Subject: Legalism

Subject Details

Legalism

ALSO SEE: SALVATION BY WORKS OF MERIT

Every religion other than Christianity requires works of merit in some form in order to achieve salvation. In addition, apostate (which means formerly orthodox) churches, such as Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox, teach in their official doctrine that salvation is achieved by faith in Christ plus works of merit.

It is one thing to say that a person, by faith, obeys the moral law of God out of love and thanksgiving because one has been saved. But is completely different to say that one must keep that law in order to be saved. Therefore, anywhere, anytime that anyone teaches that a person must perform any works of merit in order to accomplish salvation, this is lethal heresy. The Apostle Paul, in Galatians, twice pronounces damnation on anyone who teaches this.