Legalists set aside God’s
mercy and grace. The Pharisees were legalists. Legalism teaches that we can by
our own efforts keep the law and that we are saved by keeping the law.
Highlighting the importance of keeping God’s law is not legalism. The whole
universe is controlled by laws ranging from physical laws to social laws. The controversy in heaven started when Satan rebelled
against God’s law stating that it was unnecessary and harmful.
All
legalism, all the sorrow for sin will not give you one moment of relief. You
cannot rightly estimate sin. You must accept God's estimate, and it is heavy
indeed. If you bore the guilt of your sin, it would crush you; but the sinless
One has taken your place, and though undeserving, He has borne your guilt. By
accepting the provision God has made, you may stand free before Him in the
merit and virtue of your Substitute.
James sums up
the relationship between faith and works, legalism and grace: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is
dead, being alone. 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. Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Was not
Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon
the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And
the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was
imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only. Likewise also was not
Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and
had sent them out another way? For as
the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:17-26
