I would say that legalists say that you can keep this 24/7.
That is why they are called legalists
Or as some like to say "Pharisees"
Those who say you cannot keep 24/7 I would say are realist's.
That does not necessarily mean that they want to sin but know they can sin.
I'm not aware of anyone here who you define as legalists have said "If you fail once and deny Jesus then you lose your salvation"
What I have seen is that they say "You break one law then you break them all"
Maybe by inference or infact said "If you rely on 24/7 keeping to be saved and yet do not then by your definition you have lost your salvation"
What I have found is that those I would define as legalists (hard core ones) when challenged about sin, the sin of omission or unknown sins they excuse this as being "I did no I sinned therefore it does not count"
To me that's a very lame excuse.
Sin is sin.
Everyone of us should be seeking God to reveal in us when we have sinned but don't know we have.
The goats ask Jesus "When did we?
Jesus replies “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me"
The fact is that grace covers all sin and faith alone is everything.
Paul addressed this in Romans.
Yes where sin abounds so does grace, but for goodness sake don't use it as an excuse to sin. That's not the purpose of grace.
It's purpose is to set you free from it.
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Language matters as well as focus.
The focus is our hearts, and following Jesus. Cleanse the heart, follow Jesus.
Issues as they arise, can be worked through by repentance, confession and commitment.
The belief is this does not matter, the heart is impenetrable, and grace covers the continual
failure. But what matters is what we are, in truth. Are we our hearts or are we just spirits?
Paul says we are a new creation. He says we are purified, cleansed of all unrighteousness, forgiven.
With a rotten heart, unresolved and destroying ourselves through worldly passions, this image does
not match. What I hear is this is reality, and to be a believer is just to accept that.
Do you think the creator of the universe died on the cross to provide this compromise.
What does Paul say
For
the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us
to redeem us from all wickedness and
to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
titus 2:11-14
Jesus's promise is real purity and real freedom but we have to have faith and be taught.
Legalists will claim many sins to condemn the righteous, yet they themselves commit "big sins"
So I hear many who say they are not legalists, create rules that even God has not created, which
condemn people as sinners continually. They are more strong than even the enemy.
Did not satan consider Job as being righteous? Odd if righteousness and righteous walking is
so impossible. Did not Jesus say His disciples were clean? Did He declare them Holy and pure?
Yet I am condemned as impossible to walk in Gods ways on this earth, while Paul described
the disciples he was writing to as Holy, pure, blameless. The delusion is the impossibility of
walking Jesus's ways, because the Holy Spirit has not given believers the vision or insight.
Is it possible these believers actually live in unbelief and do not recognise it?
A heart bound by sin, struggling and failing to conquer issues in their own strength and claiming
God is not interested. Sounds remarkably like unbelief to me. If you are caught by sin, repent,
confess and accept Jesus's ways. If not, you are in His ways, continue in them. This is discipleship
101. Is it really that hard? Maybe being in a church too long, the words are not real, and one
is trying and not being. If Jesus came and stood before you, you felt His wounds and side, would
you be different? You can do it, if you truly believe.