Rev George Ong: Which is the Greater Threat to the Contemporary Church – Legalism or Antinomianism? - Reverend George Ong (2024)

Which is the Greater Threat to the Contemporary Church – Legalism or Antinomianism? – By Rev George Ong (Dated 8 Mar 2021)

Legalism and Antinomianism are the two deadly heresies that can destroy the church. If you do a survey on which of these two heresies are believers more familiar with, I am quite sure that most believers would say they have heard of legalism, but only a minority would be familiar with the heresy of Antinomianism.

Many believers aren’t even aware that the New Testament warns much more against Antinomianism than it does against legalism. Jesus, together with the Apostles Paul, Peter, John and James and Jude had all warned against the errors of Antinomianism.

Many are also unaware that Antinomianism remains the prevailing theology in many Protestant churches. What’s worrying is that those who have been influenced by this heresy (including pastors) aren’t even aware of it.

One clear example is the Antinomian teaching that after one has said the sinner’s prayer, his salvation is permanently assured and eternally secured. Many thought that this is Biblical, Reformation, Puritan and Evangelical Christianity when it is pure Antinomianism.

The heresy of Antinomianism has continued and survived today in many forms and especially in the teachings of Joseph Prince. Today, the leading voice for the doctrine of Antinomianism is Joseph Prince.

Of course, Joseph Prince has denied that he is an Antinomian. He has been able to hide the fact from many people that Antinomianism is the real theology he is operating from. He cannot hide anymore. By making a mere comparison between the doctrine of Antinomianism and what Joseph Prince teaches will starkly reveal his true Antinomian identity.

What is worse is that, Joseph Prince, the true-blooded Antinomian, has gone on to declare that he is preaching Luther’s doctrine shamelessly. If Luther were alive today and knowing his vigorous character, I’m sure he would grab Joseph Prince by the collar, give him a good shake-up, and demand an explanation for misrepresenting him. The reason is, Luther himself, had fought against the Antinomians of his day, who were the theological forefathers of Joseph Prince.

In Luther’s day (though Antinomianism was already present), legalism was the more potent threat than Antinomianism as works were seen as necessary for salvation. In our day, it’s the reverse – Antinomianism, which is the false grace doctrine that Joseph Prince teaches. Antinomianism is, indeed, the graver and more prevalent threat than legalism.

Unlike Luther’s day, today’s church doesn’t need to be told that their dead works of legalism can’t save them. Instead, we need to be told that our dead faith – a faith that is without works in James 2:17 and 26 in Antinomianism that is preached by Joseph Prince can’t save us.

We are now facing a different situation than what was faced by Luther and the reformers. In a day when the modern church is infected not with the works-based faith of Legalism but the no-works faith of Antinomianism, we don’t need to be told that the dead works of legalism can’t save us; instead, we need to be warned that the dead faith of Antinomianism can’t save us.

But Joseph Prince has craftily set up the straw man (a strategy he frequently uses) of a church that is much afflicted with legalism for his evil excuse to push his ‘only-grace-no-works’ doctrine to the maximum crowd and at full speed.

As I’ve said, this is a deception as the emphasis on legalism or works was the issue of the Reformers but not in our day. Legalism or works-religion is the problem in Luther’s day. But licentiousness which sprouts from Antinomianism, not legalism, is the problem in our day.

So what has happened is that Joseph Prince, by pushing his ‘only-grace-no-works’ doctrine, is leading the Church to an even deeper end of the other extreme – Antinomianism.

Joseph Prince thunders that the Church has been afflicted by law or legalism, and that’s why he has to preach so much about grace. Yet, you have to answer this question honestly – is the emphasis of most churches today on law or grace, on works or faith?

Are you hearing more law-type sermons or grace-type sermons being preached in most churches today? How many sermons have you heard about hell in the last five years? How many sermons have you heard on the wrath and judgement of God against sin?

What about sermons in Luke 19:27 about Jesus as the terrible judge to be feared when He ended the parable with these words, “But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them – bring them here and kill them in front of me.”

When was the last time you heard the hell-fire sermons that preachers of the ‘John the Baptist’ type preached in your church? Have you ever heard a preacher in your church say that besides faith, obedience is an essential condition for saving faith?

Have you come across any preacher who dares to say that discipleship is necessary for salvation and that if you are not a disciple, you are not a Christian? Many don’t even know that a Christian and a disciple is the same person. One cannot be a Christian without being a disciple. And if a preacher dares to speak it at a church that invited him, that would be the last time he would be invited to preach.

