Contrasting Legalism, Licentiousness , and Sanctification.

 Good day everyone. For this post we will be examining the differences between Legalism, Licentiousness, and Sanctification. It is important to know the differences between the three because this will help you discern false teaching. With that said let's get right into it. 

So what is Legalism? Legalism is when religious teachers try and bring believers under the Old Testament Law. They will try and get Christians to believe that they must keep certain bible verses that were only mentioned in the old testament to the Israelites. They will say stuff like "You must keep the Sabbath", "you mustn't eat pork" and "If you don't Tithe, then you're robbin' God".  These teachings are refuting when you read Acts 15, Acts 21:25, Rom 3:25-28, Gal 2:16, Gal 2:21, Gal 3:10-14, Eph 2:8-10, Col 2:14, Hebrews Ch.7-10 etc). 

Similarly, we need also look out for commandments of men. That is when someone tells you that you must do or not do something; but what they are telling you is only their opinion and they don't have scripture to back it up. The truth is however, we as Christian's or Christ-followers only need to submit to each other's advice when i lines up with scripture. Examples of commandments of men include forbidding to drive cars, use the internet, play a board game or sport. Other examples include forbidding instruments in worship, or giving clothing guidelines that aren't mentioned in scripture. (Mat 15:9, Mar 7:7-9, Col 2:8, Tit 1:14).

On the opposite side of the spectrum we have Licentiousness. That is when people make the excuse that just because we are under grace and not the Law then that means we can sin all we want and still go to heaven. This concept is utterly refuted in many passages of scripture. Here are just thirty samples of scripture that refute this damnable false doctrine. 

2Ch_7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Jon 3:8  But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 

Mat_12:41  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Mar_9:43  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Joh 5:14  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 

Joh 8:11  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

Act 8:22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Rom 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 

2Co 12:21  And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. 

Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Eph 4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 

Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 

Eph 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 

Eph 5:3  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 

Eph 5:4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 

1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

1Ti 5:20  Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 

Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 

2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 

1Jn 3:7  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 

1Jn 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 

1Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Finally we come to Sanctification. What is Sanctification? Quite simply, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that conforms us to the image of Christ. It is God working in the believer to purge him of sin, it is the lifelong process that transforms Christians to become more like Christ and less like their old sinful self. It take willingness & effort on the part of the believer to submit himself to God but that is what we as Christians are called to do. (Joh 17:17, Rom 15:16, 1 Cor 6:11, 2 Cor 5:15, Gal 4:19, Gal 6:15, Eph 4:24, Eph 5:26, Php 1:21, 2 Thess 2:13, 2 Tim 2:21).

Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 

1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

So in summation Legalism is when one tries to force another to conform to laws that were given specifically to Old Testament Israelites, Licentiousness is when lukewarm "believers" don't care if they sin, and Sanctification is the work of God in a believer to make him more like Jesus.

Thanks for reading, please share!!!