Why do Baha’is accept a heavy burden of laws from the Kitab-i-Aqdas and Lights of Guidance and other Baha’i sources, when Christians know that this kind of legalism is equivalent to “falling from grace”?
Christ said:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
He relieved His followers from the heavy burden of ancient Jewish laws.
He gave us two commandments: To love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40) He said:
“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)
The prophet Jeremiah wrote:
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
The apostle Paul warned us not to return to a heavy system of laws. He wrote:
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. . . . You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:1,4)
Baha’is, however, have taken on a heavy yoke of legalism with the Kitab-i-Aqdas and Lights of Guidance.
Legalism is “falling from grace” because it means that one is trying to be justified by following written laws rather than by accepting God’s grace. Jesus offers salvation to everyone who will submit their lives to Him in faith.
Our salvation doesn’t come from following laws. It comes from being saved by grace through faith in Jesus.
Our righteousness doesn’t come from following laws. It comes from having the Holy Spirit enter our hearts. (All righteousness is His.)
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
The reliance on law-following for salvation is one of the main things that sets the Baha’i Faith religion apart from Christianity. Christians are saved by grace alone.
Paul wrote:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Did you get that? We are saved FOR good works, not BY them. We are saved BY grace through faith.
This is one very important aspect of Christianity. We do not believe in following a huge set of written laws like the Baha’is do, because that is “falling from grace” … trying to get favor from God by following the laws written by a human being.
From Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin… in the interview he had with a Baha’i…
Question: Jesus Christ taught that salvation from sin could be effected only by acceptance of Him as the sin-bearer mentioned so prominently in the fifty-third chapter of the prophet Isaiah. Just how in Baha’ism do you deal with the problem of your own personal sin?
Baha’i Answer: We accept the fact that no one is perfect, but by the practice of principles laid down by Baha’u’llah and by making every effort through prayer and personal sacrifice to live in accord with the character of the divine being revealed in him, we can arrive at eventual salvation as you like to term it.
Question: What you mean, then, is that you, yourself, are co-operating with God in working for your salvation?
Baha’i Answer: Yes, in a sense I suppose you could say this is true, though God in the end must be merciful to us or no one would be fit to escape the divine judgement.
Here’s what Baha’is don’t understand: there’s nothing you can do to become saved. God chooses who will be saved and then Jesus will go after them, like a good shepherd, guiding them into the fold.
Jesus said:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)
There is no salvation except by grace. According to what Jesus said, God gave certain people to Jesus, and He gave them eternal life, not because they were deserving, but more likely because they were ready to be humble enough to surrender to the leadership of Jesus. God knows all. He knows our thoughts, attitudes, and readiness. When we are saved out of the world, the Lord then places the Holy Spirit within us as a teacher. We are led from within.
All people are sinners. We are in no way deserving of salvation, but we are saved by grace because we have faith to trust Jesus with our lives.
Following legalistic Baha’i laws and regulations will not earn anyone salvation. More likely, you will be prideful because you’re following laws, or feeling guilty over breaking them. Pride is one of the most damaging veils that could prevent you from being able to be saved. Pride is a great obstacle for Baha’is, who can be puffed up from getting votes for LSA or special appointments to administrative positions, or even from being “obedient” to laws or administration, or by hosting meetings and attending them religiously. There are many ways pride can silently, insidiously attack us and blind us from true nearness to God.
Finally, there is this warning about regulations, such as the many instructions you’ll find for Baha’i life in the Lights of Guidance, or laws of Baha’u’llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas:
“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:20-23)
Free yourself from imposed legalism. Christ offers freedom.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)
I'm a former Baha'i; now a Christian.
Christian Ex-Baha'i 
In your statement on legalism you ask why Baha’is accept a heavy burden of laws from the Kitab-i-Aqdas, among other sources. Somehow it has completely escaped you that Baha’is believe the Kitab-i-Aqdas is the Word of God, and Lights of Guidance is also what God wants us to believe. I am curious about why you do not understand that after having been a Baha’i for many years.
LikeLike
Hi Brooks… nothing “escaped” me . . . I understand Baha’i thought very well, after having been a member for 30 years. God bless you – I do hope you see the light and are set free.
LikeLiked by 1 person