[Pastor Ralph]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

[iam4-1god]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

For one, people who stick to legalism think that they are right and everyone else is wrong. This gives them a sense of power.

It produces self-righteousness.

The true gospel would encourage us to believe that is really doesn't matter what we eat, or what we wear, as long as we give God the glory and thanks, and conduct ourselves as representatives of Christ.

[Elwood C O'Dell]

It gives them a sense of satisfaction in that they feel they are doing what is required of them. It appeals to a sense of and produces self-righteousness.

[intercessor1]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

It seems to place them on a special pedestal and are to be seen as holy. It may produce a sense of pride in being the holy ones. The true gospel points that we are all sinners and God loves us all despite our shortcoming.

[Stan]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

It make them believe that they are in control. They want a way to earn their salvation,not accept it by faith. They try to take the place of God making rules that they can't live by. The fruit it produces is pride and not the fruit that God wants us to have by His Spirit. The emphasis place's importance on works not faith and the Grace of God and His love for all mankind.

[Moses 4]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

Performance of legalistic requirements:
I will produce in a person's life a change, It is why this is emphasised and different from the true gospel; the fruit it produce in a person's life; Is: trust asking, seeking, knocking - knowing that our Father in heaven longs to share with us the anointing of his Son;
So Paul says again and again in our passage in a variety of ways "It is by faith that we receive the Holy Spirit." The Spirit is a gift from God that he imparts to us simply because we have a relationship with his Son.

Legalistic requirements are by faith that we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is never a reward for our actions. It is a requirement ( A Gift from God) we must have as a Christian!
Pax

[charisbarak]

Working for our salvation is so attractive to people because they like being successful at completing something themselves. "I did it MY way."

It produces much pride & self-righteousness, but it can also be a continual frustration for them--how much is enough???

It is totally different. We don't do it, God does. We just have to accept what He has done for us & in Jesus we are saved. Not by works of righteousness that we have done. Instead of us being in control, we have let Jesus be in total control of our lives.

[masika]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?
It is makes it makes a person to appear moral outside, but religious rules cannot change a person’s heart. Only The Holy Spirit can do that
We cannot reach up to God by following rules of pious self-denial, by observing rituals, or by practicing religion. Paul is not saying all rules are bad. But keeping laws or rules will not earn salvation. The Good News is that God reaches down to human beings, and He asks for our response. Man-made religions focus on human effort, Christianity focuses on Christ’s work . Believers must put aside sinful desires, but doing so is the by-product of our new life in Christ, not the reason for our new life. Our Salvation does not depend on our own discipline and rule keeping but on the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.

[raider]

It makes people feel they are doing what is required,and this produces self-righteousness. i feel the emphasis puts importance on works not faith.

[choice]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

Legalistic requirements appear to be wisdom to some. It produces self-righteousness. You can only be made righteous through the Holy Spirit, not through anything you do.

[JustJeff]

Legalistic requirements are man's traditions and equate to religion. To those who abide by these delusions they are easy to follow as they are fleshly and easily done. They may seem to be good works and result in that warm and fuzzy feeling one gets when they help someone or deny themselves for a time but, it is not what Jesus wants us to do and feel. It is not fruit that He owns.
The true Gospel is Spirit and we are to be lead by the Holy Spirit in order to grow spiritually and produce the fruit of the Spirit. Then are we sons and daughters and then do we truly belong to the Lord.

[Greta]

Performing legalistic requirements is attractive to people because they are following a set of rules and if they manage to keep these rules they can feel self satisfied. They are relying on themselves and not on God.

The fruit it produces in their lives would be 'pride' and 'self righteousness'.

This is so different from the true gospel where people are made holy by the grace of God and not by their own endeavours.

God bless

Greta

[JanMary]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people?

I think it's because of pride. It's a way of denying the need for God and the desire to prove one can measure up, and "get it done" without any help from anyone. All cults are based on this doctrine of demons....because it leads people away from the knowledge of surrender to the only One Who can bring salvation and eternal life, as they focus and work to accomplish all of the legalities of each religion.