Have you ever heard any preacher who has the courage to say that if Jesus is not your Lord, then the faith that you possess is a farce? Did you ever hear any preacher in the worship service say that if you don’t do the will of God, you will not enter the kingdom of God, Matthew 7:21? Did you ever remember hearing any preacher say that we are not only justified by works in James 2:24 (as works are the evidence of true faith), but we will be judged by them?

Since when have you heard a sermon on the warning of Jesus to cut you off and throw you into the fire if you don’t bear fruit and remain in Him, John 15:1-6? In your entire life as a Christian, have you heard any preacher preach on James 2:24, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone?”

On the contrary, we have heard the grace-type sermons so often in most churches – about

the blessings of God,

the promises of God,

the providence of God,

the protection of God,

the peace of God,

the comfort of God,

the healing of God,

the grace of God,

the love of God,

the mercy of God,

the kindness of God,

the patience of God,

the longsuffering of God,

the forgiveness of God, etc.

And especially in New Creation Church (NCC), members have been indoctrinated with the grace-glorifying and law-bashing sermons of Joseph Prince week in and week out that they are starting to get tired of them. This was told to me personally by not only many Ex-NCC members, but also those who are still attending NCC but are now seriously thinking of quitting the church.

In today’s church, members who are living in adultery are merely counselled (and those counselling sessions never seem to end), instead of telling them to repent. Churches no longer take church discipline as seriously as the apostles in the early church did. Excommunication of people from the church, a biblical doctrine that was practised in the early church, is unheard of in the modern church. And if any pastor dares to excommunicate anyone, he will be accused of being a harsh shepherd and having no love for the sheep.

If one were to be honest, the imbalance as falsely pointed out by Joseph Prince is not law over grace and legalism over Antinomianism, but grace over law and Antinomianism over legalism. The real imbalance is libertinism or licentiousness, which is the offshoot of Antinomianism over legalism.

In the current church scene, churches are bent more towards the Grace-type messages rather than the Law-type sermons. To address the imbalance, we ought to be preaching more law rather than more grace. But Joseph Prince has deceptively convinced many that the imbalance is law over grace. Hence, more Grace-type sermons are being preached in the church.

As a result, the imbalance of

grace over law,

Antinomianism (licentiousness) over legalism,

justification over sanctification,

belief over behaviour,

creed over conduct,

faith over works,

is further accentuated.

With the prevalence of licentiousness and combined with the absence of the fear of God (Joseph Prince teaches there is no place to fear God as New Covenant believers), which is the true reflection of the modern church scene, she is on her way down to the dumps.

The day will come when God and His power will leave the licentious church without her knowing it like it left the licentious Samson without him even knowing it (Judges 16:20).

Rev George Ong

Rev George Ong: Which is the Greater Threat to the Contemporary Church – Legalism or Antinomianism? - Reverend George Ong (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between legalism and Antinomianism? ›

Legalism appeals first to laws and principles given by a supra-personal authority. Antinomianism attempts to make moral decisions consistent with internal values and personal growth. Situationism, while treating the rules and values of society seriously, violates these rules if human welfare is best served by so doing.

What does antinomian mean in the Bible? ›

antinomianism, (Greek anti, “against”; nomos, “law”), doctrine according to which Christians are freed by grace from the necessity of obeying the Mosaic Law. The antinomians rejected the very notion of obedience as legalistic; to them the good life flowed from the inner working of the Holy Spirit.

Who started Antinomianism? ›

The term antinomianism was coined by Martin Luther during the Reformation to criticize extreme interpretations of the new Lutheran soteriology.

Who is Rev George? ›

Rev. George Washington Lee, one of the first African Americans registered to vote in Humphreys County, Mississippi since Reconstruction, used his pulpit and his printing press to urge others to vote. Lee was head of the Belzoni, Mississippi NAACP.

What is the opposite of legalism in Christianity? ›

Antinomianism is often regarded as the opposite of legalism, with situational ethics as a third possible position.

How did the antinomian controversy begin? ›

The Antinomian Controversy began with some meetings of the Massachusetts colony's ministers in October 1636 and lasted for 17 months, ending with the church trial of Anne Hutchinson in March 1638. However, there were signs of its emergence well before 1636, and its effects lasted for more than a century afterward.

What is Antinomianism how does it relate to individualism? ›

Antinomianism (from the Greek: αντι, "against" + νομος, "law"), or lawlessness (Greek: ανομια), in theology, is the idea that members of a particular religious group are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality as presented by religious authorities.

