August 12, 1996 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - Legalism is a term frequently used to describe Bible-believing Christians who are zealous for pure doctrine and who desire to maintain holy standards of living in this wicked hour. This "free thinking" attitude was expressed at a "Christian" rock concert called Greenbelt '83: "We don't believe in a fundamentalist approach. We don't set ground rules. Our teaching is non-directive. We want to encourage people to make their own choices." Those who have this type of unscriptural mindset label the old-fashioned Bible Christian as a "legalist" or a "Pharisee." Note that the Pharisee's error was not his love for the truth and his zeal for Bible righteousness. The Pharisee did not love the truth; he loved tradition (Mt. 15:1-9). If the Pharisee had loved the truth, he would have loved Jesus Christ (Jn. 8:47)! The Pharisee did not love Bible righteousness; he loved his own self-righteousness (Lk. 18:9-14). The Pharisee did not have a zeal for God; he had a zeal for his own false religion (Mt. 23:15). To call the fundamental Bible-believing Christian who is saved by the grace of Jesus Christ and who loves the precious Word of God a Pharisee is a wicked and untrue slander.

Contrast the modernistic hatred of biblical absolutes with what the Bible says about true Bible holiness in Titus 2:11-15-

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Titus 2:11-15)

(1) BIBLE HOLINESS IS THE OUTWORKING OF GRACE. Grace doesn't mean lawlessness or license to do what we want to do. Biblical grace teaches men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Any definition of "grace" which produces free living and moral license is unscriptural.

(2) BIBLE HOLINESS IS EXTREME. Titus 2:14 says Christ desires to separate His people from "ALL INIQUITY." Consider other verses: Titus 2:7,10 "in ALL THINGS shewing thyself a pattern of good works." 2 Cor. 7:1 "let us cleanse ourselves from ALL FILTHINESS of the flesh and spirit." Eph. 5:3 "But fornication, and ALL UNCLEANNESS ... let it not be once named among you." Col. 3:8 "But now ye also put off ALL THESE; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication." 1 Th. 5:22 "Abstain from ALL APPEARANCE of evil." The Christian who sets out to obey these Scriptures will be viewed as extreme by the ecumenical crowd.

(3) BIBLE HOLINESS PREPARES US FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Tit. 2:13). Those who do not have this extreme zeal for holiness will be ashamed at the coming of Christ.

(4) BIBLE HOLINESS IS BY GOD'S POWER (Tit. 2:14). Bible holiness is not self-righteousness. The born-again Christian who has a zeal for biblical holiness is not self-righteous; he is Christ-righteous!

(5) BIBLE HOLINESS IS TO BE AUTHORITATIVELY PREACHED (Tit. 2:15). The man of God has the authority today to preach biblical holiness. Don't let the worldly, ecumenical crowd bother you, Brother. Preach righteousness. Preach the very highest standards of holiness. Preach against every form of worldliness. Apply the Word of God to the culture in which we live. You might makes mistakes. No doubt, you will! Your decisions and applications certainly won't be perfect, but preach on anyway, because God has commanded it. The preacher is not merely to read the Word of God; he is to apply it to the lives of the his people in the most practical sense possible. Preach on!