Defensor Fidei - Lesson Nine: The Catholic Church = "legalistic"?!?

If we define "legalistic" as the exhortation of others to obey and live by a set of rules or a rule of law, then anyone, especially Jesus could be seen as a "legalist". But this is not necessarily a bad thing. We know that laws are established to create boundaries and help guide our moral compasses, therefore serving our best interests and protecting our dignities. God gives us His law (natural and divine) so that we may be set straight and be best directed/guided to love and live in Him.

In Matthew 19:16-21 when Jesus said to the rich man, "If you want to enter life, obey the commandments" and "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself" don't you think he was being "legalistic" here? He was of course instructing the man to obey the law of God. Now, you could argue that Jesus here was making an example of a person to "clinged" to his earthly possessions and this is what makes it hard for a "rich man" to merit eternal life, but Christ, of course, gives the man new instructions (laws) in order to merit eternal life...

Other Jesus-"legalist" instances:

John 15:9-12
Matthew 22:35-40
Matthew 5:29-30
Matthew 5:38-39
Matthew 5:40-42
Matthew 6:1
Matthew 6:33; etc.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• catholic
• church
• christ
• law
• God
• commandment
• divine
• natural
• legalist
• legalistic
• evangelical
• christian
• obey
• rule

[JameiLa97]

lol you got a good theory going but, there's a difference from Christianity, And Leagalism.....Sorry.

[SteveSpitz1981]

@JameiLa97 You've missed the point of the video completely.

[CatholicCross1393]

Wait a minute...Were you talking about me? LOL

[SteveSpitz1981]

Haha, nah mate, another friend of mine.

[JameiLa97]

Videos Like these confuse people.