Yes, legalism still exists. We see it in China today in many different aspects. An example of how we still see it today is that when my parents lived in China, they witnessed executions and other harsh punishments meted out to individuals. Legalism is not the same today as it used to be, because it has changed over the years. During the Qin Dynasty, all books that did not support legalistic philosophy were burned, and writers, philosophers, and teachers of other philosophies were executed. The excesses of legalism of the Qin Dynasty made the regime very unpopular with the people of the time. After the fall of Qin, legalism was abandoned in favor of Confucianism, which significantly influenced the development of Chinese culture. Legalism is seen, to a lesser extent than it once was, but in China, the philosophy of legalism still exists in its governance structure, political system, and legal systems. The government continues to impose sentences and sentences as it did in previous years, but they no longer have the harsh consequences as they once were. Confucianism. Philosophy influences the government of China because legalism, a philosophy practiced in China, has had a great influence. This prompted the government to introduce strict laws and guidelines for all citizens.

The early rulers of the Zhou Dynasty invented the idea of the Heavenly Mandate. What Sproul calls “the most common and deadly form of legalism” is when we “add our own rules to God`s law and treat them as divine. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees at this very moment, saying, “You teach human traditions as if they were the Word of God.” We have no right to overwhelm people with limitations where He has no explicit restrictions. » The Qin Union of 221 BC. J.-C. may have become the triumph of legalism. The rise of Qin State began with Shang Yang; And by following its “agriculture and war” approach, this state has become rich and powerful enough to subdue its formidable enemies. Many aspects of Qin`s policy before and after imperial unification – such as the creation of an intrusive government apparatus, strict surveillance of officials, the use of impartial laws and regulations, etc. – were devised by Shang Yang, Shen Buhai, Han Fei and others.

And this policy brought unprecedented success: after five centuries of endless war, the entire empire was united “under the sky” under one ruler! Proud of his success, the first emperor (221-210 BC) visited his newly acquired empire and erected stone stelae at the sites of the sacred mountains. In the stelae, he boasted of bringing unity, peace, stability and an orderly regime (Kern 2000; Pins, 2014b). The dreams of generations of pre-imperial thinkers came true, and this was done primarily by following the recipes of those we now call “legalists.” Legalism promoted the idea of strict law and order and severe collective punishment, ideas that influenced Qin Shi Huangdi`s despotism and centralized power. If we want to understand legalism, we must return to Shang Yang, a reformist statesman from Qin State. To further illustrate what legalism can look like, R.C. Sproul describes three forms of legalism. Legalism is still prevalent today, as these examples we shared show, although it is not to the same extent as when it was created during the Warring States period. For more than 200 years, the Chinese people have experienced war as their daily reality, and a legalistic approach to trying to control people`s worst impulses – controlling people through the threat of severe punishment for injustice – would have been the best way to deal with the chaos. Shang Yang`s legalism dealt with everyday situations, but also extended to how to behave in wartime, and he is credited with the tactic of total war, which allowed the Qin state to defeat other warring states in order to control China. Legalism has been practiced by enacting laws to control the Chinese people.

These laws deal with superiors, women, children, domestic workers, and the criminal justice system in cases of robbery or murder. He continues: “Therefore, we must try to live our lives according to these commandments. Such behavior is not legalism. Legalism is a slavish observance of the law in the belief that it deserves merit. For us who live in the Western world, it is easy to examine Chinese systems and identify legalism, but for people who live in China, it is more difficult to see it to the same extent because they have learned this and they do not know other means. Most Chinese citizens have limited access to external information to compare their systems with those of other countries. “Legalism exists when people try to obtain justice in God`s eyes through good works. Legalists believe that they deserve or can earn God`s approval by following the requirements of the law,” said Thomas R. Schreiner. A legalist believes that their good works and obedience to God affect their salvation. Legalism focuses more on God`s laws than on the relationship with God. He keeps the outer laws without a truly subjugated heart.

And legalism adds human rules to divine laws and treats them as divine. | Yes, legalism still exists. Legalism is not what it used to be, it has changed over the years. Legalism is less visible than it used to be, but in China, the philosophy of legalism still exists in its governance structure, political system, and legal systems. Legalism has been practiced by enacting laws to control the population of China. These laws would include the treatment of social superiors, women, children, domestic servants, as well as criminal law dealing with theft or murder. As it was self-evident that people would act in their own self-interest, and always in the worst way, penalties for breaking the law were severe and included heavy fines, conscription into the army, or years of community service in the construction of public monuments or fortifications. In Christian theology, legalism (or nomism) is a pejorative term that means that the law is placed above the gospel. Chinese legalism and philosophy. Unlike the intuitive anarchy of the Taoists and the benevolence of Confucianism, legalism is a classical Chinese philosophy that places the need for order above all other human concerns. Political doctrine developed in the brutal years of the 4th century BC (Shepherd 83). Closely related to the former, Sproul says that legalism “obeys outward appearances, while the heart is far from any desire to honor God, the intention of His law, or His Christ.” Legalism separates obedience from our relationship with God.

Legalism is formed “where it is only a matter of keeping God`s law as an end in itself.” Sproul points out that legalism separates obedience from God`s love and salvation. “The legalist focuses solely on obedience to bare rules and destroying the larger context of God`s love and salvation in which He gave His law in the first place.” Like the term Trinity, the word legalism is not used in the Bible, but describes principles that are clearly stated in the Bible. At the heart of the debate about legalism versus grace is the understanding of how we are saved and how we can be certain of our heavenly hope. In China, you can still see the impact of legalism in the way we see how they react to crime. For example, some of the sanctions are tougher than in North America. You can also see the impact of legalism in China in the way people react to the government. In general, Chinese citizens fear the government because of the consequences that would be taken if they did not obey. For example, when students turned against the government in Tiamnamen Square in 1989, students were considered rebels and attacked by the army, killed, thrown into prison, and some had to flee the country. Definition of legalistic.

1: A spokesperson or defender of moral legalism. 2: Someone who looks at things primarily from a legal point of view: someone who emphasizes legal principles or the formal structure of state institutions. Many of us have encountered this kind of misguided Christianity. Otherwise, we have probably met someone who has experienced legalism or who practices legalism in their own practices.