Freedom vs. legalism: Christianity offers inner change; Islam offers only external rules

WORLD Magazine ^ | 12/1/01 | Gene Edward Veith

[Caleb1411]

bttt

[Selara]

Excellent comparison, and I agree.

[mlocher]

thanks for the post

it takes a wise man indeed to know when to utilize the law and when to utilize the gospel.

[egarvue]

Wooohoo! Ping for Dr. Veith (he was a college professor of mine). He has written some excellent books such as Modern Facism and Spirituality of the Cross. An excellent author, I highly recommend him.

[HENRYADAMS]

Good article!

[P-Marlowe]

Great Post. The truth is always refreshing to read.

Now, I will watch and see how badly you get flamed. Nothing irritates people more than the truth of the simple Gospel of Christ.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Bump.

[Caleb1411]

Wooohoo! Ping for Dr. Veith (he was a college professor of mine). He has written some excellent books such as Modern Facism and Spirituality of the Cross. An excellent author, I highly recommend him.

So many good books by Veith; so little time. I have Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture and Reading Between the Lines in my library.

[Caleb1411]

Whoops, messed up on my link to Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide to Literature

[hsszionist]

Where in the Bible does it explain what sin is?

[foreshadowed at waco]

Reminds me of "Paradise Lost" by John Milton from my college days...to paraphrase..."Virtue untried is not virtue"...Christianity means individual free will...in Catholicism we are taught that there are 2 kinds of contrition--imperfect contrition where we are sorry for our sins because we fear retribution and perfect contrition where we are sorry for our sins because they have offended God...

[logos]

Rather than saying Christianity offers inner change, I would say that Christianity is inner change. :^)

[Caleb1411]

There quite a few Biblical references to sin, too many to list here. I'd suggest going to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words to get a handle on the definition and the many references.

[Caleb1411]

Rather than saying Christianity offers inner change, I would say that Christianity is inner change. :^)

Well put. If it ain't inner change, it sure ain't Christianity: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

[x]

The article has a lot of truth in it. Christianity is based on the individual, and Islam is based more on legalism. For Christianity, faith, grace and charity are of much greater importance. Charitable giving is important in Islam, but that is because of the rules, not a sign of something beyond or above them.

But is it true that non-Christian religions are generally legalistic? Buddhism is not individualistic as Christianity is, but neither is it legalistic. The same might be true of Taoism, if it is a religion. Moreover, one should be aware that Christian accusations of "legalism" against Judaism have been one factor that embittered relations between these two related religions, so maybe some caution is called for.

Christianity's emphasis on individual freedom is at the heart of much that is good in the Western world. Unfortunately one could also attribute some of what is bad in modernity to that individualism. We can see the conflict between Christianity and Islam or between secular freedom and Islamicism. In the past, and probably in the future as well, many in Africa and Asia see a conflict between religion and atheism or moral order and anarchy and are drawn to the side that seems more religious. They may be wrong, but this is something the author should have examined more closely. It may be that Islamic legalism brings immorality, but some would say the same of Western freedom. Freedom is best, but where it appears to bring anarchy and immorality, people may still reject it. This something one might consider and argue against, rather than ignore.

[hsszionist]

In the renewed covenant, 1 John 3:4 covers it pretty well.

Who so ever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Where does one find the law? The first five books of the Bible called the Torah.

Can one avoid learning the provisions of the law?

Proverbs 28:9

He that turneth away his ear form hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

[Gritty]

Christianity's priority is saving souls, Islam's priority is imposing Koranic law. Christianity focuses on individuals; Islam focuses on societies... when Christian missionaries come to Africa, they build schools and hospitals. When Islamic missionaries come, they try to take over the government.

There IS a difference!

[Caleb1411]

Fortunately, God hasn't left us defenseless against sin: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13)