Freedom From Legalism - Part 4 - How You Can Know If You're A Legalist

How can you know if you’re a legalist? Let’s take a simple test of five questions. Question #1 — Do you place a higher value on church customs than on biblical principles?
1. Many of our so called “rights” and “wrongs” in church life are the product not of the Bible but come from our family background, our culture, social and economic factors, geographical locale, and a long-standing institutional commitment to doing things the way they have always been done. For example: Contrary to popular opinion if you think your order of service came down from heaven your probably a legalist. Some of the music that is venerated by certain groups is just plain bad but you can't say that to a legalist without getting into a fight. Some instruments like drums or electric guitars are considered demonic by some Christians a sure sign of legalism. To some if women don't use head coverings you're not of God. Or if men don't sit on one side of the Church and women on the other you can't be a Church. Or how about the issue of the ministers clothing? How does the wearing of robes or clerical shirts or business suits make you into a man of God?
2. It’s important to remember as long as the Bible doesn’t prohibit such practices you may well be free to pursue them. But you are not free to insist that others do so as well. Just because other people don't do things the way you do, it does'nt make them wrong. You may be worshiping your own version of the golden calf. I remember a Bill Gothard pastors meeting I attended many years ago. Bill was teaching his convoluted ideas about music when an elderly Black Pastor stood up and said "brother Bill, brother Bill", Gothard stoped teaching and said "yes sir, what is it?" The elderly Pastor said brother Bill you need to come down to my church because when we start praising the lord, His presence comes down and we get happy". You need to ask yourself is there any Church custom that I have placed above the scriptures and use to judge other christians? If you do you're a legalist.