Legalism Is Spiritual Abuse

Imagine being a child whose parents forbid you from playing, having fun, and doing kid things. They force you to spend hours and hours studying and doing homework. You can’t watch TV, play video games, or read comics because, according to your parents, “you should dedicate all your time to studying.” You also can’t have dreams and aspirations because your parents decide what major you will study when you enter university. Once you turn 18, you are still under the yoke of your abusive parents. You have no freedom, no choice, and you can only make friends and date if your parents approve. You live the rest of your life pleasing your parents, sacrificing your happiness, your self-esteem, and your mental health.

This is how I see legalism. Legalists want to control your life and make you believe that their decisions are “God’s decisions.” If you don’t agree with them, you are “against God.” You end up living a miserable, bitter life pleasing others while deceiving yourself into thinking you’re “pleasing God” when you’re just wasting your life.