The words legalistic and legalism are not found in most translations of the Bible (the 1984 NIV’s wording of Philippians 3:6 is a notable exception); however, the concept of legalism and legalist practices are found throughout the Bible, especially the New Testament.
Essentially, legalism is to strictly follow a set code of behavior (that is, laws or rules) at the expense of something more important, such as loving God or treating others right.
In the Bible, the religious leaders were criticized for their legalistic behavior. This was all the more prevalent in the New Testament, where Jesus was particularly harsh on the Jewish leaders (the Pharisees and the Sadducees).
For some examples, see Mark 7:8-13, Luke 11:42, and Matthew 23:16-28.
Key verse about Legalistic: You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions (Mark 7:8, NIV)
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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