Deadly Legalism

In Matthew 15, Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. In vv. 8-9, He quotes Isaiah to describe their spiritual condition. Two things stand out. First, their lips honor God but their hearts are cold. Second, their worship is vain because they teach their own commandments as doctrine. In other words, they are legalists.

Legalism can be one of two things. First, legalism occurs when we add to the requirements for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith plus nothing. If we replace the "nothing" with anything else, we have become a legalist. Second, legalism occurs when we add requirements than what appears in the pages of Scripture. Often this happens because we do not like what Scripture says (in this case we usually wish it were more strict). So instead of living by God's Word, we seek to add greater requirements to people's lives.

There are three deadly dangers to legalism. First, it leads people to moralism. We become moral people without a passionate heart for God (see Matthew 15:8). This is what Jesus' next teaching is about (vv. 10-20) when he talks about how the Pharisees are very pleased with their cleanliness before eating (moralism) but not about their heart condition. Second, it can lead people to rebellion. Many people leave the church (indeed, many teenagers upon leaving the home) because of the rigid legalism at their church. Third, legalism can greatly damage a church. In Matthew 16:5-12, Jesus calls the legalistic teaching of the Pharisees: leaven. Leaven permeates the whole. A little legalism in a church is deadly because it will eventually permeate the whole.

We need to be people of God's Word. We need to read it, study it and live it. And we need to have enough faith in God to trust Him even when we wish He said something different in His Word!