Titus: Trouble for “Legalist” labelers

Have you ever been labeled a “legalist”?  Maybe you were talking to someone about certain standards you try to uphold in your personal life, family, or church.  A few weeks ago I was on a date with Brianne at a “high end” restaurant we have near our home called McDonalds.  As she was enjoying her happy meal and I my burgers, I couldn’t help over hearing a man with a stack of papers calling multiple people.  It turns out he was on staff at a large church in our area and making calls in preparation for visitation.  After a few minutes I entered into conversation with him.  Through his questions he discovered I was a local pastor and that I graduated from Bob Jones University.  As always, I asked if he had heard of the school.  “Oooh yessss.”  His next question was, “Are you a Bob Jones person?”  “What is that?” I asked.  “Let me come right out and say it, a ‘Legalist’”, he replied.

I believe that the biblical definition of a legalist is one who tires to earn his salvation through adhering to a code of conduct or commandments (ie. the Law).  Most people who use the term generally mean: anyone who lives by standards or holds to a list of “dos and don’ts”.

In my Bible reading this evening I am reading through Paul’s epistle to Titus.  I think Paul would have been in danger of getting labeled a “legalist” by many Christians today.  Most of the 3 short chapters consist of lists of qualifactions (Titus 1:6-9) or character qualities necessary in a believer’s life (Titus 2:2-10; 3:1-2).  In fact, 6 times in 3 chapters Paul emphasizes “good deeds” (Titus 1:16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14).

Paul’s ultimate purpose in leaving Titus in Crete was to confront and exhort the believer’s (Titus 1:13; 2:15) that they act “according to godliness” (the true result of faith in Christ and knowledge of the truth) (Titus 1:1).  How does God want every Christian to live?  Deny ungodliness and worldly desires (don’ts) and live sensibly, righteously and godly (dos) (Titus 2:12).  The trouble comes in trying to live this way in the midst of the pressure “of the present age” (Titus 2:12).

Clearly Paul believed that those “who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds” (Titus 3:8).  True salvation will result in a change from our old actions (Titus 3:3) to new actions (Titus 3:8) including all the qualities he lists in multiple places throughout the book, both the “dos” (Titus 1:6-9; 2:2-10) and the “don’ts” (ie. Titus 2:12; 3:3, 9-11).

Clearly “dos and don’ts” don’t save you (Titus 3:5), but they should be the result of complete washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)!