Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 01:1 (Fall 2014)
Article: The Heart Of The Matter: Avoiding Legalism
Author: C. J. Williams

RPTJ 1:1 (Fall 2014) p. 35

The Heart Of The Matter: Avoiding Legalism

C. J. Williams

Professor of Old Testament Studies
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Concluding this issue’s discussion of the three uses of the law, we will now turn to the fourth use—the misuse of the law, otherwise known as legalism. We begin by turning to Jesus’ condemnation of the premier legalists of His day: the Pharisees. Matthew 23:1–36 provides an important look at legalism, what it is, how we can define it, and how we can avoid it.

Nowhere else in the New Testament does our Savior speak with such fire and passion as he does when condemning the legalism of the Pharisees. This is the same Savior who described himself as being gentle and lowly in heart, the same Savior who would not break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax, the same Christ who dealt gently with those of weak faith, and tenderly called little children into the kingdom of heaven. But now his words are aflame with righteous anger. He calls the Pharisees hypocrites, sons of hell, blind fools, and a brood of vipers. The English translation of these verses contains eleven exclamation points. By the tone of his voice and the measure of his words, we can rightly conclude that there are few things more odious to our Savior than the legalistic misuse of His own holy law.

The Bible never uses the word “legalism,” nor does it give us a tidy definition. However, we see clear examples of it, such as the Pharisees, whom Jesus condemns here, and the Judaizers, whom Paul rebukes in the book of Galatians. Legalism may be one of those things that is hard to define, but you know it when you see it. The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul certainly knew it when they saw it, but, for those of us with less discernment, it is useful to look at such examples of legalism and build a Biblical, working definition. So, let me propose this definition of legalism:

Legalism is a contortion of the true gospel, whereby a person tries to earn or maintain his salvation, or appear righteous in the eyes of men, by keeping, and often adding to, the law of God.

This may not be a perfect definition, but we will see its main elements born out from Scripture. However, our purpose is not just to define legalism, and talk about it abstractly. Through defining it, our purpose is to examine ourselves for it, and flee from it, and to reaffirm in our lives that our salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. That alone is the true gospel.

Our definition begins by saying that “Legalism is a contortion of the true gospel.” The true gospel is that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. Faith ...