Does legalism have a bad rep?

I hear the term "legalist" tossed around a good bit in reference to some Bible teachers and I had a conversation related to this with a good friend recently.

I honestly think that true legalism gets everything that it has coming to it and more, but I think that the term is used so loosely that "legalism" gets a bad rep.

Legalism is not any set of rules or prohibitions that Christians should adhere to. After all, there are many commands of scripture that Christians should obey and obey joyfully. Jesus went so far as to say that "if you love me, you WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS." It is precisely this type of verbiage that often gets called legalism in the church today. This is NOT legalism. Christians should fervently adhere to the teachings and commands of Christ and pursue Holiness from a foundation of our love for him which must be based firmly in his love for us. Because he first loved us, we love him and we keep his commandments. Commandments kept in love aren't burdensome and that's why his yoke is easy and his burden is light. It's not easy and light because it's permissive. It's easy and light because its foundation is grace and love.
Scripture is very clear that there are activities that believers can participate in that are displeasing to God and there are activities that believers can participate in that are pleasing to God.

Legalism is any set of rules or prohibitions that Christians MUST adhere to in order to gain entrance into the Kingdom and/or maintain a certain status with God. These types of requirements stand against the clear teachings of scripture that assure us that Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone and not from any of our works. I think the difference is that legalism is usually fear-based and fear-driven rather than love-based. Legalism is geared toward avoiding the wrath of God rather than basking in the Love of God. Because Legalism is fear-driven and activity driven, it usually goes into extra-biblical commands. Do not taste, do not touch, etc... (Col 2) In the fear-driven performance-centered mindset, these extra biblical commands make sense, but as Colossians tells us, these extra-biblical commands lack ANY power in restraining the flesh.

So, believers should be diligent rule-keepers, and we should be diligent about knowing what Christ requires of us, but not out of a sense of fear or from the motivation of SO he will love us. We should be diligent about knowing and following his commands BECAUSE he loves us. There is a HUGE difference between these two approaches. One brings life and freedom, the other will leave us bound and dead.

As a believer, bask in the freedom that is found only in knowing and embracing the love of Christ for his church, and resist anything that is legalistic and man-centered. MOST importantly, learn to discern the difference.