What is the definition of the word antinomian? ›

Definition of antinomian

1 : one who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace (see grace entry 1 sense 1a) the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation. 2 : one who rejects a socially established morality.

How do you say Antinomianism? ›

How To Say Antinomianism - YouTube

Who was denounced for Antinomianism? ›

Quakers were denounced as Antinomians and forced to leave. The Puritans eventually hanged four Quakers for their religious views.

What is Antinomianism Apush? ›

Antinomianism, which means "against the law," was a centuries-old heresy whose basic tenet held that Christians were not bound by traditional moral law, particularly that of the Old Testament. Instead, man could be guided by an inner light that would reveal the proper forms of conduct.

What is God's agency? ›

What Is Agency? Agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Agency is essential in the plan of salvation. Without agency, we would not be able to learn or progress or follow the Savior.

What are examples of legalism in the church? ›

They say things like, “I should pray more often” rather than “I love to pray.” Outsiders don't visit often (perhaps because the church his known for its legalism). People who are deeply hurting due to their sins or poor choices feel humiliated and embarrassed around you or people in your congregation.

What are the main beliefs of legalism? ›

Definition. Legalism in ancient China was a philosophical belief that human beings are more inclined to do wrong than right because they are motivated entirely by self-interest and require strict laws to control their impulses. It was developed by the philosopher Han Feizi (l. c. 280 - 233 BCE) of the state of Qin.

Why is legalism important? ›

Legalist philosophers thus created a system of punishment and reward for certain behaviors. If humans followed these rules, philosophers argued, then the state and its authority would be strengthened. Legalism became particularly important in the period that followed the Warring States period.

Who were the Antinomians quizlet? ›

Who were the Antinomians? Those accused of witchcraft in the Salem trials...

Which problem did the halfway covenant address? ›

The primary problem the Half-Way Covenant solved was addressing the declining piety. To increase Church members, it allowed the baptism of children of the unconverted Church members.

What was Anne Hutchinson accused of? ›

Hutchinson was brought to trial for three charges: breaking the Fifth Commandment by dishonoring the fathers of the Commonwealth; improperly holding meetings in her home; and. defaming authorized ministers.

What is legalism in situation ethics? ›

Legalism. Someone who is following the system of Legalism is someone who “blindly” observes moral rules without being sensitive to the situation. Fletcher has in mind a simple minded deontologist who holds that actions are right and wrong irrespective of the consequences.

What is moral legalism? ›

Legal moralism is the theory of jurisprudence and the philosophy of law which holds that laws may be used to prohibit or require behavior based on society's collective judgment of whether it is moral.

What kind of church is a Friends Church? ›

The Society of Friends, also known as Friends Church or Quakers, is a Christian group that arose in mid-17th-century England, dedicated to living under the “Inward Light,” or direct inward apprehension of God, without creeds, clergy, or other ecclesiastical forms.

What was the fundamental? ›

serving as, or being an essential part of, a foundation or basis; basic; underlying: fundamental principles; the fundamental structure.

What is a antonym simple definition? ›

An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. For example, hot and cold are antonyms, as are good and bad.

What is the meaning of libertinism? ›

(ˈlɪbərtiˌnɪzəm, -tɪ-) libertine practices or habits of life; disregard of authority or convention in sexual or religious matters.

What is the free grace movement? ›

Free Grace advocates believe that good works are not the condition to merit (as with Catholics), maintain (as with Arminians), or to prove (as with Calvinists) eternal life, but rather are part of discipleship and the basis for receiving eternal rewards.

Why did Roger Williams turn down the opportunity to become a minister at John Winthrop's Boston church? ›

Why did Roger Williams turn down the opportunity to become a minister at John Winthrop's Boston church? He believed that Winthrop was jealous of his popularity in the city. James II was a zealous supporter of which religion? New Jersey.

What is Marcionism heresy? ›

Marcionites held that the God of the Hebrew Bible was inconsistent, jealous, wrathful and genocidal, and that the material world he created was defective, a place of suffering; the God who made such a world is a bungling or malicious demiurge.

What were Patroonships quizlet? ›

Patroonship was vast Dutch feudal estates fronting the Hudson River in the early 1600's. They were granted to promoters who agreed to settle fifty people on them.

What was the Congregational church Apush? ›

APUSH LT#2 Period 2
TermDefinition
Congregational ChurchThe Puritan belief in which authority over clerical appointments and religious doctrine belonged to local organization
Roger WilliamsA religious dissident, originally a Puritan minister in Salem, Massachusetts, that founded Providence
46 more rows

What is the Protestant Reformation Apush? ›

A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches. John Calvin. Responsible for founding Calvinism, which was reformed Catholicism.