What fruit does it produce in a person's life?

It produces works of the flesh, which the Bible calls "wood, hay and stubble" which will go up in smoke when tested at the judgement. It produces self righteousness and spiritual pride in "getting the check marks in the box", and haughtiness as one looks down the nose at those not doing as well.

In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

The true gospel emphasizes relationship not religion. That of surrendering the life/will to Jesus Christ and His Lordship, then living to please Him rather than ourselves...to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit in what we do and how we live, which brings Him glory and honor, rather than drawing attention to our accomplishments. Nothing man can do on his own will ever make him holy....he may look moral and good to others, but fall short of the glory of God, since the shed blood of Christ is the only way to become holy on the inside.

[Patricia A]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

Performance of legalistic requirements can be attractive to people for various reasons. Sometines, this has been passsed down from the previous generation. Maybe one feels he needs to earn salvation rather than knowing it is a free gift from God. The true gospel is all about salvation being a free gift from God and when we accept this and reall grasp how loving our God really is, we want to serve Him with all our heart.

[Jen]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

It is attractive to our fleshly nature and also the desire to look good for man's applause.
It produces a self righteousness spirit which contrasts with the Holy Spirit that says all our righteounesses are as filthy rags.

God Bless!
Jen
Numbers 6:24-26

[Robin D]

Performance of legalistic requirements is attractive to people because it makes people feel good about themselves and provides a means to show their works. It also gives people a false sense of power that they must be good or worthy because of the rituals they practice. It produces pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness. This emphasis is so different from the true gospel because there is nothing we can do of ourselves that makes us worthy to God. No act we can do will make us godly. Only the Holy Spirit dwelling inside us can create new beings in us.

[brhodes]

Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people?

Out of ignorance, I was once in this group of people. Speaking from that perspective, I felt that since everyone is doing it(whatever it was)- it must be right. Performing legalistic requirements was easy to do because it was the norm and it was comfortable. Living as a Christian would require some changes that I didn't practice. When I realized that I was going to have to walk a new walk that inhibited my opportunities to do the legalistic things that I had grown accustomed to and so this is what attracted me.

What fruit does it produce in a person's life?

Fruit of self-righteousness and arrogance.

In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

The bible teaches that we live under grace and not the law.

-Keep God First

[clement]

fallen man is naturally inclined to dead works. when adam & eve saw their own nakedness, they made clothings for themselves out of fig leaves. legalism is attractive because its self-dependence, logically earning our blessings.

it breeds spiritual pride, and self-righteousness - like the incident of the pharisee and the tax-collector in the temple. the self-righteous pharisee looked down on the tax-collector, boasting in his dead works to justify himself. inevitably, legalism hardens the heart, blind the soul, and bring about bondages (from fear of God's judgment) when we fail to perform as required.

the gospel of grace (un-deserved, un-merited, un-earned) is the good news that came to set us free. free to choose a life pleasing to God in response to His goodness and mercy in our lives. living a Godly life so that others can see Jesus in and through us.

[Sarah43]

Q2. (1 Timothy 4:3-5) Why is performance of legalistic requirements so attractive to people? What fruit does it produce in a person's life? In what ways is this emphasis so different from the true gospel?

People are attracted to the performance of legalistic requirements because the performance requires minimal engagement. It is like following a how to instruction for tying one's shoes. I think it produces little fruit in one's life. The true gospel is transformative and requires total engagement to know God through the Spirit.

[Hazel]

Legalism is rather like the teaching in schools in England today - you have a set of rules (the curriculum) and if you learn all the rules you pass the test at the end. Teaching is now about how to pass the test not about how to think.
It is, therefore, easier to follow a list of rules: Christians don't --- smoke, drink alcohol, swear, commit adultery, etc; Christians do --- give money to charity, go to church every Sunday, remain faithful to their partner, etc.
The rules were developed, as far as I can understand, by men and women of faith to provide pointers not as absolutes to be obeyed without question. We are believers adn need to follow Christ's teaching not a set of man-made rules.