Christian Blogs, Discipleship Encouragement and Correction, Millpond Ink Musing
Millpond Ink Musing, 2015 – Of Formalism
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
2 Tim. 3:5
What is a formalist? It’s amazing to me that given how many formalists are in the church, most should know but don’t. Oh, they may venture a guess… ‘Oh, that’s a fundamentalist! It’s legalism in the extreme! Yes, that’s what it is! I’m right; right?’
Wrong.
A formalist is one who will content himself with a form of holiness or godliness; as much as will bring him credit or is needed to do in order to accomplish his purpose. Their religion, as defined by my 12th great grandfather, Thomas Shepard, is stated as ‘honos,’ meaning honor sometimes; but the power and practice of it is ‘onus,’ which means a burden. According to grandpa, ‘men take up the first, and shake of the second.’ That means a formalist will take honor any day as long as it isn’t burdensome.
As for who is a formalist? I’ll let the reader’s own heart tell them; that is, if their pursuit of God to make their heart of stone one of flesh isn’t too burdensome.
