accusing the obedient of “legalism” in order to justify ongoing, unrepentant disobedience. Being hyper-scrupulous is a sin, of course, but so is being anti-scrupulous.
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