“Legalism Scale”

How legalistic are you?

INSTRUCTIONS: Print this off then mark TRUE or NOT for each statement as it represents your own position (or your church’s if you take it twice), then see questions at bottom. 

LEVEL SIX LEGALISM: “Radical Separatism”

“We believe in being radically separate from the world—ffollowing the “old paths.”

TRUE	NOT
		Our men do not wear neckties at all.
		Our men don't wear flashy colorful neckties
		Our women do not wear "toeless shoes."
		Our women do not wear gold or silver-even pins.
		Our daughters do not show their legs—they wear long stockings.
		Our men do not have long hair
		Our women have long hair-not "bobbed."
		Our women do not wear pants.
		Our men do not wear short sleeves.
		Our women always wear long sleeves.
		Our women do not wear ear-rings
		Our women do not wear lipstick.
		We do not attend sporting games.
		We do not go bowling.
		We do not go to Carnivals.
		We do not go to amusement parks.
		We don't have TV sets.
		We don't go to any dances at all-ever.
		We don’t go to the movie-houses—ever.
		We do not gamble ever-even on the stock market.
		We do not ever purchase things on Sunday—ever, even the Sunday paper.
		We don’t have “dice” our games—only “spinners” No playing cards either.
		We do not drive our car on Sunday—except to go to church.
		We do not allow children to "play" on Sunday.
		We do not even allow the ringing up tobacco sales even as a clerk.
		We expel people from our church who have had sexual affairs.
		We expel Christians in our church who have homosexual relationships.
		We don’t even drink out of bottles-avoiding even the appearance of evil.
		We do not use any alcohol-even Nyquil.

LEVEL FIVE LEGALISM: “Moderate Separatism”

“We aren’t radical legalists; we are sensibly conservative”

TRUE	NOT
		Our women do not wear jewelry but can wear gold pins.
		Our women wear do not have to wear long sleeves if they were ¾ length sleeves.
		We have a TV but only watch a Christian DVDs or use it for home-schooling.
		We don’t attend movies but we have shown Christian videos to our youth group.
		We don’t allow our children to dance—any kind of dances.
		We can play “Rook” or “Uno” but we never use “Playing cards.”
		We don't gamble at all.
		We do not allow children to play outside on Sunday—but inside is OK.
		We do not permit Christians to get divorced in our church-ever.
		We expel Christians in our church who have homosexual relationships.
		We will not go to a restaurant that sells alcohol.

LEVEL FOUR LEGALISM: “Adapting conservatism”

“We are not legalistic but we are far from a mainstream church”

TRUE	NOT
		Our women occasionally wear pearls, but not other necklaces.
		Our women wear short sleeves sometimes but do not wear sleeveless blouses.
		None of us wear shorts but women can culottes sometimes.
		We wear shorts but never to a church event.
		We have TVs but we watch only news or uplifting programs.
		We attend only Christian movies or Billy Graham movies.
		Our children might wear wedding rings only—not the adults.
		We allow our children to go to the Prom, but they don’t dance.
		We don't gamble but we allow the use of “dice” in our family games.
		We only buy meals on Sunday when traveling and it is “necessary.”
		We might allow our kids to work as a clerk where they sell tobacco—but we wouldn’t.
		We discipline people for affairs and remove them from leadership.
		We expel Christians in our church who have homosexual relationships.
		We use alcohol only in medicine.

LEVEL THREE LEGALISM: “Conservative Mainstream”

“We are a conservative-but-mainstream church”

TRUE	NOT
		Our women can wear ear-rings but generally they do not get their ears pierced.
		We have TVs but are careful to not watch titillating shows.
		We attend “G” movies and an occasionally PG movie
		We wear wedding rings, but not excessive jewelry
		We allow our children to go to the Prom but no other dances.
		We go out to eat on Sunday but never shopping.
		We would allow for a Christian clerk to ring up tobacco
		We reject divorce in almost all cases.
		We severely discipline people for homosexual affairs—no leadership again ever.
		We do not use alcohol—but we would eat at a restaurant that serves it.

LEVEL TWO LEGALISM: “Moderate Mainstream”

“We are a tad bit more conservative than many Christians”

TRUE	NOT
		We attend movies but avoid those with excessive sex or violence
		We allow our children to go to the Prom.
		We permit kids to dance but only wholesome dances like Square dances or ballet.
		We don't gamble other than an office pool or an occasional lottery ticket.
		We might shop for “necessities” on Sunday—but nothing else.
		We wouldn’t judge a person for a rare cigar like when someone's child is born.
		We discourage divorce but we sometimes "live with it."
		We discipline people for homosexual affairs and remove them from leadership.
		We might allow for drinking alcohol in punch at an office party at Christmas.

LEVEL ONE LEGALISM: “Christian Consensus Minimalism”

“We only forbid what almost all Christians everywhere would forbid”

TRUE	NOT
		Our men and women dress modestly according to the changing culture
		We have TVs and CATV but we avoid any really raunchy shows.
		There are a few movies we won’t attend, but most we can accept.
		We permit kids to dance except those vulgar Spring Break type dances.
		We go occasionally to a night club and dance with our spouses.
		We don't gamble in casinos but sometimes do among friends.
		We try to make Sunday different in some way.
		We don't make tobacco a big issue other than for the health issue.
		We highly discourage divorce but we help people going through it to recover
		We counsel people going through homosexual affairs and help them to wholeness.