Would you call Jesus a legalist?
Matthew 19:16-17
(16) And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
(17) And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Would you call Paul a Legalist?
Romans 3:31
(31) Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Romans 6:15
(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Romans 7:25
(25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Would you call James a legalist?
James 2:10-11
(10) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
(11) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
James 2:17-18
(17) Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
(18) Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Would you call John a legalist?
1 John 2:3-4
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Revelation 12:17
(17) And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 14:12
(12) Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Would you prefer people not teach to keep the commandments? Satan is the one who wants us to sin, the issue in the great controversy has always been over the commandments of God.
A legalist is someone who teaches salvation by works but to teach to keep the commandments out of love for God is not legalism, the result of faith is good works.
Ephesians 2:8-10
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
(9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.