Why is agency so important to God's plan? ›

Agency is a gift of God, bestowed upon all His children because of His love for them. It is a crucial component in the eternal plan of salvation made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through the proper exercise of agency, we can return to our Father's presence eternally.

Why is agency so important? ›

Without agency, one cannot act. We become paralyzed through fear, lack of jurisdiction, or the necessary ownership. Without agency, we cannot develop mastery, autonomy, or purpose.

What does the Bible say about free agency? ›

But did you know that the phrase “free agency” does not appear in the scriptures? Instead, the scriptures teach “that every man may act in doctrine and principle … according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins” (D&C 101:78; emphasis added).

What is legalism in situation ethics? ›

Legalism. Someone who is following the system of Legalism is someone who “blindly” observes moral rules without being sensitive to the situation. Fletcher has in mind a simple minded deontologist who holds that actions are right and wrong irrespective of the consequences.

When was legalism created? ›

Legalism, school of Chinese philosophy that attained prominence during the turbulent Warring States era (475–221 bce) and, through the influence of the philosophers Shang Yang, Li Si, and Hanfeizi, formed the ideological basis of China's first imperial dynasty, the Qin (221–207 bce).

What churches are arminian? ›

Arminianism (specifically Wesleyan-Arminian theology) is taught in the Methodist churches, inclusive of those denominations aligned with the holiness movement such as the Evangelical Methodist Church, Church of the Nazarene, the Free Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Church, and the Salvation Army.

What is Arminianism in the Bible? ›

Arminianism, a theological movement in Protestant Christianity that arose as a liberal reaction to the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. The movement began early in the 17th century and asserted that God's sovereignty and human free will are compatible.

Why did Fletcher reject Antinomianism and legalism? ›

Fletcher also rejected antinomian relativism (antinomian means literally “no principles”; Greek nomos means “law”). Fletcher rejected blind following of rules because he believed that absolute rules and laws demand unthinking obedience.

Is situation ethics an antinomian? ›

Situation Ethics, pioneered by Professor Joseph Fletcher, is an antinomian ethic as it asserts that decision making should be based upon the circ*mstances of the particular situation, not upon fixed law. In Christianity, it explains that theologians are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality.

What is a type of ethics that holds the view that what is right and wrong is situational? ›

situation ethics, also called situational ethics, in ethics and theology, the position that moral decision making is contextual or dependent on a set of circ*mstances.

What are the main beliefs of legalism? ›

Definition. Legalism in ancient China was a philosophical belief that human beings are more inclined to do wrong than right because they are motivated entirely by self-interest and require strict laws to control their impulses. It was developed by the philosopher Han Feizi (l. c. 280 - 233 BCE) of the state of Qin.

What's an example of legalism? ›

They say things like, “I should pray more often” rather than “I love to pray.” Outsiders don't visit often (perhaps because the church his known for its legalism). People who are deeply hurting due to their sins or poor choices feel humiliated and embarrassed around you or people in your congregation.

What is the concept of legalism? ›

Definition of legalism

1 : strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code the institutionalized legalism that restricts free choice. 2 : a legal term or rule.

Is Southern Baptist Calvinist? ›

While the Southern Baptist Convention remains split on Calvinism, there are a number of explicitly Reformed Baptist groups in the United States, including the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, the Continental Baptist Churches, the Sovereign Grace Baptist Association of Churches, and other Sovereign ...

What is the main difference between Calvinism and Arminianism? ›

Calvinists believe God is 100% sovereign and he knows everything that will happen because he planned it. Arminians believe God is sovereign, but has limited control in relation to man's freedom and their response to it.

What religions are Calvinist? ›

Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Calvin and other Reformation-era theologians.

Does Arminianism believe in predestination? ›

Arminians also insist that God's election and predestination are based on his foreknowledge of our choice to believe in Christ (I Pet. 1:1,2; Rom. 8:29).

Can Calvinism and Arminianism coexist? ›

Within this denomination, though, two opposing belief strands coexist. Those two strands are Calvinism and Arminianism. The researcher investigates why these two strands coexist and have not led to a schism within the denomination.

What does a Calvinist believe? ›

Among the important elements of Calvinism are the following: the authority and sufficiency of Scripture for one to know God and one's duties to God and one's neighbour; the equal authority of both Old and New Testaments, the true interpretation of which is assured by the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit; the ...

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 6404

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.