The Danger of Legalism

Matthew 15:1-20 Read the New Testament in a Year: Acts 21:1-26 The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were the gold standard of legalists. But their descendants are many, vocal, and ever-present.The legalist claims to love the Word more than you. Typically, he takes a single saying of Scripture and builds an entire system around it, then demands that everyone else obey it. If you refuse, you don’t love the Lord, are in rebellion against God, and unworthy to be a leader or teacher of this church. There is something about legalism that is attractive to a lot of people. It reduces the Christian faith to a list of rules. No more of this “search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). No more of this “The sacrifices of the Lord are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17). It’s rules. Laws. Regulations. Requirements. Demands]]>