Legalism

Order of Service

• Sermon
• Prayer

---

Sermon Title: Legalism and the Grace of God

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

I. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

A. The Pharisee's prayer reflects self-congratulation, not genuine gratitude

1. He thanks God for not being like other men
2. He boasts of fasting twice a week and tithing everything he possesses — going beyond what the Old Testament required

B. The tax collector's prayer reflects genuine humility and dependence

1. He cannot even lift his eyes to heaven
2. He beats his breast and cries, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner" — the Greek word implies propitiation
3. He walks away justified; the Pharisee does not

C. The shock of the parable was intentional — the original hearers were stunned by the reversal

II. Why Evangelical Christians Are More Like the Pharisee Than the Tax Collector

A. The spirit of legalism creeps subtly into church life

1. Gratitude for large budgets, church growth, and spiritual accomplishments can become self-congratulation
2. Luther's concern at the Reformation was precisely this: the church had embraced a theology of glory rather than a theology of the cross

B. Three diagnostic tests for the legalistic spirit

1. Do I ever look down on others as the Pharisee did?
2. Do I believe I am accepted by God because of a decision I made rather than because of what Christ did on the cross?
3. Has it been a long time since I have beaten my breast and said, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner"?

C. The pattern of reversal appears repeatedly in Jesus's teaching

1. The Parable of the Prodigal Son — the elder brother's irritation at grace shown to the younger exposes his legalism (Luke 15:11-32)
2. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard — those who worked all day were irritated that latecomers received equal pay (Matthew 20:1-16)
3. When the grace shown to others irritates you, that is a sign the legalistic spirit has crept back in

III. Legalism Creates a Spirit of Bondage

A. Because we can never fully keep the law of God, making law-keeping the basis of our relationship with God produces constant burden and irritation

B. The Christian's inner life exudes an atmosphere — others can sense whether we are resting in grace or striving to qualify before God

C. Whether the gospel has gone deep is revealed not only in how we articulate it but in the atmosphere we breathe out in daily life

D. Conclusion: May God deliver us from legalism and fill us with His grace