There is no AA for legalists. At least not officially. But there ought to be, and it should be called your local church.
Legalism doesn’t always appear as rule-heavy fundamentalism or hell-fire and brimstone. That kind of legalism is obvious and portrayed in Netflix documentaries. The vast majority of Christians can avoid this kind of craziness because it is so easy to identify. However, a more subtle and common legalism is far more difficult to recognize because, sadly, for much of Christianity, it is the thrust of the message being preached, the theology being handed down, and the direction we are being led.
Legalism is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles to the point that it loses all meaning and power because of its ubiquity. Too often, everyone who does not belong to our preferred flavor of Christianity becomes a “legalist.” When everyone can be labeled something, no one recognizes the proclivity in themselves.
Have you ever noticed that no one ever admits to being a legalist? You never hear someone say, “I am a legalist” or “I go to a legalistic church.” There is no AA for legalists. At least not officially. But there ought to be, and it should be called your local church. Because whether we like to admit it or not, we are all law-loving legalists. ………………………